Exploring Some Facts About Our O-Line

[Hostile]

In 1992 this was our starting Offensive Line.

LT...Tuinei (32)
LG...Newton (31)
C...Stepnoski (25)
RG...Gesek (29)
RT...Williams (24)

Average age of the OL...28.2 years.


In 1993 this was our starting Offensive Line.

LT...Tuinei (33)
LG...Newton (32)
C...Stepnoski (26)
RG...Gogan (29)
RT...Williams (25)

Average age of the OL...29 years.


In 1995 this was our starting Offensive Line.

LT...Tuinei (35)
LG...Newton (34)
C...Donaldson (37)
RG...Allen (24)
RT...Williams (27)

Average age of the OL...31.4 years.



This year our starting Offensive Line.

LT...Free (26)
LG...Kosier (32)
C...Gurode (31)
RG...Davis (32)
RT...Colombo (32)

Average age of the OL...30.6 years.


This Offensive Line is not excessively old as we sometimes hear. Yes, we do need to be ready for a couple of these guys to be moving on. But the team has shown with Flo that we will do that. 34 last year, 35 this year to 26 year old Doug Free. They have several young guys that most of us agree they can develop.

Brewster
Bright
Costa
Young

I still want to draft OL next year and build a dominant OL, but I honestly do not care where a guy was drafted. I care about how well they play. The Super Bowl OLs did not have a stockpile of high Draft picks.

The only guys I am not mentioning here are Holland and Barron, and good or bad, both have started for us this year and it looks like Holland (30) will again.

Tony has found the turf on a sack only once this year. Now, I admit he has been hurried and his escape skills have avoided a few more. With the Offense looking to get rid of the football quickly, I feel like our OL is not the weak link on this football team, and especially due to age as has been postulated.

OL is about ability, not the number of rings a researcher would find if they cut a leg off these guys.

 

[BubbleScreen]

Sure would be nice if they could run block like the 93 squad, though.

 

[burmafrd]

I still think that we need to look each year in the second round and if a very good O line prospect is there take him. That is the kind of talent I would like stockpiled. Do that until we are full.

And since our tackles will probably get younger in the next couple of years, and the interior players can do quite well into their middle thirties, we do have time to develope players.

 

[The Realist]

There are a lot of teams......and I mean a lot that wish they had our OL.

There a lot of teams with multiple high draft picks on the OL and overall their units suck.

Anthony Davis has given up 4 sacks and is on pace for 16.

My opinion that offensive lineman have to be good not great.

Great skill players can make good offensive lineman look great.

"We were just a buch of fat guys until Emmitt got here."

Nate Newton

 

[The Realist]

Sure would be nice if they could run block like the 93 squad, though.

Give me a young Emmitt and I'll show you dominant run blocking with the unit we have now.

 

[LeonDixson]

Tony has found the turf on a sack only once this year. Now, I admit he has been hurried and his escape skills have avoided a few more. With the Offense looking to get rid of the football quickly, I feel like our OL is not the weak link on this football team, and especially due to age as has been postulated.

OL is about ability, not the number of rings a researcher would find if they cut a leg off these guys.

And therin has been where the problem has been. Although I have to say they performed very well last Sunday, even with Holland in there. It was nice to watch Tony have some time in the pocket for a change.

I think that was because of two things; they got healthy and the Texans weren't running as many stunts as we sometimes see. At least that's the impression I got.

I wholeheartedly agree with your main point. i.e. Age, in and of itself, is NOT the problem. Good post Hos.

 

[SkinsandTerps]

Old OL has always been a myth among fans.

Most good OL players are proven players around 28 or older. a 32 year old OL player is not old, they are experienced.

 

[yrades]

Old man Ray Donaldson definitely skews those 1995 numbers, but I must say, at 37 he still played at a high level.

 

[Hostile]

Old man Ray Donaldson definitely skews those 1995 numbers, but I must say, at 37 he still played at a high level.

He was a freaking awesome Center. Probably the best one we ever had.

 

[yrades]

He went to the pro bowl in 95 and 96. He was 38 (and a half)

 

[yrades]

He was a freaking awesome Center. Probably the best one we ever had.

Personally, I liked Stepnoski. Until he went to Houston.

 

[NextGenBoys]

Good facts with the median ages for the Oline host.

But you bring up the fact that our offense gets the ball out quick.

I would like to have a vertical offense that can hold up protection wise to let the routes develop down the field. So far this year that has not been the case.

Maybe in order to let those routes develop we need to run them off play-action? I don't know, but while I like using the short passing game, I also like to take shots down the field and we haven't seen much of that so far this year, and I think it might be due to the coaching staff's lack of confidence in the line's ability to hold up for a 5 or 7 step drop.

Just my .02

 

[Hostile]

Good facts with the median ages for the Oline host.

But you bring up the fact that our offense gets the ball out quick.

I would like to have a vertical offense that can hold up protection wise to let the routes develop down the field. So far this year that has not been the case.

Maybe in order to let those routes develop we need to run them off play-action? I don't know, but while I like using the short passing game, I also like to take shots down the field and we haven't seen much of that so far this year, and I think it might be due to the coaching staff's lack of confidence in the line's ability to hold up for a 5 or 7 step drop.

Just my .02

:shush:

It's coming soon to a theater near you.

 

[BubbleScreen]

Give me a young Emmitt and I'll show you dominant run blocking with the unit we have now.

Give me an OL that is automatic on 3rd and 1 because there aren't any more Emmitts at the RB store.

I'll take the Houston effort, with minimal penalties as a compromise.

 

[ShiningStar]

I was of the impression your Oline men can play until mid 30's easily. Now it probably changed because we're not as durable and the guys are bigger and faster.

Its getting to the point where when you are done overhauling one line, you gotta immediately work on the other.

Whats the shelf life of a RB these days, 4 years at best. Depending on when they get out of college?

 

[SLATEmosphere]

Let's hope a 22 year old John Moffit lowers that average next year

 

[Angus]

Give me a young Emmitt and I'll show you dominant run blocking with the unit we have now.

Dallas has a young Emmitt but doesn't use him correctly. Choice is Emmitt reincarnated.

 

[jnday]

What fans seem to forget is that the lines of the early 90`s were big, fast , played with a nasty attitude and had good feet. Nate Newton could pull better than any current lineman we have. This line is slow, blocks poorly in space, and overall doesn`t have half the talent of the line of the 90`s. With the exception of Free , the current line is made of cast-offs that have been revamped from the junk pile. Davis has become a liability and he is showing no signs of returning to his old form. The current line-up will continue to be a problem until Jerry decides to improve it. One win doesn`t change the fact that the line will continue to be the weakest area of the team and will continue to hold this team back.

 

[kojak]

Give me a young Emmitt and I'll show you dominant run blocking with the unit we have now.

:fact:

 

[burmafrd]

Our O line in the 90's was NOT great. It was very good and was in an offense that played to its strengths. Emmitt and Troy were just right for that O line. They all complimented one another so well that they all looked greater than they actually were.