PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – It was early in the second quarter with the Raiders up 3-0 and on a third and four Ben Roethlisberger hung in the pocket, got the pass away just before he was crushed by Maxx Crosby and Quinton Jefferson. The pass would fall incomplete. That wasn't the bigger issue.
No one helped Roethlisberger up as he slowly got to his feet at midfield. Former Steelers tackle Trai Essex ripped the offensive line for allowing that to happen.
So did a current Steelers offensive lineman.
"There were words said after that when they came to the sideline," offensive tackle Zach Banner told the PM Team on 93.7 The Fan. "They were reiterated in the film room. That is not acceptable."
"That will not ever happen again. I promise you that."
Banner was upset just speaking the words and thinking about the play. If only that was the lone issue from Sunday's game with Las Vegas.
Roethlisberger hit nine other times, the team rushed for just 39 yards and Trai Turner kicked out of the game for potentially spitting on another player.
"It's a number of different things," Banner told The Fan of their problems. "From a protection standpoint, we obviously can't let him get hit that much. Those are easy fixes. It's technical errors, not effort."
"It's X's and O's and it's technique. With that being said, the only way you can do that is practice. Show up Wednesday ready to go at each other."
Banner says youth and NFL inexperience is playing into this. He believes as the season goes on you will notice a switch as both rookies, Kendrick Green and Dan Moore, figure it out. He mentions that only Chukwuma Okorafor played a full season in the NFL last year. Either due to injuries or spending last year in college.
"It's all five being on the same page," Banner told the PM Team. "If you look at the film from the end zone copy. You'll see, wow, it's one guy. One guy, it's second and six instead of second and 12. It's one block."
"That's the frustrating part, it's not just one guy. It's all of us. It's a whole unit."
"If you have a loose hand that is five separate fingers. You try punching something you will break your hand. If you close fists, you'll break something."
Banner says they will break through this year. They also will be better standing up for their quarterback.
"You can't learn something until you go through it," Banner said.
We all want a quick fix. It won't happen with the Steelers offensive line, but their injured tackle believes it will happen eventually.
