Football 101 - Class begins NOW!

[Champsheart]

I know it is the nature of many to find places to throw blame after a loss, but many here are just on the wrong page.

Our issues with this offense are not playcalling, and they are not Bledsoe.

The playcalling and the play of the QB are directly affected by the play of the O-Line.

There are 2 things that are very evident right now.

1. We can not run block very well at all.

2. We have become a lousy pass protection team ever since Flo went down.

THIS IS IT FOLKS!

I don't care who you are, if you can not do those 2 things you can not function on offense.

It does not matter what you call. As a matter of fact it directly affects what you can call.

For goodness sakes when Flo was in there Drew took 5 and 7 step drops and had a clean pocket.

Ever since Flo has been out Drew can not even get enough time to make a 3 step drop and get rid of it without getting blasted.

With Flo out it has had EXTREME IMPACTS! And this is clearly an example of you dont know what you got until it is gone.

Here is what has changed.

When we had Flo all we had to do was worry about giving Petitti a little help. We could use a RB or TE. This allowed us to get Witten out when we wanted to, and also allowed us keep someone in the middle for extra pass protection. We also could get more receivers in the patterns.

Without FLO, OMG has it changed. You dont have to admit it if you dont want to, but it is a fact and if you cant see it, well..........

We now have to help both Petitti and Tucker. Almost all the time. Well what does this do?

First, we can not get that many people into the patterns because they have to stay in and help our tackles.
This has allowed teams a much easier time covering our passing game and double covering whoever they want. Even double covering multiple receivers.

Second, because we have to spend so many resources helping the Tackles, we are now not able to help as much with pressure up the middle. This is killing us. It is a double edged sword. Our Center is just not very good and is getting pushed in Bledsoe's face. NOT GOOD!

So if we help the Tackles, Bledsoe gets it up the middle. For goods sake teams are taking our Handoffs.

If we give him some extra protection in the middle our Tackles get exposed and Bledsoe gets nailed.

If we help both areas we have no one to go out in the patterns.

And if we dont help out anybody Bledsoe is hit on about his second step on his dropback.

IT IS A BAD SITUATION.

To add to that we can not run block very well to allow playaction, or shorter 3rd down situations, or just move the dang ball.

Our situation on the O-line is Disaster. We are trying to cover our weaknesses up, but just cant for long, and definetly not against very good defenses.

So really, what do you want Payton and Parcells to call? They are handcuffed!

How do you possibly expect any QB to function like this? Because I dont know of one that could, Maybe Vick cause he is good at running for his life.

So if you want to know the problem, there you go. It is nothing else. Dont even try to search because winning starts up front, and we have lost this battle before the coin toss.

If you can not run block or pass protect you have NO CHANCE. And honestly we just are not very good at either.

WE MISS YOU FLO! :starspin

P.S. I was very jealous yesterday watching the Denver/KC game. It was amazing how when those QBs where allowed to have a pocket and step up they looked good, and I was definetly jealous looking at holes at the line of scrimmage for running backs to go through. It is amazing how good a RB can look when he actually has a little blocking.

 

[lspain1]

I was very jealous yesterday watching the Denver/KC game. It was amazing how when those QBs where allowed to have a pocket and step up they looked good, and I was definetly jealous looking at holes at the line of scrimmage for running backs to go through. It is amazing how good a RB can look when he actually has a little blocking.

:signmast: Indeed! I agree completely!

 

[parchy]

Flo is a microcosm. He is important, but it doesn't excuse the dip in talent from Rivera and Johnson. Hell, Andre Gurode is probably the reason we lost that game, but I don't see anybody talking about him.

 

[DBoys]

Flo is a microcosm. He is important, but it doesn't excuse the dip in talent from Rivera and Johnson. Hell, Andre Gurode is probably the reason we lost that game, but I don't see anybody talking about him.

I don't think so we had 4 chances to score and couldn't do anything. While Gurode did let the guy through Bledsoe and JuJo couldn't get the hand off. To be honest I blame Gurode but I think Bledsoe should of taken the sack.

 

[parchy]

I think Bledsoe should of taken the sack.

If Bledsoe even saw Clancy or whoever it was I might agree with you.

 

[Mike 1967]

Agreed 100%

I am not looking at Bledsoe or JJ or the WR's....I am looking squarely at the offensive line.

I don't care wou you put behind center and who your skill players are.....if you can't run or pass block against a 4 man front.....you are not going to have a lot of success.

After watching the direction of this team....I have become a huge believer in the importance of the offensive lines.

Give me an average WO, RB and QB with a top notch offensive line OVER a below average offensive line and great skill players.

I don't care who is running it or throwing it or catching it.....if you can't block it, it does not matter.

 

[vicjagger]

Great Post!

I don't care who is running it or throwing it or catching it.....if you can't block it, it does not matter.

 

[Vertigo_17]

Flo is a microcosm. He is important, but it doesn't excuse the dip in talent from Rivera and Johnson. Hell, Andre Gurode is probably the reason we lost that game, but I don't see anybody talking about him.

Yeah, but if AJ didn't suck so bad, Gurode wouldn't have been in the game.

Our entire O-Line was man-handled yesterday and you can pretty much blame it on any one of them.

 

[Hoov]

If Bledsoe even saw Clancy or whoever it was I might agree with you.

That was the worst part, he didnt even know dude was there, bledsoe methodically stepping towards Jones to reach out and handoff and DT coming full speed. bledose seemed oblivious to the defender and seemed to be in slow motion.

 

[baj1dallas]

Yeah, but if AJ didn't suck so bad, Gurode wouldn't have been in the game.

You don't know that for certain.

 

[visionary]

one difference however. although the tendency is to try to make wholesale changes i feel that it all starts from the center position. call it bad luck or poor drafting but we have missed on 2 centers drafted at the top of the second round. i think if we have a dominant center (lecharles bentley should be available and signed by dallas on day#1 of FA) flanked by allen and rivera, our o- line would be dominant 'up the middle' which is the most critical area for drew. we have peterman at backup and need to draft a second/third round OG. by next year flo will be coming back and columbo should be ready. i would be reasonably comfortable with an improved petitti and tucker alongwith returning flo and columbo. i really think this would maintain some continuity and chemistry. you might be surprised how much it means to have a truly dominant center to dominate the person in front of him and to have the correct play recognition. sometimes sa little goes a long way. this line can be more than solid and can be dominant with the right o-line coach.

 

[DBoys]

If Bledsoe even saw Clancy or whoever it was I might agree with you.

I thought he saw him so my bad your right.

 

[CIWhitefish]

It's a trickle down effect. With Flo in their everyone else's negatives were managable. With Flo out everyone else is exposed and you see the result. Talent always overlaps and loss of talent always stretches the unit thin.

 

[JohnsKey19]

I agree. The offensive line is killing the offensive production.

I don't care wou you put behind center and who your skill players are.....if you can't run or pass block against a 4 man front.....you are not going to have a lot of success.

For a statue like Bledsoe, your statement is 100% correct. For a QB with some mobility and agility, there are plays that can still be made if the QB can avoid the rush. Not consistently obviously, but there are usually 3-4 plays a mobile QB can make during a game by defeating the pass rush with mobility. Sometimes those few plays are the difference in a ballgame - ex. Mark Brunnell avoiding a sack and scrambling for 23 yds on 3rd & 25 late in the game. Hasselback was under pressure against us all game but he made at least 6 great plays by scrambling and somehow making a play. But hey, it's not like we didn't know this before we signed Bledsoe. The guy can be excellent if he faces little pressure and for the most part has a clean pocket. But if he feels the pressure, he struggles mightily. So if he's gonna be our QB for the next 1-2 seasons, the O-Line needs to be dramitically improved.


Also, the run blocking has struggled all year even with Flo a healthy Flozell. I'm guessing that has more to do with the interior of the line...

 

[aikemirv]

I know it is the nature of many to find places to throw blame after a loss, but many here are just on the wrong page.

Our issues with this offense are not playcalling, and they are not Bledsoe.

The playcalling and the play of the QB are directly affected by the play of the O-Line.

There are 2 things that are very evident right now.

1. We can not run block very well at all.

2. We have become a lousy pass protection team ever since Flo went down.

THIS IS IT FOLKS!

I don't care who you are, if you can not do those 2 things you can not function on offense.

It does not matter what you call. As a matter of fact it directly affects what you can call.

For goodness sakes when Flo was in there Drew took 5 and 7 step drops and had a clean pocket.

Ever since Flo has been out Drew can not even get enough time to make a 3 step drop and get rid of it without getting blasted.

With Flo out it has had EXTREME IMPACTS! And this is clearly an example of you dont know what you got until it is gone.

Here is what has changed.

When we had Flo all we had to do was worry about giving Petitti a little help. We could use a RB or TE. This allowed us to get Witten out when we wanted to, and also allowed us keep someone in the middle for extra pass protection. We also could get more receivers in the patterns.

Without FLO, OMG has it changed. You dont have to admit it if you dont want to, but it is a fact and if you cant see it, well..........

We now have to help both Petitti and Tucker. Almost all the time. Well what does this do?

First, we can not get that many people into the patterns because they have to stay in and help our tackles.
This has allowed teams a much easier time covering our passing game and double covering whoever they want. Even double covering multiple receivers.

Second, because we have to spend so many resources helping the Tackles, we are now not able to help as much with pressure up the middle. This is killing us. It is a double edged sword. Our Center is just not very good and is getting pushed in Bledsoe's face. NOT GOOD!

So if we help the Tackles, Bledsoe gets it up the middle. For goods sake teams are taking our Handoffs.

If we give him some extra protection in the middle our Tackles get exposed and Bledsoe gets nailed.

If we help both areas we have no one to go out in the patterns.

And if we dont help out anybody Bledsoe is hit on about his second step on his dropback.

IT IS A BAD SITUATION.

To add to that we can not run block very well to allow playaction, or shorter 3rd down situations, or just move the dang ball.

Our situation on the O-line is Disaster. We are trying to cover our weaknesses up, but just cant for long, and definetly not against very good defenses.

So really, what do you want Payton and Parcells to call? They are handcuffed!

How do you possibly expect any QB to function like this? Because I dont know of one that could, Maybe Vick cause he is good at running for his life.

So if you want to know the problem, there you go. It is nothing else. Dont even try to search because winning starts up front, and we have lost this battle before the coin toss.

If you can not run block or pass protect you have NO CHANCE. And honestly we just are not very good at either.

WE MISS YOU FLO! :starspin

P.S. I was very jealous yesterday watching the Denver/KC game. It was amazing how when those QBs where allowed to have a pocket and step up they looked good, and I was definetly jealous looking at holes at the line of scrimmage for running backs to go through. It is amazing how good a RB can look when he actually has a little blocking.

Your right, and most teams who lose their starting LT struggle while he is gone.
It is just hard to accept that the rest of the line is that bad. Rivera has played about the same as Gurode did last year in my book and Johnson has not gotten better. I would have thought our OLINE would be better by
now after 3 years from BP.

He has done a great job on the defensive side of the ball, but for someone who does not believe in drafting OLineman very highly, he should have been able to do something with the scrap heap by now, without early draft choices.

I am so sick of hearing "we made only so many mental mistakes" - that really does not matter to me, I could go out there and not make a mental mistake and get Bledsoe and JJ killed on every play .

You know, Gurode did not make a mental mistake on the Fumle for TD - he just did not block the guy and got run over - I could have done that!!

Move someone off the line of scrimmage for once - anybody - just hit them!!!

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Very nice post.....points well taken!

 

[Vertigo_17]

I'm not making excuses for Gurode, but it looked like they anticipated the snap count again on the handoff for Gint TD. We thought Al was tipping them off, but maybe there's something else. Is Bledsoe doing something or just coincidence?

 

[JohnsKey19]

I'm not making excuses for Gurode, but it looked like they anticipated the snap count again on the handoff for Gint TD. We thought Al was tipping them off, but maybe there's something else. Is Bledsoe doing something or just coincidence?

That's the strange thing about the play. The DT was nearly BEHIND Gurode before he even got out of his 3 point stance. Gurode had to turn around just to get a hand on the guy.

 

[StanleySpadowski]

You know, Gurode did not make a mental mistake on the Fumle for TD - he just did not block the guy and got run over - I could have done that!!

He did make a mental mistake on that play. When he realized he was beaten so soundly he should have tackled Clancy.

I know hindsight is 20/20, but there is such a thing as a good holding penalty.

Gurode tackles Clancy and what's the worst case scenario? Half the distance? Replays seemed to show a decent hole for Jones. Who's to say that the officials even catch the hold/tackle. They've missed a lot worse penalties this year.

 

[Champsheart]

He did make a mental mistake on that play. When he realized he was beaten so soundly he should have tackled Clancy.

I know hindsight is 20/20, but there is such a thing as a good holding penalty.

Gurode tackles Clancy and what's the worst case scenario? Half the distance? Replays seemed to show a decent hole for Jones. Who's to say that the officials even catch the hold/tackle. They've missed a lot worse penalties this year.

Forget holding, he should have punched him in the scrodum.