Please explain to me How the Dead Skins went from a terrible offensive line to good

[Califan007]

After the OL I think its much more Alfred Morris factoring in than RG3. It's a travesty that Shannys mantra of plucking RB's out-of-nowhere kind of stigmatizes Morris as just another back. Trust me there are periods in games where Griffin sputters on offense yet Morris just keeps on moving the chains whenever he's called upon. People will continue to think it's Griffin that opens everything up for Morris but even the games where Griffin was injured or out Morris just kept on pounding away. There's a reason he ended up FAU's all time leading rusher - hes just that prototypical late round small school diamond, just like Romo.

You should check out Morris' yards per carry average with RG3 behind center, then compare it to when RG3 is not in the game. Drastic difference.

 

[ApolytonGP]

He was on pace for 1000 yards rushing with some sort of sick average yards per rush. He causes all kinds of issues for the traditional NFL defense (hence Ryan's gripe about "high school stuff"). The modern NFL is not as used to playing assignment football down the line (more geared to pass rushing). And RG3 has a very sure hand on the pitch and the fake (including the play fake). As well as serious speed to threaten on getting to the corner. No way that line looks as good with Rex or Kirk in there.

 

[FiveRings]

Scheme. Just wait for this year when defenses have 17 games of Commanders tape. RGIII and Morris are going to put up pedestrian numbers

 

[InTheClouds]

Scheme. Just wait for this year when defenses have 17 games of Commanders tape. RGIII and Morris are going to put up pedestrian numbers

That didn't help the following teams:

Dallas
Atlanta
Seattle or San Fran (and they RUN the scheme!)
Baltimore (won due to Flacco to Boldin not shutting down the scheme

It might not be unstoppable but it's not gonna be pedestrian.

 

[SkinsHokieFan]

He was on pace for 1000 yards rushing with some sort of sick average yards per rush. He causes all kinds of issues for the traditional NFL defense (hence Ryan's gripe about "high school stuff"). The modern NFL is not as used to playing assignment football down the line (more geared to pass rushing). And RG3 has a very sure hand on the pitch and the fake (including the play fake). As well as serious speed to threaten on getting to the corner. No way that line looks as good with Rex or Kirk in there.

You make such a valid and key point, the modern NFL defense is not used to playing assignment football.

If they do decide to play assignment football, QBs are going to have all day in the pocket on fake read option plays that turn into passing plays, because d-lineman won't be rushing up field and LB's will be staying home

 

[Doomsday101]

Is it the Scheme? Coaching? Or RG3 and Alfred Morris?
Look at their starters:Tyler Polumbus, Chris Chester, Will Montgomery, Kory Lichtensteiger, Trent Williams..... Besides Williams all these guys are castoffs from other teams.. None of them broke the bank... I'm not saying that we don't need a talent infusion.. But how much of our problems are coaching and scheme?

Did not happen overnight 4 of the 5 had been playing together learning the blocking scheme and went pretty much injury free.

I'm not going to claim that Dallas does not need to add players to the OL but our line was injured from training camp on, the same 5 did not play many games together let alone learn the system Callahan was putting into place.

I do think we need to add at least 1 more OL player before camp but this unit needs time to play together OL is not about individual it is 5 men working in unison

 

[Idgit]

Did not happen overnight 4 of the 5 had been playing together learning the blocking scheme and went pretty much injury free.

I'm not going to claim that Dallas does not need to add players to the OL but our line was injured from training camp on, the same 5 did not play many games together let alone learn the system Callahan was putting into place.

I do think we need to add at least 1 more OL player before camp but this unit needs time to play together OL is not about individual it is 5 men working in unison

That's the thing about OL. You need good players. And then you need continuity. And both are really important.

Last year was a disaster for us in that we had neither. 3 injured C's off the back, with two of those guys having roles as backup OGs, as well. Losing Nagy, the surgery for Bernadeau. Starting a Miami castoff acquired the week before the opener. We couldn't buy a break.

And what was worse, it was a season where we wanted to get to the bottom of what we had to figure out where to improve. We took chances shopping for OGs in the bargain bin, and were just about to find out what sort of learning curve Phil Costa was really on, and then had to abort the plan immediately. Frustrating.

 

[Doomsday101]

That's the thing about OL. You need good players. And then you need continuity. And both are really important.

Last year was a disaster for us in that we had neither. 3 injured C's off the back, with two of those guys having roles as backup OGs, as well. Losing Nagy, the surgery for Bernadeau. Starting a Miami castoff acquired the week before the opener. We couldn't buy a break.

And what was worse, it was a season where we wanted to get to the bottom of what we had to figure out where to improve. We took chances shopping for OGs in the bargain bin, and were just about to find out what sort of learning curve Phil Costa was really on, and then had to abort the plan immediately. Frustrating.

It really was, Again not saying we did not need to add to the OL but working together as a unit is critical for any OL. Guys are not working solo on the OL they work together. You put a new blocking scheme in place it is kind of important that you get the same 5 guys working through training camp into the season and when it does not happen you get miscommunication along the line and it only takes 1 break down on the OL to cause a major problem.

 

[Idgit]

It really was, Again not saying we did not need to add to the OL but working together as a unit is critical for any OL. Guys are not working solo on the OL they work together. You put a new blocking scheme in place it is kind of important that you get the same 5 guys working through training camp into the season and when it does not happen you get miscommunication along the line and it only takes 1 break down on the OL to cause a major problem.

I think this is exactly right. We probably knew we didn't make every bet right last year, but we lost out on a lot of the opportunity to put everyone through camp and see them prepare and play together effectively as a unit. We probably also knew we were going to have to make another change or two this offseason, but it just means that we're doing more guesswork again now instead of making decisions based off of better experience. Sucks. But them's the breaks.

I think we're doing the right thing by trying to upgrade RT but only at a value. I still think Brandon Moore should be waiting in the wings, though I haven't heard anything about it. Only reason for a possible hold up would be that, if Free won't take a sufficient pay cut, we may spring a slightly higher premium to make a move for Clabo if we can swing it, and that would preclude also being able to upgrade at OG. That's obviously just speculation I'm pulling out of my butt.