CFZ Feel better about Waletzko after rewatching first half

[CowboyRoy]

Oh there you go. Speaking of being right....didn't you say no one would sign Zeke? How'd that "warning" go?

Bwaaaa!!!! I was dead right about zeke everywhere.

What i predicted was that he would never get resigned here.

Werent you hoping on that? Parhetic

 

[gimmesix]

This is a pretty good breakdown of Waletzko. He's on par with a lot of swing tackles in the league.

He's such a good athlete that he can recover when he's initially beat or doesnt have perfect technique - that means sometimes it will look ugly, but might be effective all th esame.

He definitely seems to be a wall-off kind of player, mostly dropping into his set and waiting for the defender to try to go through him when they see he's not going to allow them to go around easily. He does set his base well to handle that charge. I want to see what he does when he faces defenders who like to counter that by diving inside of him off the snap. (Saw very little of that because it mainly happened when the defense was running a stunt and his job was to switch to the outside rusher.) Most DEs who are low on the depth chart lack sophisticated counter moves and just try to win with speed. He wasn't allowing that. The only time they could get the corner was when they were able to push his arms up and go under, and that's when he would put his arm around their throats, which may have been legal if they were using rip moves. I believe the one clear loss by him (where the QB didn't have time to throw) was on a move where the defender started to go around the outside but then cut back inside of him.

As I said, it wasn't perfect, but it was encouraging. He mostly was setting up deep and absorbing to keep the defender at least a few feet from the QB, but Grier would sometimes try to move that way and nullify the block some. That happened on the sack that Richards gave up. There was an initial push on the interior by the defense and Grier prematurely fled the pocket, moving around Waletzko, who had the end blocked off. That gave the end a direct path to apply some pressure before Grier tried to move back inside of Waletzko. By then, though. Richards had lost his block and the RDE was free to head full steam to Grier for the sack. Richards needed to do a better job of holding his block, but that sack was really on Grier.

I do want to see better run blocking from Waletzko, but considering that he improved after some initial struggles, maybe he figured it out ... or maybe it was just the result of no longer having to face Jacksonville's starters.

 

[TequilaCowboy]

Some reviews on here had me concerned about Waletzko's play against Jacksonville, but I went back and rewatched the first half only focusing on him and his game was pretty solid. He gave up a few late pressures until the last drive (our TD). Isaiah Stanback pointed him out on a sack that was given up by Farniok, but Waletzko did his job on the play. He gave up ground and then walled off, but he was struck in the back when Farniok was beaten by the DT off the snap (DT one-arm shoved Farniok out of his way) and then Ball lost contain on his man who polished off the sack.

On the last drive, Waletzko may have held on the deep throw to Tolbert that was called back by penalty. The broadcasters were saying it was offensive pass interference, but they never showed what the penalty was. Waletzko has a tendency, though, to put his arm around the throat of the defender when the defender is starting to get around him. He also did this on the TD throw to Tolbert and I thought it could be called holding. Other than those plays, there was only one pass rep where he clearly was beaten, and it was a quick throw so it didn't affect the pass.

Where I thought he had some trouble was his run blocking, especially early on. He tends to stay high in his run blocks so the defender works under him and loose. However, on the last drive, he seemed to keep his grip on the defender and made several solid run blocks. Of course, he was facing lower-caliber DEs by then.

I'm just not displeased, like I thought I would be based on some comments here. He has some things to clean up, but it as a solid first half for him overall. There was a play where Grier got hit because he and Ball didn't trade defenders on a stunt, but it seemed to be more Ball's fault because he wasn't in position to trade. If Waletzko had let his man go, the QB would have been creamed.

Just thought I would throw my two cents in after focusing on Waletzko for a half.

Actually that doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy at all.....in real games, Wally is gonna get flagged for holding every time he has that arm around a DE neck. He'll have more holding calls than Flozell Adams and Phil Pozderac combined.

And if he is having trouble with his run blocking as well, then that's a double whammy. I am pulling for him, but sounds like he still has a long way to go. Rather keep my hopes up that Steele is ready and Richards gets it quicker.

 

[gimmesix]

Actually that doesn't make me feel warm and fuzzy at all.....in real games, Wally is gonna get flagged for holding every time he has that arm around a DE neck. He'll have more holding calls than Flozell Adams and Phil Pozderac combined.

And if he is having trouble with his run blocking as well, then that's a double whammy. I am pulling for him, but sounds like he still has a long way to go. Rather keep my hopes up that Steele is ready and Richards gets it quicker.

Maybe. But the officials weren't calling it when offensive linemen were consistently doing that to Parsons. And they didn't call it in this game, except maybe once (still not sure if they called OPI on Tolbert of holding on Waletzko, but it was a 10-yard penalty). That makes me think it was the same thing, the rip move by the DE causing the tackle's arm to go up around the neck. It's an easy call otherwise and the officials weren't calling it.

Richards did look pretty good at LT. I also think it is important to note that Waletzko is playing right tackle after being a left tackle in college. The footwork transition can be tough. I'm curious if one of the reasons we didn't move him after Edoga got hurt is because we feel better about his work at LT than RT and want to give him plenty of time on that side to see if he can be the swing tackle.

 

[OmerV]

Some reviews on here had me concerned about Waletzko's play against Jacksonville, but I went back and rewatched the first half only focusing on him and his game was pretty solid. He gave up a few late pressures until the last drive (our TD). Isaiah Stanback pointed him out on a sack that was given up by Farniok, but Waletzko did his job on the play. He gave up ground and then walled off, but he was struck in the back when Farniok was beaten by the DT off the snap (DT one-arm shoved Farniok out of his way) and then Ball lost contain on his man who polished off the sack.

On the last drive, Waletzko may have held on the deep throw to Tolbert that was called back by penalty. The broadcasters were saying it was offensive pass interference, but they never showed what the penalty was. Waletzko has a tendency, though, to put his arm around the throat of the defender when the defender is starting to get around him. He also did this on the TD throw to Tolbert and I thought it could be called holding. Other than those plays, there was only one pass rep where he clearly was beaten, and it was a quick throw so it didn't affect the pass.

Where I thought he had some trouble was his run blocking, especially early on. He tends to stay high in his run blocks so the defender works under him and loose. However, on the last drive, he seemed to keep his grip on the defender and made several solid run blocks. Of course, he was facing lower-caliber DEs by then.

I'm just not displeased, like I thought I would be based on some comments here. He has some things to clean up, but it as a solid first half for him overall. There was a play where Grier got hit because he and Ball didn't trade defenders on a stunt, but it seemed to be more Ball's fault because he wasn't in position to trade. If Waletzko had let his man go, the QB would have been creamed.

Just thought I would throw my two cents in after focusing on Waletzko for a half.

I thought his quickness looked good for pass blocking, but he gave up too much ground. Gaining strength and working on technique seem to be what he needs to do to get better.

Didn't watch him much on run blocking, but my guess is he needs to be more physical there too.

 

[conner01]

Good analysis. Waletzko needs time and reps to get better. He has the size and skills to potentially become a better O-Tackle, but he needs time and as many reps right now as possible.

As for Farniok, he is excellent in run blocking. A total bull. It's his pass blocking where he tends to get bullrushed or burned because he has a bad habit of standing up too tall. I hope Coach Mike Solari picks this up and works Farniok hard to stay low, bent at the hips with much better balance and leverage to take and handle any future bullrushes and power swim/slap moves. Farniok is on his heels when he stands up too tall during pass blocking. Get him staying low and more balanced on his toes and front half of his feet. That will drastically improve his pass blocking. The potential is there. Just need to improve his technique.

Farniok to me is better at center
Wally needs reps since he missed out last year.

 

[gtb1943]

Maybe. But the officials weren't calling it when offensive linemen were consistently doing that to Parsons. And they didn't call it in this game, except maybe once (still not sure if they called OPI on Tolbert of holding on Waletzko, but it was a 10-yard penalty). That makes me think it was the same thing, the rip move by the DE causing the tackle's arm to go up around the neck. It's an easy call otherwise and the officials weren't calling it.

Richards did look pretty good at LT. I also think it is important to note that Waletzko is playing right tackle after being a left tackle in college. The footwork transition can be tough. I'm curious if one of the reasons we didn't move him after Edoga got hurt is because we feel better about his work at LT than RT and want to give him plenty of time on that side to see if he can be the swing tackle.

problem is that word gets around and other officials WILL call it. HE needs to understand that