BB kinda kills the OLine on 'EEI

[Amnorix]

An exchange just now between BB and the 'EEI crew, mostly Pete Shepherd.

(roughly transcribed)

Pete: Do you think Maroney is the kind of back that needs more carries to get going, get into a rhythm to do well?

BB: I think he needs a little room to operate. Like any back, if there's no space and nobody's moving and they're all just kinda standing there, there's not much you can do. When you have defensive players in the backfield and nowhere to go, it's tough.


Generally, BB was defending Maroney and, it seemed to me, kinda saying in a gentle way -- you guys are asking too much from the RB when our OLine isn't doing a really good job on running plays.

 

[Synovia]

Generally, BB was defending Maroney and, it seemed to me, kinda saying in a gentle way -- you guys are asking too much from the RB when our OLine isn't doing a really good job on running plays.

Like so many of us have been saying, this line is much better pass blocking than run blocking.


Vollmer definitely run blocks better than Light does though.

 

[mayoclinic]

An exchange just now between BB and the 'EEI crew, mostly Pete Shepherd.

(roughly transcribed)

Pete: Do you think Maroney is the kind of back that needs more carries to get going, get into a rhythm to do well?

BB: I think he needs a little room to operate. Like any back, if there's no space and nobody's moving and they're all just kinda standing there, there's not much you can do. When you have defensive players in the backfield and nowhere to go, it's tough.


Generally, BB was defending Maroney and, it seemed to me, kinda saying in a gentle way -- you guys are asking too much from the RB when our OLine isn't doing a really good job on running plays.

He's right. The Oline would probably agree with him. They need to do a better job of run blocking. Hopefully they'll rise to the challenge.

 

[Deus Irae]

I found that exchange very interesting. This is the second time in a row that I've listened to the "monday after" interview and heard Belichick give a pretty clear defense of Maroney.

 

[BradyManny]

I found that exchange very interesting. This is the second time in a row that I've listened to the "monday after" interview and head Belichick give a pretty clear defense of Maroney.

Silly Belichick, obviously he hasn't read all the threads that show how clearly Maroney is nothing but a tip-toeing frightened little dancer made of glass.

 

[Marqui]

Fred Taylor seemed to do fine behind the same Oline..

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

We've had a lot of backs during the Maroney era, and some of them have looked good at times, but none of them looked anything near a dominant running back. That should say something about the blocking.

 

[BradyManny]

Like so many of us have been saying, this line is much better pass blocking than run blocking.


Vollmer definitely run blocks better than Light does though.

I never would have thought that to be the case - but the line seemingly has done a better job with Vollmer in there. I thought Light was a good run blocker before.

Though, to me, I wouldn't pin any one individual on the O-Line with the reason they fail to create holes at times. Sometimes they are simply outnumbered, sometimes the plays were a little too predictable run/pass - and I think the balance we're seeing in this offense right now is a good way to fix the latter issue.

 

[mayoclinic]

Fred Taylor seemed to do fine behind the same Oline..

Admittedly Taylor looked better than Maroney, but he was getting the bulk of the carries and his average wasn't much better (4.5 vs. 4.3 YPC). And Taylor and Morris are probably better suited to making something when running into a crowd of defenders because of their size and more physical style.

 

[Deus Irae]

Fred Taylor seemed to do fine behind the same Oline..

Did he really? He played in 4 games before going on the shelf. Here are his YPCs:

2.78
5.75
5.00
3.57


Seems to me that he was inconsistent. You know, like the run blocking.

I'm not knocking Taylor, and I find it funny that people think comparing Maroney to a future hall of fame running back is somehow a way to insult Maroney, but the people who've been consistently bashing Maroney really don't seem to know much about something as basic as a team's running game. Either that, or they haven't bothered to actually watch the film with a focus on the running game.

We see a lot of that with the media.

 

[Kontradiction]

Fred Taylor seemed to do fine behind the same Oline..

 

[Deus Irae]

I thought the interview was one well worth the listen. He was delving into specific decisions during the game, referred back to his Giants days, talked about the specifics of the Colts defense (it's about the pass rushers.....) and seemed to generally enjoy most of the interview.

I really recommend that people listen to it once WEEI makes it available.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Running in the open is Maroney's strength and that ability is the reason we signed him in the first place. He was originally supposed to tag team with Corey Dillon then Sammy Morris; both of them got injured early on in those seasons as bangers are apt to do.

If our OL can play tight I think not only can LoMo open up but, and maybe it's just me, he also seems to have worked hard and improved his game. He's matured as a runner plus he's been getting a few more opportunities. Whatever it is it's all good and barring injuries he'll just get better and more confident as the season goes on:robot:

 

[BradyFTW!]

It's the closest thing to a valid point that the bashers have, so naturally they're clinging to it ferociously.

What's even better, IMO, is all these people suddenly posting some variation of "WOW, where did this Laurence Maroney come from?" as if he magically transformed from a JAG into a highly effective RB overnight.

No, he's been this good pretty much throughout- it is, and always was, the blocking; Belichick has outright said it. Now that the Pats have sorted out the blocking, Maroney's been consistently effective.

Maroney just came up on WEEI again... and a couple of stereotypical goons are trying to yell over each other about whether he's good or not, on the premise that when you draft a RB in the 1st round you should expect Adrian Peterson. Now I remember why I stopped listening to WEEI, what a bunch of idiots. I love that they've acknowledged that Belichick disagrees, so now they're trying to spin it to pretend that he agreed with them by projecting what they "probably" say behind closed doors.

Man, that brush with WEEI was enough for me- listening to the chats with Belichick is cool and informative, but all those other guys are, across the board, complete idiots.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Earlier today a caller wanted to re-hash the BJGE vs. Maroney debate based on pre season and Holley, who like all the media lemmings had been on Maroney based on group think, blew him up.

Now the nit wit O hosts are trying to rationalize scenarios for why Bill sounds so positive and even exasperated by the continuing questioning because it just couldn't be what Bill says it is, inconsistent blocking...based to some extent on the focus placed on pass blocking in this offense. If they find a next generation OL that can encompass size with brains and speed, and Vollmer might be step one in that process, things will be different and you might still want a Maroney on the roster behind guys who can hold their blocks that extra second...

 

[mayoclinic]

Earlier today a caller wanted to re-hash the BJGE vs. Maroney debate based on pre season and Holley, who like all the media lemmings had been on Maroney based on group think, blew him up.

Now the nit wit O hosts are trying to rationalize scenarios for why Bill sounds so positive and even exasperated by the continuing questioning because it just couldn't be what Bill says it is, inconsistent blocking...based to some extent on the focus placed on pass blocking in this offense. If they find a next generation OL that can encompass size with brains and speed, and Vollmer might be step one in that process, things will be different and you might still want a Maroney on the roster behind guys who can hold their blocks that extra second...

Which is why I'd like to see at least one of our day 1 picks invested in the OL this offseason. Another Vollmer or Mankins on the OL would do wonders for our running game. Add a young back to complement Maroney and we might actually be able to have a bona fide power running game, instead of an ineffective ZBS leaving our backs to try and make something out of nothing.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

Now I remember why I stopped listening to WEEI, what a bunch of idiots.Man, that brush with WEEI was enough for me- listening to the chats with Belichick is cool and informative, but all those other guys are, across the board, complete idiots.

Exactly this.

 

[maverick4]

The problem is simple and it's not all on the O-line. Defenses KNOW when it's a run when Maroney is in the game. The team uses him way too predictably in when he is running and into which general area.

It's similar to how when we line up in shot gun, teams KNOW we are passing and their D-line gets faster since they can sprint up the field and not have to cover running lanes.

 

[JDSal45]

Fred Taylor seemed to do fine behind the same Oline..

Oh yeah, huge difference:

Maroney 43.4 yards per game 4.3 per carry 3 TDs

Taylor 50.3 per game 4.5 per carry 2 TDs.

Remarkable difference for sure.

J D Sal

 

[carolinatony]

Like so many of us have been saying, this line is much better pass blocking than run blocking.


I agree. As great as Jim Brown was and I seen him run; He would at least get to the line before he got hit most times. Of course, he gave a lot of hurt himself to those trying to hit him. He was the best i ever seen.