The Offensive Line

[Billy Bullocks]

OK, it's apparnt to 99% of the people on this board, and probably anybody who has seen us play that our Offensive Line has been the problem this season. It's one of the reasons we are still fighting it out to get to the playoffs, instead of possibly having a 1st round bye.

I don't nessecarily lay the blame on the front office or Parcells, because in reality, only 1 player was supposed to be on this line that should really be having difficulty, Rob Pettiti. However, the center position is the one that is in dire need of fixing....

Al Johnson is in his pivotal 3rd year under Parcells. I think it plays no role that he missed his rookie year. The kid looked pretty good last year, and everyone agreed that his biggest draw back was getting overpowered by the NG's he was facing. A year in the weightroom this last off season should have helped him with this, it hasnt. Physically he is simply a mediocre center. IMO, and if we want to do something about this O-Line, he doesnt start next year. Guorode might be around because he can play C/G, but he mentally doesn't have what it takes to start in the NFL.

Flozell Adams will be back at LT next year. As inconsistant as he is, we have alot of money tied up in him, and we've seen how much we actually miss him now that he is gone. I would sharpie him in at LT for next year.

Allen should have a good few years left in him, and he is going to anchor the LG spot.

Rivera has played rather pedestrian this year, and has gotten by alot because he is a crafty veteran. When it really comes down to it though, he is playing next to a Rookie 6th round pick, and an inadequate center. That's going to expose you a little bit. With the money we have tied up in him, I would be pretty sure that he has at least another year before we cut our ties to him.

Pettiti has looked pretty good out there. I think that it's obvious he was a bit overwhelemed at first, but he seems to be settling in OK. Im not sure he is the long term answer, but I would like him getting a chane to start next year. I dont think he is the problem on this line, at least he wont be if we can fix some other things, aka Center.

Tucker has earned his keep...as a BACKUP. I dont mind him playing out there. He's not bad, but he's not great. I would feel alot better with "Hotel" out there.

If we get a good center through FA or the Draft, I think this might look alot differnet next year. Johnson needs help against all the big interior linemen he faces, and when we dont give it to him, he gets pushed back. If you have Rivera or Allen always tied up on a double, that doesn't help.

I think if we get a good center, we can deal with Pettiti at RT. Who knows how much better he gets next year. Adams, Allen, new C, Rivera, Pettiti

That looks alot better to me.

 

[Hoov]

Allen has to go, put tucker at LG.

LA has way too much experience to be missing blocks as often as he does, i would rather see an OLineman get stood up and pushed back, at least they slow the defender down, when allen misses its free run to the backfield.

How about this...

Flo...Tucker....New Center....Rivera.....Pettiti or Columbo.....Campbell

Tucker would probably be a good pulling guard too.

 

[Zman5]

If I'm going to replace a OG, I'd keep LA and replace Rivera with Tucker.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

That might not be a half bad idea. TUcker is too much of a liablitly in space. He's a good run blocker, and a pretty bad pass blocker. Inside, he takes more straight up rush rather than outside specialists. I like that more.

I think Colombo might unseat Pettiti. But they should battle it out in TC.

Allen very well could be gone. We'll see after this season I guess. And yes, I've noticed, on pulls, his and wiffs alot in space

 

[TunaFan33]

Yeah-the OL has been a bit of a mess this season. However-Flo WAS the glue to it before he got hurt-we were only "good enough", but the personality of our O and Bledsoe's play just changed COMPLETELY, nonetheless. Alot like the Pats' secondary-everyone talks about how they won that Super Bowl last year with back-up rookies, but they STILL had Rodney Harrison. You see the big difference they are sans him.

This year-Parcells and Jerry fixed the D. My gut tells me they'll fix the OL in the offseason.

 

[MapleLeaf]

That might not be a half bad idea. TUcker is too much of a liablitly in space. He's a good run blocker, and a pretty bad pass blocker. Inside, he takes more straight up rush rather than outside specialists. I like that more.

I think Colombo might unseat Pettiti. But they should battle it out in TC.

Allen very well could be gone. We'll see after this season I guess. And yes, I've noticed, on pulls, his and wiffs alot in space

...the liability ahs to be Allen. He's on the downside of his career and his physical ability seems to be diminished. There's no covering up some of the troubles he's having. You can't blame it on inexperience or a new position.

He really should have this down pat, but all those years of working on his bench press and he's is now a liability to this line and a emergin weight on this cap.

It doesn't mean he won't turn it around, but I don't see a guy who has never given a darn about working on his lower body strength changing his spots.

We may need to move on with this one or else watch us scrambling around for a solution when it is too late.

 

[AbeBeta]

Actually, BP has regularly said to Al J is in his 2nd year -- several PCs where he has indicated that he's not counting his first year spent on IR.

 

[Billy Bullocks]

I still dont think Al has showed us enough to warrant him being a starter. Center needs to be fixed

 

[CrazyCowboy]

Cowboys will figure it out!

 

[AbeBeta]

I still dont think Al has showed us enough to warrant him being a starter. Center needs to be fixed

I'm not saying that I think he'll not have to fight for his starting spot next year -- but I don't think we are bringing in the big money FA that everyone is hoping for (Bentley -- who actually is a better run blocking version of Gurode - OK, maybe not as stupid) -- certainly not after his value gets inflated by being the Saint's probowl pity pick.

My bet is that we spend and real money we'll go after a guy who can play C or G -- that gives competition at 2 positions -- Hartwig from the Titans fits that description (but his price may go a little high). More cheaply, we could go after old people like Andy McCollum or likely cap casaulities in Jeff Mitchell or Kevin Mawae (but who knows what sort of money folks might throw at Mawae). Or just bring in scrubs who somehow manage to hold down starting jobs like Melvin Fowler or Trey Teague.

 

[TunaFan33]

I still dont think Al has showed us enough to warrant him being a starter. Center needs to be fixed

Don't sweat it-Kevin Mawae will have this job next year here.

 

[AbeBeta]

Don't sweat it-Kevin Mawae will have this job next year here.

I like Mawae -- but I don't want to see us break the bank to get him. He's getting up there in years and is coming off a major tricep injury. I'm not sure what impact this will have on his game but Mawae is a little guy -- smaller that Al J. He is however pretty powerful -- if that tricep takes anything away from his power he's going to be much less effective. He's going to be 35 in a few months.

After looking these guys over, I'm kinda liking Hartwig (who I initially liked more because I thought he was Hartwick from SD).

 

[Wolverine]

Billy Bullocks.

Everyone can say whatever they want about Adams but when we lost him our OL and protection for Bledsoe has really gone down. Maybe now some in here will see how good Flo really is. He aint perfect but he is very very good.

Allen he has another good year or 2 left at most.


Tucker. I agree he has earned his keep. But Tucker has some talent. I would really like when Adams gets back for Tucker to make a run at Riveras guard spot. Tucker is bigger and stronger he is also more athletic and faster and at least 25 years younger then Rivera to. Rivera just plain sucks.

I think Tucker would do good at guard. Like someone else in here said...once he gets the mental thing down he has the talent to be good.


Pettiti. I am not sure what to think yet. If we can get a better tackle do it. But next year could also be the year he really takes off and gets good.


Center. The weakest spot on the roster. Al Johnson can be manhandled by most punters or kickers. Gurode just sucks.

If we can only improve on area on the team I would like it to be center. We get a good Center and our running game improves a huge amount.

 

[sago1]

Mawae (whose 35) is coming back from some kind of injury and the Jets hope to resign him for 1 more year at a reduced rate. I'd only want him for 1-2 years if we have a young developing center who then can quickly and successfully replace him.

BTW: I'm no so sure Parcells won't give Johnson another chance next year; don't know about Gurode who in 4th year w/Cowboys but played guard most of that time. For the record, we drafted Gurode in 2nd round as a guard (he must have had some center experience) caused he started at center for 6 games as a rookie before being hurt. Whoever succeeded Gurode at center stayed there when Gurode returned and Gurode was moved to RG so 2 positions would not be affected. I think Gurode was a guard in 03 & 04 but in TC Parcells saw that Gurode couldn't make the team and tried him out at center where Gurode did well enough to make the team. Here's my point, Johnson played center in college and after injuried rookie season became our starting center for last 2 years so he's had plenty of time to handle the mental thing whereas Gurode only had those few rookie games & TC time to learn mental aspects at center. Maybe Gurode's problem isn't that he's not smart enough but more that he hasn't had enough on-the-job training to learn all he needs to know. So who is the better option for us next year: Johnson who isn't big enough (and can't gain more weight cause frame) but who might be able to increase his strength significantly with specialized weight conditioning or Gurode who has all we want in center but maybe needs the time to learn intracacies (sp?) of this position. What do you think?

 

[InmanRoshi]

I wouldn't be surprised to see Mawae and Jason Fabini here next year as short term fixes. I think they'll both be released from the Jets for cap reasons. And maybe Al Johnson and Pettiti could benefit from two vets who are very similar to them body/skill wise, just like Terrence has benefited from Glenn.

 

[percyhoward]

On Glenn's reverse for a TD, LA looked like a very old, disoriented elephant lost in freeway traffic. Even so, just his presence probably helped Terry get into the end zone.

 

[HDC]

I'm really puzzled at the way BP has handled the OC position. He has said a number of times that OC is, to him, one of the most critical positions (he was once held "captive" for a whole season by weakness at OC). So, he drafts Johnson to fill this critical position and then moves Gurode to OC (which BP says he should have realized is his better position). So, BP is 0 for 2 on personnel decisions at this critical spot.

Now, what to do about it? Johnson just isn't going to grow into a physically dominating OC. Gurode might, with experience, learn the "mental" aspects of the position. A rookie could not handle the "mental" aspects at all. Our best option, in my opinion is a 4th or 5th year UFA. Let's hope the Cowboys' staff can make a better personnel decision this time.

 

[InmanRoshi]

People overblow Johnson's small size (that sounds kind of dirty). He's 6'5" 295. That's not small for a center. D'Brickshaw Fergeson is going to be a Top 5 draft pick as a left tackle, and those are his exact projected height and weight dimensions. I happen to think he's nowhere near as bad as people make him out to be, but he's not a a mauler and is dependant on technique and leverage. So when he has a technique miscue it makes him look especially bad because he gets outmuscled. He's still essentially a 2nd year player.

 

[Wolverine]

People overblow Johnson's small size (that sounds kind of dirty). He's 6'5" 295. That's not small for a center. D'Brickshaw Fergeson is going to be a Top 5 draft pick as a left tackle, and those are his exact projected height and weight dimensions. I happen to think he's nowhere near as bad as people make him out to be, but he's not a a mauler and is dependant on technique and leverage. So when he has a technique miscue it makes him look especially bad because he gets outmuscled. He's still essentially a 2nd year player.

Just cuz they are the same size does not mean that Johnson is as strong. You could have someone who is 6'8" 375 lbs and have nowhere near as strong as someone 6'4" 280 lbs.

Al Johnson as weak....no strength. He can not overpower ANYONE.

 

[Natedawg44]

Seems like we need to add a midlevel free agent and address this as well during the first three rounds of the draft. Does Peterman figure into any of this? Who knows

Here's a guy I would like in the draft
Davin Joseph Oklahoma
Pros:A versatile offensive lineman that has played center, guard and tackle. His NFL position is likely to be guard where he will be an excellent run blocker and able to move along the line(good footwork). Davin works hard and has excelled at every position he has played.
Cons:He needs to add some bulk and play lower to handle the premier defensive tackles in the NFL.. His upper body lacks the strength to fight off opposing players that get under him.