Well, in retrospect, maybe Rashard Mendenhall wasn't the best choice for the Steelers number one pick. After the horrible performance put on by the offensive line against the New York Giants, do you think that head coach Mike Tomlin is second guessing himself? Should they have spent a portion of their picks on shoring up the only glaring weakness on a Super Bowl caliber teeam?
I beleive the answer to be a resounding yes. Mendenhall may have been a steal, but with nobody to open up lanes for him, how well can he really do? The Steelers' number two pick, Lymas Sweed, while I'm sure he has great potential, will take longer to make an impact than a quality lineman would have. Let's not forget that Sweed was seemingly drafted in response to Ben Roethlisberger's comments about the Steelers' lack of tall receivers. Hines Ward, Heath Miller, and Santonio Holmes all seem to do just fine when Ben has enough protection to do his job, though. At the very least, Dennis Dixon was a stretch, and will probably never start at quarterback in a Steeler uniform. Wide receiver, maybe. But Dixon is yet another draft pick spent seemingly frivolously, when the offensive line has holes big enough for Terrell Owens and his ego to run through.
The Steelers knew coming into this season that they had tthe toughest schedule in the league. Now, with Washington, Indianapolis, and San DIego on the horizon, Pittsburgh is showing itself to be a team in crisis. With injuries hampering such key players as Willie Parker, Troy Polamalu, and Casey Hampton, Santonio Holmes now embroiled in legal issues, and no depth at punter and long snapper, the Steelers could be in for a long, uphill battle the rest of the way.
The focus now needs to be on fixing the offensive line. Somehow, Mike Tomlin need to find enough spackle, duct tape, and baling wire to hold his team together. Ben just signed an eight year contract extension worth at least as much as Bill Gates' shoe collection, but at this rate, he may not survive to spend it.
Keywords: ben roethlisberger, casey hampton. troy polamalu, dennis dixon, injuries, lymas sweed, mike tomlin, new york giants, pittsburgh steelers, rashard mendenhall, santonio holmes, willie parker
