Al Johnson is getting blown up in the middle

[AdamJT13]

A great quote from the Stand, "Things fall apart when the center doesn't hold", teams will start to key on pressuring Bledsoe up the middle. Today it resulted in a "int" that could easily been a TD had Drew had room to step into his throw. I hope this isn't a precursor of things to come.

That was Rivera's man who got in Bledsoe's face.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

Not a single OL is playing well on this team consistently. Pettiti is doing okay considering he is a rookie and has changed positions.

The only question is how do we improve. We try the draft and get nothing. We try FA and get nowhere. We change coaches and get nowhere.

I realize Pettiti's dad posts here, but he is far and away the weakest link on the line. The positive is that that is a good thing. I don't think anyone can diminish Pettiit's accomplishment given that he's a late round rookie.


Look at Bledsoe's sacks per pass attempt throughout his career. This season he's demonstratively below his career numbers. This line hasn't played as poorly as some would have you believe. If Adams and Allen could improve their drive blocking, this team would be dominate offensively.

 

[Mansta54]

The only thing that's obvious is that you want to blame the wrong person. Adams has played poorly all season, Allen is a shell of his former self and Pettiti has made his share of rookie mistakes.


If you Tivo'd the game, go back and watch it again, focusing solely on the O-line. Johnson is playing at an above average level.

Dude, AJ is getting blown up every game. You don't have to TiVo it..

 

[JackMagist]

This thread is laughable. I just re-watched the entire game and focused on Johnson on every offensive play. (By the way, he played EVERY snap at center for the second consecutive game.) Johnson had ONE bad play -- when he got his feet tangled up and was tripped, pulling the linebacker down with him (the penalty that wiped out Witten's second TD catch). Johnson had a few other mediocre plays, but nothing that created a bad result for the offense. And this was his best game so far in pass protection. He hasn't allowed a sack all season, but he usually has two or three plays per game when he gets driven back into the pocket while pass blocking. But that never happened today, and he was using better leverage than I've noticed him using so far.

Seriously, this is getting ridculous. The perception in here is nowhere close to reality.

Sorry Adam but Johnson is number 52 not 73. The game I saw had him short snapping a ball that resulted in a fumble and had him holding on a TD that got called back because of him. He had at least two other plays where they pressured Bledsoe up the middle over him or by pushing him back. Of course Rivera didn't have a great game either...in fact it may have been worse than Johnson.

 

[TruBlueCowboy]

Sorry Adam but Johnson is number 52 not 73. The game I saw had him short snapping a ball that resulted in a fumble and had him holding on a TD that got called back because of him. He had at least two other plays where they pressured Bledsoe up the middle over him or by pushing him back. Of course Rivera didn't have a great game either...in fact it may have been worse than Johnson.

I agree. I remember more than one goof by Al Johnson. Not saying Rivera was better at all, but the only offensive lineman I remember not really blowing anything that often was Larry Allen.

 

[adbutcher]

That was Rivera's man who got in Bledsoe's face.

I went back to that play and you are correct it was Rivera.

Also, I get what you are saying about their errors but the timelessness of their mistakes always seems to cost us.

 

[Paniolo22]

This thread is laughable. I just re-watched the entire game and focused on Johnson on every offensive play. (By the way, he played EVERY snap at center for the second consecutive game.) Johnson had ONE bad play -- when he got his feet tangled up and was tripped, pulling the linebacker down with him (the penalty that wiped out Witten's second TD catch). Johnson had a few other mediocre plays, but nothing that created a bad result for the offense. And this was his best game so far in pass protection. He hasn't allowed a sack all season, but he usually has two or three plays per game when he gets driven back into the pocket while pass blocking. But that never happened today, and he was using better leverage than I've noticed him using so far.

Seriously, this is getting ridculous. The perception in here is nowhere close to reality.

i Knew you'd come to the rescue!!! :starspin

 

[Wolverine]

Al Johnson and Marco Rivera just flat out suck. Those 2 did a better job of stopping our offense then the Giants Defense did. Cut them both after this year. It should be real easy to get better OL then those 2.

 

[Outlaw Heroes]

Like I said: it's not just Johnson (though his errors today were numerous). Everyone's focused on the pass protection (which is comparatively the line's strength), but my big concern is run blocking. Seems we just don't get things blocked when we really needs those few yards. The drive that started inside the one at the end of regulation time (which could have sealed the win, if we had gotten anything done) is a case in point.

 

[AdamJT13]

Sorry Adam but Johnson is number 52 not 73. The game I saw had him short snapping a ball that resulted in a fumble and had him holding on a TD that got called back because of him.

The "short snap" is debatable. And it wasn't a blocking mistake. I already explained what happened on the holding penalty -- his feet got tangled up and he tripped backward, pulling the linebacker down.

He had at least two other plays where they pressured Bledsoe up the middle over him or by pushing him back.

Name them.

Seriously, this is ridiculous. There's a reason Gurode hasn't seen the field on offense in the past two games, and it's because Johnson is playing so well.

 

[Nors]

Johnson takes a hit on fumble but all in all he's doing his job. Petitti has to answer on 2 sacks and another miss on left side.

Another win -

 

[scottsp]

Johnson is not playing so well.

 

[Gaede]

I don't know about him getting blown up (i don't tend to notice who's actually at fault on the Oline)

But I did see one excellent play near the Giants goal line where he hit a man at the line of scrimmage and then immediately came off him and hit a linebacker 5 yds away. Atrain then went for like a 7 yd run.

 

[Kilyin]

Rivera = overrated
Petitti is sucking. Quit staring at Strahan's teef gap and block him

Al Johnson looked fine.

 

[Coakleys Dad]

How mad were you guys after the 2nd Witten touchdown and that hold on Johnson? Not to mention the other hold he had, he is very frustrating....

 

[FRDRCK]

or the fumble when we were driving on the giants in the beginning

 

[joseephuss]

or the fumble when we were driving on the giants in the beginning

Those fumbled snaps have to stop.

 

[dbair1967]

How mad were you guys after the 2nd Witten touchdown and that hold on Johnson? Not to mention the other hold he had, he is very frustrating....

the call on Witten's TD was a pahntom call...he didnt hold from what I could see...the only thing wrong with the paly was he got trampled over, the official apparentl assumed he held to prevent the sack

he isnt playing as well as he did last yr, thats for certain

David

 

[Doomsday101]

I agree that Al Johnson needs to step up his game. Not willing to write him off as of yet but he needs to get his act together

 

[FRDRCK]

i think its time for Gurode to start i dont recall any mistakes made from him this year when he has played