Should we still be concerned about the Offensive Line?

[QB12]

Rich Eisen asked Mike Reiss last night on Total Access to name the Patriots' "Achilles heel" if they had one. Reiss' answer? The offensive line, saying what people most remember about Tom Brady, other than the 1/2 a quarter against the Chiefs, was the pummeling he took in the Super Bowl. The question in Reiss' mind is will the O-line be able to consistently protect Brady.

I share about 75% of the OP's concern about the O line.

QB12

 

[Deus Irae]

Rich Eisen asked Mike Reiss last night on Total Access to name the Patriots' "Achilles heel" if they had one. Reiss' answer? The offensive line, saying what people most remember about Tom Brady, other than the 1/2 a quarter against the Chiefs, was the pummeling he took in the Super Bowl. The question in Reiss' mind is will the O-line be able to consistently protect Brady.

I share about 75% of the OP's concern about the O line.

QB12

I don't normally like to comment on the quality of the person rather than the quality of the piece, but Mike's been trending lately and I hope he reads this:

Mike Reiss needs to remain a reporter instead of trying to be an analyst. The first he excels at. The second he sucks at. We need more good reporters and fewer lousy analysts, not the other way around. Stay true, Mike.

 

[VJCPatriot]

The Pats drafted 3 offensive linemen, spending a 2nd, 4th, and 5th. They don't have the cap room to sign some premier free agent and their 5 starters are solid when healthy. What more do you want?

 

[mgteich]

We would want solid backups. Oh, we have laready have that with Britt/Callagahan/LeVoir and Hochstein/Johnson/Connelly competing for the backup roster spots (in addition having the rookies for the two developmental spots).

The Pats drafted 3 offensive linemen, spending a 2nd, 4th, and 5th. They don't have the cap room to sign some premier free agent and their 5 starters are solid when healthy. What more do you want?

 

[Synovia]

I don't normally like to comment on the quality of the person rather than the quality of the piece, but Mike's been trending lately and I hope he reads this:

Mike Reiss needs to remain a reporter instead of trying to be an analyst. The first he excels at. The second he sucks at. We need more good reporters and fewer lousy analysts, not the other way around. Stay true, Mike.

I second that.


People need to stop trying to create some sort of all encompassing trend from one game, 2 years ago, where a whole bunch of guys were hurt.



Is the line perfect? No. Is it one of the top 10 in the league? Absolutely.

 

[mgteich]

I think the OL and the offense had a reasonable year in the year Reiss is complaining about.

I second that.


People need to stop trying to create some sort of all encompassing trend from one game, 2 years ago, where a whole bunch of guys were hurt.



Is the line perfect? No. Is it one of the top 10 in the league? Absolutely.

 

[Synovia]

I think the OL and the offense had a reasonable year in the year Reiss is complaining about.

The line is fantastic. Theres no need to "replace" anyone. no one is a liability.


Now, there is need to plan for the future. Neal is getting old and is going to be a free agent. Light is getting old. Mankins will be a free agent.

 

[Warren94]

Kaczur is a liability. I think that is why vollmer will be solid. Give him a year or two and he is going to the RT this team has needed for quite some time.

 

[State]

Don't forget the last handful of games last year the O-line was impressive. And wasn't our YPC high, around 4.5?

The think people are too worked up about Light and Kaczur. I do believe after a year or two, Vollmer is a mainstay at RT.

I'm comfortable, almost too much so, with LeVoir backing up Light. And we have excellent competition with the guard and center positions.

Linebacker concerns me more. Brady goes down would be devastating. But has anyone besides me thought of Mayo going down? Almost as bad.

 

[TriplecHamp]

People seem to think that this team is perfect...So No

Seriously I think it can be an issue if they get a little banged up. I hope Vollmer shows in camp that he can be our RT come week 6 or so but I doubt it.

 

[WhiZa]

If any of the rookies steps up we will be good. Having he same OL for the past 3-4 years is unheard of.

 

[mgteich]

I agree that the line is fantastic.

I see no reason to think Light and Neal are on their last legs. The issue with Light is his contract from 2011 foward. This issue for Neal is health, although he has played a reasonable number of games over the past five years. Mankins will be an RFA next year, unless we have a new CBA. It is quite possible that we will have the same starting OL continue through 2010.

However, we are continuing to improve our backups for when they are needed. LeVoir, Vollmer and Ohrenberger is a fine set of backups that will bring us through at least 2010. Hochstein is back again unless this year's challenger (Johnson) beats him out. I am rooting for them both to make it, with Hochstein as our Player 53 - Utility Player.

The best thing that we could do for our offense is to extend our offensive linemen, all ten.

The line is fantastic. Theres no need to "replace" anyone. no one is a liability.


Now, there is need to plan for the future. Neal is getting old and is going to be a free agent. Light is getting old. Mankins will be a free agent.

 

[TriplecHamp]

The line is fantastic. Theres no need to "replace" anyone. no one is a liability.


Now, there is need to plan for the future. Neal is getting old and is going to be a free agent. Light is getting old. Mankins will be a free agent.

:ugh: Mike is talking about that very important game where we gave up 5 sacks in the superbowl...I think we can definatly upgrade the guard and RT posistions. I think we did that with Vollmer and Ohrnberger. I can see both of them starting by next season at the latest. Neal will be 33 and Kaczur I would call liability on the line. When we play teams with good pass rushers we will be tested.

 

[mgteich]

You have your position and your opinion of the Super Bowl. As I recall, there were many players with the flu and the patriots (for the second year in a row) ended their season primarily because they couldn't stop a late drive of over 80 yards. None of the previous Super Bowl team had such issues. Super Bowl defense must stand up better than that whin the crunch! I have pointed to linebacker depth. Others have pointed to secondary quality. Some have pointed to a miracle catch. In any case, characterizing the 2007-2008 offensive line as needed help seems far from the mark since they were the guts of the best offense in the history of the patriots, and perhaps in the history of the NFL.

You call Kaczur liability. Belichick call him a 4-year starter at both LT and RT, since his first game. Each of you has a slightly different persepctive. 33 is not old for a RG.

:ugh: Mike is talking about that very important game where we gave up 5 sacks in the superbowl...I think we can definatly upgrade the guard and RT posistions. I think we did that with Vollmer and Ohrnberger. I can see both of them starting by next season at the latest. Neal will be 33 and Kaczur I would call liability on the line. When we play teams with good pass rushers we will be tested.

 

[Deus Irae]

You have your position and your opinion of the Super Bowl. As I recall, there were many players with the flu and the patriots (for the second year in a row) ended their season primarily because they couldn't stop a late drive of over 80 yards. None of the previous Super Bowl team had such issues. Super Bowl defense must stand up better than that whin the crunch!

<sigh>

In 2001, the Rams scored to tie up the game with 1:37 left to go. That was a 55 yard drive.

In 2003, The Panthers got the ball on their own 20 yard line with just under 3 minutes left in the game. They went down the field, the whole 80 yards, and scored a touchdown to tie the game with 1:13 left on the clock.

In 2004, the Patriots had a 10 point lead with under 6 minutes to go. The Eagles were able to drive from their own 21 yard line and score a touchdown. The Patriots offense then went 3-and-out before a brilliant punt put the ball at the Philly 4 yard line, leaving the Eagles only 46 seconds to drive 96 yards. This was the only Super Bowl appearance in the decade where the opponent did not score to tie or go ahead of the Patriots with under 5 minutes to go in the game.

 

[State]

The answer must be No. The only thing is without Neal they struggled a bit, but eventually regained form.

According to this: Offensive Line Rankings - NFL Offensive Line Rankings

And this (a year old): 2008 NFL Offensive Line Rankings - Draft Guide, NFL O-Line Ratings

 

[Synovia]

:ugh: Mike is talking about that very important game where we gave up 5 sacks in the superbowl...

Again, using one game to judge the quality of a line is absolutely absurd.


The giants had the best pass rush in the league. The patriots had multiple starters hurt. Brady's mobility was reduced because of a high ankle sprain.

 

[satz]

Some explain what a franchise LT is so i can judge Light . I think LT is a very good LT borderline great .

I want names of LT in the league who you consider as franchise LT.remember to add the below ability and how these guys are in it.

Our System
1)Pulling tackle runs .
2)Down field blocking on RB screens
3)Down field edge setting on ILB for WR bubble screens

General LT
3)Pass blocking
4)Run blocking
5)Protection to QB
6)Game winning drives where these LT have takes on the teams best pass rusher and given enough time for QB to win games.

 

[Sicilian]

At this point, for this year, nothing is a "concern". There are question marks in the linebackers and secondary, but I could see those areas improving as easily as they could be a liability.

The line improved last year as Cassel got more comfortable. We drafted 3 of them this year as projects to fill in gaps down the road, but I think the "turnstyle" aspect of our tackles is greatly exaggerrated.

 

[Synovia]

but I think the "turnstyle" aspect of our tackles is greatly exaggerrated.

People here watch too much of the Patriots, and not enough of other teams. Tackles get beat occasionally. Even Pace, Ogden, Jones, at their peaks, still got beat. Walter Jones had a game where he gave up 3 sacks to Freeney a couple years ago.


Simply put, Patriots fans are spoiled by consistently good, but not perfect tackle play.