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With media attention on Le’Veon Bell http://www.steelerscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-jon-bostic-jersey , Ben Roethlisberger is focusing on his offensive line Trust me, I realize the large majority of Pittsburgh Steelers fans are sick-and-tired of hearing, and reading, about Le’Veon Bell. However, while Bell’s absence from the team dominates the news wire around Steelers Nation, Ben Roethlisberger decided to bring some attention to the players who matter most to an offense — the offensive line.When asked about what the absence of Bell means for the offense, his answer was a good one.“You know football is the ultimate team sport. One guy doesn’t make, or break, you. So, I’d like to say the linemen are more important than any skill position player, including myself, on this team. So, this offense is more than just one guy.”You can hear more from Roethlisberger, courtesy of Jeremy Fowler of ESPN, in the video below:Roethlisberger would go on to talk about how he feels James Conner is not just a ‘year better’ but showing some very good signs heading into his sophomore season in the black-and-gold. In fact, he even mentioned how the offense is ‘excited’ to see what Conner can bring to the table if/when he is given the opportunity.What is worth noting is how Roethlisberger’s comments don’t just sound like a team captain trying to keep the focus on the team, and not the individual, but he also speaks the truth. In the game of football, you need skill players, this isn’t a debate, but you also need to have the big men up front paving the way and protecting those skill players. For instance, the Steelers have proven they can run the ball without Le’Veon Bell, and some suggest a one cut, downhill running style, like both James Conner and Stevan Ridley’s styles, is easier on the offensive line. Therefore, some would say it is more about the line than the running back in some instances.Effectiveness matters, and the Steelers offensive line has been nothing short of that in pass protection the past two seasons. This allows Roethlisberger to feed the ball to the likes of Jesse James, Antonio Brown and JuJu Smith-Schuster on time and in rhythm. So, when Roethlisberger talks about the importance of the offensive line, he isn’t just being a ‘fearless leader’ Cheap Artie Burns Jersey , but is being honest. Fans should remember just how bad the offensive line was during the early years of Roethlisberger’s career. Players like Jonathan Scott, Justin Hartwig, Sean Mahan and Darnell Stapleton were once the norm, but since the team has put an emphasis on the line, the offense has also turned around. Drafting players like Maurkice Pouncey, David DeCastro and Marcus Gilbert in the first or second rounds has paid huge dividends, add in undrafted free agent Ramon Foster with free agent pickup Alejandro Villanueva, throw in Mike Munchak and the Steelers have built one of the best offensive lines in the game.If Le’Veon Bell chooses to sit out for weeks, and not just one game, the Steelers offense will take a hit. However, as Roethlisberger alluded to, it is safe to say the Pittsburgh Steelers’ offense will go as far as their offensive line takes them.To hear all of Ben’s interview, check the video below: The Pittsburgh Steelers are back-to-back winners for the first time in this 2018 season after a solid performance vs. the Cincinnati Bengals at Paul Brown Stadium in Week 6. With the team now able to relax on their bye-week in Week 7, they will hope to improve on their 3-2-1 record by beating the Cleveland Browns and Baltimore Ravens in Weeks 8 and 9. Something I did last season and I’m going to start again is the Black-and-gold Links article. This is an article where I take stories from quality news sources across the Internet and add them here for your viewing pleasure. I won’t be posting the entire articles, but I’ll link each story and author so that you can read the full article. Today we talk about how the return of Steelers safety Morgan Burnett can be a huge help in the versatility department for the Pittsburgh defense coming off the bye week.Let’s get to the news:Burnett’s impending return brings creativity to Steelers defenseBy: Joe Rutter, Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewJoe Haden seemed to be caught off guard by the question.The Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback was asked Thursday morning whether the package that features seven defensive backs was still a part of the team’s playbook.Haden took a second to ponder it.“I think so,” he said.Forgive Haden for the uncertainty. After all, the Steelers haven’t used the dollar formation since the season opener – and even then seven defensive backs were on the field for a single play.For all of the talk about the dollar subpackage being a viable option on certain passing downs and for all of the time devoted to practicing it in training camp, the Steelers haven’t used the formation since early in the first quarter Sept. 9 at Cleveland.But with veteran strong safety Morgan Burnett nearing a return after a four-game, five-week absence, the Steelers might dust the cobwebs off the dollar when the play the Browns again Sunday at Heinz Field.Rookie first-round pick Terrell Edmunds moved into the starting strong safety spot because of Burnett’s groin injury, and he’s expected to remain in the lineup. That means Burnett will play in some subpackages, likely the quarters formation (three safeties, three cornerbacks) or dollar.“He has a unique skill set, and he’s a guy we want to have out on the field,” Haden said. “I think having him back will make it more flexible for us.”The Steelers gave Burnett a three-year, $14.35 million contract to replace Mike Mitchell in the secondary, with Sean Davis moving to free safety. His arrival as a safety/hybrid linebacker after eight years in Green Bay also was supposed to make up for the loss of inside linebacker Ryan Shazier.Burnett, though, has been in the training room more than the field. Counting the preseason, he has missed six of the past eight games because of injury. This week http://www.steelerscheapshops.com/cheap-authentic-bud-dupree-jersey , Burnett has practiced on consecutive days for the first time since early September.Asked how Burnett can help the Steelers, defensive coordinator Keith Butler said, “Tremendously. He’s had a good week of practice. We miss him, and I’m glad he’s back.”In his absence, the Steelers have used Cameron Sutton as a safety in the quarters package but have been reluctant to deploy the dollar.“Sometimes game situations predict how much dollar we can play,”Butler said. “(Burnett) was certainly a big part of that. We had to play the guys we had. Sometimes we changed personnel. Sometimes we didn’t.”Burnett is equipped to play a hybrid spot in subpackages because of his size. At 6-foot-1, 209 pounds, he’s two inches taller and 20 pounds heavier than Sutton.“He adds a physical presence for us,” outside linebacker Bud Dupree said. “He can play in the box, he can cover guys, be a safety. He’s a big body who can bring it down hill.”Steelers to get 1st look at Browns’ No. 1 pick Baker MayfieldBy: Chris Adamski, Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewThe average NFL experience level for the starting quarterbacks for the Pittsburgh Steelers’ first six opponents this year is nine seasons. Just one played fewer than eight years as a pro.That will change in a major way Sunday against the Cleveland Browns, who will start rookie Baker Mayfield. The No. 1 overall pick in April, Mayfield will be making his fifth NFL start.“He’s a young guy, but he’s a spirited guy,” Steelers defensive coordinator Keith Butler said. “He’s peppy and excited about playing. I think he’s a real competitor for them, and he’s going to bring that to the game.”When the Steelers played the Browns in Cleveland seven weeks ago, eight-year veteran Tyrod Taylor was their starter. Mayfield replaced him during the Week 3 Thursday night game against the New York Jets and promptly led the Browns to their first victory in two years.He’s 1-3 as a starter since, with two of the defeats (and the win) coming in overtime.“You see (Mayfield’s competitiveness) when you play their tape,” coach Mike Tomlin said. “I think it goes beyond the playmaking that he brings. I think he’s a catalyst for them. I think he inspires others with his spirit and how he approaches it. I think his inclusion and play has been a positive thing for them.”Mayfield has completed 57.8 percent of his passes for 1,291 yards, six touchdowns and five interceptions for a 78.5 rating. He also has 82 rushing yards on 14 attempts.Befitting his image, Mayfield has been one of the most aggressive quarterbacks in the league. Among current starters, he ranks fourth in the league in average intended air yards (9.2 per attempt, according to the NFL’s Next Gen Stats). Also, 17.6 percent of his passes are thrown into a tight window (defined by when a defender within 1 yard or less of the receiver at the time of completion or incompletion).“He’s got a good arm. He’s got a REALLY good arm,” Butler said. “He’s got a cannon on him, and I think he’s a smart guy.”Kevin Gorman: Artie Burns bounce-back game critical for SteelersBy: Kevin Gorman, Pittsburgh Tribune-ReviewCornerback has become the most critical position for the Pittsburgh Steelers, so it shouldn’t surprise that any conversation about their corners involves criticism of Artie Burns.Where Burns is trying to bounce back from his fourth-quarter benching against the Cincinnati Bengals by “getting better and winning a Super Bowl,” the Steelers know the latter depends on the former from their 2016 first-round pick.In a week when his teammates actively campaigned for the Steelers to trade for Arizona Cardinals six-time Pro Bowl cornerback Patrick Peterson Cheap T. J. Watt Jersey , and Steelers coach Mike Tomlin suggested Burns smile through the face of adversity, Burns instead responded to trade talk with a stiff upper lip Thursday in the locker room at UPMC Rooney Sports Complex.“I don’t really care,” Burns said. “If I get traded, I get traded. I’ll still have a job somewhere else. I’m here to work.”What if the Steelers trade for a cornerback?“If they do, they do,” Burns said. “I don’t really pay attention to that.”Burns spent the bye and this week paying attention to details, with a focus on fundamentals. That was the rap on Burns coming out of Miami, that he had the size and speed but was a raw talent.Steelers Hall of Fame cornerback Rod Woodson was among his most vocal critics after the Steelers’ 28-21 victory over the Bengals on Oct. 14, especially after Burns gave a 10-yard cushion and backpedaled three steps into the end zone on Tyler Boyd’s 14-yard touchdown catch.Woodson brought up an interesting point in an interview on 93.7 FM, subscribing to the same suspicion I’ve had about Burns: His greater struggle is with confidence, not technique.“You’d think all players who are in the National Football League have the utmost confidence in who they are and their ability and they can cover any receiver 鈥?and that’s not the case all the time,” Woodson told 93.7. “A lot of times, I don’t know if everybody always believes in the guy that they see in the mirror. But, at the end of the day, you have to believe in who he is and that he can accomplish and play in this league because if you don’t believe it, it’s not going to happen.“If he lost it for some reason, can he get it back? Absolutely. He just needs to have a couple good games. All players are going to have some bad games. But they can’t be error repeaters.”The Artie Burns who challenged Antonio Brown in practice every day, the one who picked off passes from Ben Roethlisberger during training camp has been missing this season. Burns hasn’t been the same since he was benched in Week 3 and started rotating with Coty Sensabaugh.“There’s a storm, sometimes. You’ve just got to weather it and come back to what you do,” Burns said. “It’s just football. You deal with things. One week, you may be up. One week, you may be down. 鈥?I think corner gets judged the hardest.”That’s true, and the Steelers have shown the willingness, if not downright desperation, to address positions or players they deem problems. They traded for tight end Vance McDonald and signed cornerback Joe Haden and dealt cornerback Ross Cockrell and receiver Sammie Coates last year — all signs of a win-now mode.But the Steelers rank 27th in the league against the pass this season, and they can’t continue to watch Burns allow big pass plays and draw costly penalties. So they are his harshest critics at the moment, especially because they have the most invested in Burns and know giving up on him could be costly for future salary-cap implications. Custom Cleveland Browns Jerseys