LATROBE, Pa. - For the Steelers' offensive line it's as much about collective chemistry as it is individual skill sets and resumes.
"We know each other, we love each other, we care about each other," left tackle Kelvin Beachum maintained. "I think that goes a long way."
Right guard David DeCastro is on the same page.
"We care about each other," he said.
Continuity and coaching are also factors in the optimism the line has been generating at St. Vincent College.
The Steelers are poised to return all five starters from last season for a second season under offensive line coach Mike Munchak.
"We have a great coach we really love playing for," DeCastro continued. "He's one of those guys you don't want to let down.
"We want to play for each other. We've been together a good amount of time and you have to have each other's back out there."
The unit's individual and collective development hasn't gone unnoticed or unappreciated by quarterback Ben Roethlisberger.
He emerged from Friday night's preseason loss at Jacksonville talking about the offensive line's performance and potential impact in glowing terms.
"To me, and I had the conversation on the sideline with the line, we're as good as our line's going to be," Roethlisberger said. "The line, when they play that well, we can be as good as we want to be."
Beachum said the group is ready for and willing to accept such a responsibility.
"It came to a point where we knew we weren't what we wanted to be and we knew that we had to be a better offensive line and a better unit for this team to thrive," Beachum said. "I think we made a conscious decision, a choice, and it's starting to come to fruition."
The line has had an apparent jump in its collective step ever since center Maurkice Pouncey and left guard Ramon Foster retuned to work at training camp from minor injuries.
"When 'Pounce' missed some time, when Ramon missed some time we missed those guys," Beachum said. "Having those guys back just makes everything kind of feel like it's supposed to.
"It's almost like a natural fit and that's what's so great about it right now."
