PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – Even through struggles, the Steelers kept the same starting offensive line. They wanted to allow the group with five rookies and a second-year starter to play together. So how does the Mike Tomlin edict of leaving no stone unturned impact them finding continuity going forward?
"You don't find continuity, you create it," said Steelers veteran guard Trai Turner. "That comes with time, comes with patience and reps. That comes with just opportunities to have the same guys and continue to jell and play. Sometimes you have that fortune, sometimes you don't."
"It's ball, you have to adjust. Right now, we are adjusting, missing (starting guard Kevin) Dotson is someone we wish we had in there, but he's not. We have to continue to adjust, continue to get better, come out here and work and put it on the grass."
Turner said he's motivated every week to play the perfect game. He's said he's never played it yet and the team hasn't either. As long as he and the rest of the lineman continue to search for the perfect game, that will be the motivation to improve.
"There is going to be situations, it's not perfect," Turner said. "Those guys across the ball they are pretty good too, they get paid. I think the coaches and the offensive line is doing a good job of addressing issues, trying to attack issue to make them better moving forward."
Turner said he's tried to help rookie center Kendrick Green with his problems. He said issues of getting the snap off or accuracy happen sometimes in the battle of the game. Turner believes Green and other players know what's wrong and they are moving forward to fix it.
An eight-year veteran, Turner said all have to take accountability for their own play. Its similar for their issues in the first halves of games, it's about players locking into what they need to do from the start.
"You go out and play and take it one snap at a time," Turner said. "Every play is not going to be perfect, but you use every play as a chance to learn. You use that first half as a chance to learn and know what you did wrong so you can get better."
"Football is about making constant adjustments. If you feel like you got it all handled, you are going to eventually lose. If you don't adjust, you are going to lose. We went in at halftime, made some adjustments and came out better. That's what it's about concerning continuity or finding it."
But why is it then that you have more success when running more no huddle then standard offense.
"I don't know," Turner said. "Maybe we get into a rhythm, a flow a little bit. When you have a quarterback like Ben, as soon as he gets in a groove. You don't know what can happen."
"You want to be able to do that whether it's huddle or no huddle, go out there and produce the same."
They don't have crowd noise as an excuse this week at home against Tennessee. Will no huddle be used more with similar success? Will the team find answers to the first half?
Kickoff at 1p on KDKA-TV with the Steelers holding a slim playoff margin for error at 6-6-1.
