Offensive line observations, Dallas vs Washington

[honyock]

I finally had a chance to rewatch the game last weekend, looking at the line play. Here are just a few brief observations:

After watching all the snaps again, I thought the line was actually decent in dealing with the blitzing the Redskins did. A lot of the pressure was good scheming by the Skins - they flooded one side and ended up with an unblocked rusher several times (this is no scoop, everyone saw this live).

They didn't blitz that much for the first 1 1/2 quarters. But starting on our last drive of the first half, they really stepped it up and we never quite found an answer. When Murray or Jones was held in to block, they generally did a good job, but there were a lot of times when no one was back to pick off the free blitzer. My impression was the two early picks, then the continuall blitzing later, just never had Romo find anything close to a comfort zone. He looked uncomfortable and rushed much of the night.

Smith had a good game, and after having watched every snap of the final four games, he looks much more comfortable at LT than he did earlier in the season. He had a bad first half against Cincinnati but played well in the final 3 1/2 games. This was a big adjustment year for him but based on how he finished the year, I see every reason to believe he's still on track to be an upper tier left tackle for a long time.

Parnell had one play in the second half where he got beat cleanly on an inside move - the sack on Romo in the 4th quarter, although it wasn't his man who made the sack. Otherwise he played well. He had a really nice play in the first half where he peeled off his block to catch an outside blitzer at the last minute...really good lateral quickness.

For his four game audition splitting time with Free, I thought he got better as he played more. He was shaky at times against Cincy (everyone on the line was shaky against Cincy), but has had three solid games to follow it up. The more he has played and the more comfortable he's gotten, it looks like he is reacting faster, and his athleticism is showing more and more. I think Free is gone, and if I had to predict based on the limited audition, I'm going to guess that the right tackle job is Parnells to lose next year.

Bernardeau still looked like the weak link against Washington. He wasn't terrible, it just looks like mediocre may be the best case for him. He still is getting bulled and pushed back too easily - he doesn't look strong enough to keep from getting the pocket collapsed or to create any consistent push in the run game. I'd put right guard as the biggest priority to upgrade on the line.

[StanleySpadowski]

Originally Posted by honyock

I finally had a chance to rewatch the game last weekend, looking at the line play. Here are just a few brief observations:

After watching all the snaps again, I thought the line was actually decent in dealing with the blitzing the Redskins did. A lot of the pressure was good scheming by the Skins - they flooded one side and ended up with an unblocked rusher several times (this is no scoop, everyone saw this live).

They didn't blitz that much for the first 1 1/2 quarters. But starting on our last drive of the first half, they really stepped it up and we never quite found an answer. When Murray or Jones was held in to block, they generally did a good job, but there were a lot of times when no one was back to pick off the free blitzer. My impression was the two early picks, then the continuall blitzing later, just never had Romo find anything close to a comfort zone. He looked uncomfortable and rushed much of the night.

[View Full Quote]Smith had a good game, and after having watched every snap of the final four games, he looks much more comfortable at LT than he did earlier in the season. He had a bad first half against Cincinnati but played well in the final 3 1/2 games. This was a big adjustment year for him but based on how he finished the year, I see every reason to believe he's still on track to be an upper tier left tackle for a long time.

Parnell had one play in the second half where he got beat cleanly on an inside move - the sack on Romo in the 4th quarter, although it wasn't his man who made the sack. Otherwise he played well. He had a really nice play in the first half where he peeled off his block to catch an outside blitzer at the last minute...really good lateral quickness.

For his four game audition splitting time with Free, I thought he got better as he played more. He was shaky at times against Cincy (everyone on the line was shaky against Cincy), but has had three solid games to follow it up. The more he has played and the more comfortable he's gotten, it looks like he is reacting faster, and his athleticism is showing more and more. I think Free is gone, and if I had to predict based on the limited audition, I'm going to guess that the right tackle job is Parnells to lose next year.

Bernardeau still looked like the weak link against Washington. He wasn't terrible, it just looks like mediocre may be the best case for him. He still is getting bulled and pushed back too easily - he doesn't look strong enough to keep from getting the pocket collapsed or to create any consistent push in the run game. I'd put right guard as the biggest priority to upgrade on the line.

So many people gloss over Smith's poor play because they want him to be successful. He effectively ended Dallas' season on the play Romo cracked a rib. He had two rushers to choose from, got confused and decided to block neither. If that were any other linemen, everyone would be calling for his head.

Neither of the guards were as bad as the center but that doesn't make either guard even decent.

The single biggest problem with Dallas all year was the inability to create a clean pocket due to push up the middle. Romo seldom had the opportunity to step up and the tackles couldn't just ride around since Romo may be moving in that direction.

[honyock]

Originally Posted by StanleySpadowski

So many people gloss over Smith's poor play because they want him to be successful. He effectively ended Dallas' season on the play Romo cracked a rib. He had two rushers to choose from, got confused and decided to block neither. If that were any other linemen, everyone would be calling for his head.

Neither of the guards were as bad as the center but that doesn't make either guard even decent.

The single biggest problem with Dallas all year was the inability to create a clean pocket due to push up the middle. Romo seldom had the opportunity to step up and the tackles couldn't just ride around since Romo may be moving in that direction.

Are you talking about the play at 1:02 of the second quarter? If so, you and I saw that very differently. He had two rushers come at him. He picked the blitzer who was coming the fastest, who was a full two yards ahead of the other one and with a full head of steam, and pushed him to the ground. The guy ended up flat on his stomach. The other guy then got a clean shot at Romo and drilled him. Unless you're talking about another play, I'm not sure what else Smith could have done.

[Clove]

Aikman used to love it when teams blitzed him, because he would simply find the open guy and carve that defense up.

If you don't know how to call hot reads, and design things to counter a blitz, then you're way to inexperienced as a Coach & QB to be playing/Coaching at this level.

[hairic]

From the order given on game rewind, which is laughably messed up:

1st pass: Failed to recognize stunt, rusher came in unblocked under 2.5 seconds. Ball out to Austin, who fell on his route.
2nd pass: Unblocked rusher in under 2 seconds. INT due to throw quality/receiver effort.
3rd pass: DT recognized bootleg and covered a receiver, leaving Romo without reads/lanes and pressure coming. Should have thrown the ball away. Romo sack.
4th pass: Blocks beaten in under 2.5 seconds.
5th pass: Free rusher right away. Pump fake makes rusher jump, giving Romo time to get pass downfield to Dez.

Up to this point the defense has made contact with the QB the first five pass plays.

6th pass: Took 3.5 seconds for pressure to get there, and the defense didn't touch the QB. That is the first example of good protection (was play action assisted, though). INT because Romo didn't adjust his throw to account for the players in front of him, or misadjusted.
7th pass: Livings is beat under 2.5 seconds, Murray doesn't see it either, and Romo is hit blindside. Hit prior to 3 seconds after the snap.
8th pass: All rushers still engaged 2.5 seconds after the snap, and no defender touches Romo (ball left Romo's hand right after 3 seconds). This is the first good straight dropback pass pro without using a type of play action. This was the 26 yard gain to Harris.
9th pass: Cook is beat under 2 seconds, but ball is out of Romo's hand prior to 2 seconds. Murray also nearly caused a fumble stepping in front of Romo while he's throwing. This was the slant to Dez (3 step timing play. 3 step drop, 3 step route).
10th pass: Excellent protection vs 3 man rush. Had 8.2 seconds to throw. TD.

Given ten plays, that's 40% average-excellent, 60% bad. I'm not going any further.

Watching casually now...

Pressured/Hit.
Pressured due to blocker being thrown face first to the ground in under 2 seconds (Bernadeau), but untouched pass after leaving pocket.
Hit as thrown.
Hit blindside unblocked. This one was the rib breaking play, a full sprint helmet to the back.
Blocker pushed into QB as he's releasing the ball (Bernadeau).

No, I disagree with your evaluation of the OL/protection; they were schematically and physically beaten. That was the 1st half.

[Eddie]

Originally Posted by Clove

Aikman used to love it when teams blitzed him, because he would simply find the open guy and carve that defense up.

If you don't know how to call hot reads, and design things to counter a blitz, then you're way to inexperienced as a Coach & QB to be playing/Coaching at this level.

Yep ... until he lost Jay Novacek and Michael Irvin, and the OL turned to crap.

Then Aikman used to throw off his arse on the ground.

[Gaede]

I like what I saw out of Smith and Parnell too. I'm comfortable with them going into next season. Should still draft a tackle though

[davidyee]

Originally Posted by Clove

Aikman used to love it when teams blitzed him, because he would simply find the open guy and carve that defense up.

If you don't know how to call hot reads, and design things to counter a blitz, then you're way to inexperienced as a Coach & QB to be playing/Coaching at this level.

...his fair share of shots.

When the offence was on he had a guy in Irvin who would physically beat CBs and be open for slant routes.

Also Irvin understood the offence.

As Eddie said when the team began to erode so did Aikman's career.

[Gaede]

I really liked Livings early in the year. But as the year wore on, I saw him beat alot. Particularly when the opponent blitzed. Him and Bernadeau would almost always fail.

That's to the naked eye, of course. I may be wrong.

[davidyee]

Originally Posted by Gaede

I really liked Livings early in the year. But as the year wore on, I saw him beat alot. Particularly when the opponent blitzed. Him and Bernadeau would almost always fail.

That's to the naked eye, of course. I may be wrong.

...you are too far off.

Livings is not to be trusted to win the majority of the battles in a game.

[WoodysGirl]

Originally Posted by Gaede

I really liked Livings early in the year. But as the year wore on, I saw him beat alot. Particularly when the opponent blitzed. Him and Bernadeau would almost always fail.

That's to the naked eye, of course. I may be wrong.

It may be around the time he got his knee injury. Don't think he actually missed a guy or if he did, it may have been just one.

Either way, after that time, might have been around when he started struggling. Because like you, he was pretty steady at LG in the beginning, while everyone else around him was sucking.

[BHendri5]

Originally Posted by Clove

Aikman used to love it when teams blitzed him, because he would simply find the open guy and carve that defense up.

If you don't know how to call hot reads, and design things to counter a blitz, then you're way to inexperienced as a Coach & QB to be playing/Coaching at this level.

Really? what Aikman were you watching?

[Rack Bauer]

Aikman used to love it when teams blitzed him

Romo would have killed the skins if the WR's were getting open.

The field conditions didn't help and the fact that the refs were letting the SKins DB's rape our WR's didn't help either.

[Rack Bauer]

Originally Posted by davidyee

...you are too far off.

Livings is not to be trusted to win the majority of the battles in a game.

Livings was our best offensive lineman this year.

I know, it's not saying much.

[xwalker]

Originally Posted by honyock

I finally had a chance to rewatch the game last weekend, looking at the line play. Here are just a few brief observations:

After watching all the snaps again, I thought the line was actually decent in dealing with the blitzing the Redskins did. A lot of the pressure was good scheming by the Skins - they flooded one side and ended up with an unblocked rusher several times (this is no scoop, everyone saw this live).

They didn't blitz that much for the first 1 1/2 quarters. But starting on our last drive of the first half, they really stepped it up and we never quite found an answer. When Murray or Jones was held in to block, they generally did a good job, but there were a lot of times when no one was back to pick off the free blitzer. My impression was the two early picks, then the continuall blitzing later, just never had Romo find anything close to a comfort zone. He looked uncomfortable and rushed much of the night.

[View Full Quote]Smith had a good game, and after having watched every snap of the final four games, he looks much more comfortable at LT than he did earlier in the season. He had a bad first half against Cincinnati but played well in the final 3 1/2 games. This was a big adjustment year for him but based on how he finished the year, I see every reason to believe he's still on track to be an upper tier left tackle for a long time.

Parnell had one play in the second half where he got beat cleanly on an inside move - the sack on Romo in the 4th quarter, although it wasn't his man who made the sack. Otherwise he played well. He had a really nice play in the first half where he peeled off his block to catch an outside blitzer at the last minute...really good lateral quickness.

For his four game audition splitting time with Free, I thought he got better as he played more. He was shaky at times against Cincy (everyone on the line was shaky against Cincy), but has had three solid games to follow it up. The more he has played and the more comfortable he's gotten, it looks like he is reacting faster, and his athleticism is showing more and more. I think Free is gone, and if I had to predict based on the limited audition, I'm going to guess that the right tackle job is Parnells to lose next year.

Bernardeau still looked like the weak link against Washington. He wasn't terrible, it just looks like mediocre may be the best case for him. He still is getting bulled and pushed back too easily - he doesn't look strong enough to keep from getting the pocket collapsed or to create any consistent push in the run game. I'd put right guard as the biggest priority to upgrade on the line.

Good post!

My opinion is that you could have 5 Great Pass-Blocking OLinemen and still get killed by the Blitz if:

1. The QB and Receivers cannot execute Hot-Routes correctly.

2. The offensive can't run the ball effectively.