Allright, nobody wants to say it so I will. Center is scaring the daylights out of me

[superpunk]

Defenses didn't attack Johnson as much becase it was easier to attack Tucker and Pettiti at Tackle. Right now, the center position is by far the weakest link on the OL and it is weak. You're denying that?

Oh, and by the way, do you remember the turning-point-game late in the season last year...the second Gisnts game where we had a chance to take control of the division down the stretch...arguably the most meaningful game of the season...the one where the OL played poorly but nobody played as poorly as Johnson in the biggest game of the season to date...the game whewre Johnson got pulled for being beat play after play...? I'll stop typing because I'll give the benefit of the doubt in figuring out where I'm going with this...

**

Um....Gurode blew that game for us.

 

[kiheikiwi]

In my opinion, Johnson will beat out Gurode this year. If the stories of him gaining weight and strength this off-season are true, he will solidify the center position.
Smarter and better at line calls then Gurode, I guess we'll see this season - but not a concern of mine at this stage...

 

[1Ware1]

Maybe not understanding the importance of the general of the o-line is a fault of some of you.The center reads the defense and and decides who is picking up what blitzer.
Great screen teams and run oriented teams all have great centers.Maybe Stepnoski spoiled us for two long.
I just think that we should have signed Mawae or Flannigan to show these fellows the ropes.

 

[AMERICAS_FAN]

Um....Gurode blew that game for us.

Yes, the guy who blew that game was the guy who had to replace Johnson. That's my point. It was arguably the most critical game down the stretch, and in that shining moment Johnson had to be pulled for the guy who blew the game.

I'm not making apologies for Gurode here e ither. This thread is about the Ceneter position and whether or not we should be concerned about Johnson and Gurode. I think it's very clear we should be.

**

 

[Idgit]

Maybe not understanding the importance of the general of the o-line is a fault of some of you.

Maybe. Maybe spooking easily and overacting is a problem for others.

The center reads the defense and and decides who is picking up what blitzer.
Great screen teams and run oriented teams all have great centers.Maybe Stepnoski spoiled us for two long.

Stepnoski did spoil us, but that was some time ago. I challenge you to find a single shred of reported evidence that AJ has trouble with reads and calls. That's his strength, by any account I've read.

I just think that we should have signed Mawae or Flannigan to show these fellows the ropes.

I'd rather not waste the roster spot. My guess is that the subject of a FA center didn't even come up as a serious topic at VR this off season. I think the coaching staff is pleased with AJ generally, and intrigued by what Gurode might develop into given another year devoted primarily to C.

 

[DawnOfANewD]

Given our propensity for signing older veteran FA offensive lineman (aside from Kosier) to start for us, I'm surprised we didn't sign this guy:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2382179

 

[burmafrd]

I wanted Bentley badly but clearly since we were after TO we could not afford to. There is no other center out there that would be a real upgrade over what we have. Even if we got Faine- and we probably would have to give up a 3rd to get him- he would not be much if any upgrade.

 

[AbeBeta]

Um....Gurode blew that game for us.

I would hate to see Gurode starting as D coordinators would start to work their gameplans around confusing him -- he is AWFUL at making adjustments in his line calls. Just totally brutal. Physically he's far better than Al.

Really it comes down to this a) Al gets stronger and improves his technique or b) Dre gets smarter and improves his technique or c) the board blows up and we get thread after thread about how we should have signed Mawae

 

[Derinyar]

Lets see. We still don't have a guranteed starting RT. Our LT is coming back off of a knee reconstruction. We just released our starting LG from last year, who was probably our best lineman. Rivera was bad last year, and we are depending on his body to work better this year.

Yeah, Center is really our weakest position.

 

[theogt]

Given our propensity for signing older veteran FA offensive lineman (aside from Kosier) to start for us, I'm surprised we didn't sign this guy:

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=2382179

How many older veteran FA O-linemen have we signed in recent history? I can think of two, Fabini and Rivera. I'm not sure that counts as a "propensity," considering I can think of 3 or 4 young OL signed recently.

 

[vicjagger]

How many older veteran FA O-linemen have we signed in recent history? I can think of two, Fabini and Rivera. I'm not sure that counts as a "propensity," considering I can think of 3 or 4 young OL signed recently.

Columbo & Price

 

[theogt]

Columbo & Price

Colombo is young and I forgot about Price.

 

[FuzzyLumpkins]

It is knee jerk threads like this one hta make me so dramatically overjoyed that it is not you people that are running this franchise. Pointing to one game of bad play is not how you evaluate a position.

Ill give you one word to describe our centers last season: inconsistent.

There would be games where they would play well followed by physical limitations and mental mistakes.

One thing about the offensive line in general and the center position specificaly is consistency benefits it.

I would be willing to bet that the same chicken little freaks wree the same onens that were badmouthing James after last season.

Parcells treatment with Gurode bringing hom back for a few more seasons is hauntingly familiar with his treatment to his treatment of two players Bradie James and Flozell Adams.

Parcells brought back Adams and was villified for it and he stuck with James and was called an idiot. He is sticking to his guns with Andre Gurode and he has my eyes wide open.

 

[dcfanatic]

I want Gurode to start. I hate Johnson. I think the running game is better with Gurode because he is better at the point of attack. Johnson gets pushed into the backfield way too much. All Gurode has to do if he wants the job is to make sure his mental game stays intact during training camp.

Any questions?

 

[billknows]

No, I didn't notice any of that. I shudder to think what it will be like on this board when we have to break in a young QB. We can't even handle bringing around youth at the C position without people going off the deep end.

So True

 

[BeWare94]

Come on now,We can't count on Al Johnson or Gurode to be the starter for this season.I can't understand why we haven't invested a large chunk of cap money in the quaterback of the offensive line.
I also can't seeing us drafting an offensive lineman to come in and start,I mean signing all of these veteran stud position players is nice and all,but let's point to the main problem with the team.WE HAVE NO CENTER!!It's nice to assume that Gurode can get better and the competition will make the players better,but come on.
Signing Kevin Mawae would have made it christmas come early.Hasn't Pittsburgh proved anything this year?They have average at best skills position players with a clock swallowing,run blocking offensive line.How else do you think that clown(Rothelisberger) lead the league in passer efficency?Gee,throw the ball 9 times a game ,run it for 30 or 40 times.Even I could have practiced my handoff skills and chucked one 3 yards for a seven yard gain once in a while.
How manny times this past season would we have been victorious if we would have just been able to convert that 3rd and two in the fourth quater?
I must applaude the cowboys brass for makeing an honest effort to sign marquee players and all,but the number one offense in the NFL rarely wins the superbowl.Hence the age old term defense wins championships.
Let's go spend the money and get the center we need to win.I am an honest beleiver if you dump all of your money into the o-line,even average players will become superstars.If the quaterback has time he will be able to make the throws to the receivers.We will be able to sustain that 5 minute drive with 4 minutes left in the fourth quater to get that win.
The defense is looking good this year so far,but the offenseive line is scareing the daylights out of me.As of right now I would say that the center position is the weakest link on our team.I realley thin we need to address this position the most.BP can only rotate the centers so much and ther is no chemistry there if they will platoon every other play.
Where's Genardo Dinapoli when you need him?????

Anywhere that Andre Gurode is playing scares the (insert your own expletive, chew on that one Juke-stappo) out of me! And to think we drafted him instead of LeCharles Bentley.

 

[Stash]

It is knee jerk threads like this one hta make me so dramatically overjoyed that it is not you people that are running this franchise. Pointing to one game of bad play is not how you evaluate a position.

Ill give you one word to describe our centers last season: inconsistent.

There would be games where they would play well followed by physical limitations and mental mistakes.

One thing about the offensive line in general and the center position specificaly is consistency benefits it.

I would be willing to bet that the same chicken little freaks wree the same onens that were badmouthing James after last season.

Parcells treatment with Gurode bringing hom back for a few more seasons is hauntingly familiar with his treatment to his treatment of two players Bradie James and Flozell Adams.

As am I glad that you're not running things. The fact is Parcells has "so much faith" in Gurode that he got a 1 year deal. Nice homework there. How many other teams rotate Centers? If you have two, you don't have any. One guy gets outmuscled, the other gets outsmarted.

Parcells brought back Adams and was villified for it and he stuck with James and was called an idiot. He is sticking to his guns with Andre Gurode and he has my eyes wide open.

He re-signed Adams because he was the best option he had. There is no left tackel market in the NFL if you hadn't noticed. As for James, why cut a cheap, young player still playing under his rookie contract?

Parcells has said himself, when you have a quarterback like Bledsoe, the best way to pressure him is up the middle. That says to me that the center position should be a big priority. And "status quo" doesn't cut it for me either.

:nono2: