Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line a 'little ball of rage'

It might be a stretch to call anything about the Pittsburgh Steelers' offensive line "little," but that's exactly what Ben Roethlisberger did when he talked about the offensive line's response after their dismal performance against the Baltimore Ravens and their response against a great defensive front in the Carolina Panthers.

"They take a lot of pride, and they had a lot of hurt from the Baltimore game," Roethlisberger told Alan Robinson of the Pittsburgh Tribune-Review "I think they kind of put all that into a little ball of rage and took that out on Carolina."

The group that protects Roethlisberger certainly played with an edge that hadn't been seen during the past two seasons, but this unit also hasn't been playing alongside one another for very long either.

The injuries along the offensive front are well documented, but their ability to bounce back after such a tough loss in Baltimore shows this unit not only learns from their mistakes, but is able to take a loss and channel renewed energy into their performance the next week.

The 'little ball of rage' that Roethlisberger alluded to is something Steelers fans haven't seen along the offensive line in years. They had players like Willie Colon in the past that had an edge, but this entire unit seems to have a chip on their shoulders. This OL is extremely athletic and, as David DeCastro proved on Sunday night, it isn't going to take any nonsense from anyone.

Add all that together and you get an offensive line willing to do whatever it takes to win. That's something this team needs for the remainder of the season to continue their domination in the running game and to keep No. 7 upright and healthy.