Smashmouth. Outstanding article from Tomase.

[patfanken]

This was a nice article, especially from Tomase, who strikes me as one of those pompous asses who never played the game, but likes to denigrate professionals.

A couple of things to add that you might find interesting:

Back in Hannah & Brock's day the rules for block were VASTLY different. Offensive line men COULD NOT extend their hands, NOR could they extend them wider than the width of their shoulders, so blocking was limited to the head and shoulders. There was MUCH more of a premium on an agressive explosion on the snap, using the head and shoulders only. Keeping low and having your legs constantly moving was key in a successful block. Also the running game was much more about hitting a designated hole as quickly as possible.

Today's running game is more about the blockers trying to take them in the direction they want to go and let the RB pick where the hole opens up or where the soft spot is. It's kind of ironic that when you see OLmen and DLmen standing up and hand fightling like they do today. "Back in the day", we would call that titty blocking and make fun of it. However when they changed the rules that allowed offensive linemen to extend their hands they literally had to change all the techniques for both the OL, DL, & LB.

"Back in the day" , we were taught (as a LB) to use our forearm to ward off blockers. Today everything is in the hands. If fact I'm always amazed that guys don't break their hands more often given the beating they take now days.

 

[DaBruinz]

AGAIN, how on EARTH do you people lump him in with Borges and Felger??? Reporters sometimes report stuff we don't like, but that hardly makes him an agenda-driven B.S. artist like those two.

Maybe because I had the unpleasantness of reading Tomase's garbage for years prior to him joining the Herald.

 

[RayClay]

This was a nice article, especially from Tomase, who strikes me as one of those pompous asses who never played the game, but likes to denigrate professionals.

A couple of things to add that you might find interesting:

Back in Hannah & Brock's day the rules for block were VASTLY different. Offensive line men COULD NOT extend their hands, NOR could they extend them wider than the width of their shoulders, so blocking was limited to the head and shoulders. There was MUCH more of a premium on an agressive explosion on the snap, using the head and shoulders only. Keeping low and having your legs constantly moving was key in a successful block. Also the running game was much more about hitting a designated hole as quickly as possible.

Today's running game is more about the blockers trying to take them in the direction they want to go and let the RB pick where the hole opens up or where the soft spot is. It's kind of ironic that when you see OLmen and DLmen standing up and hand fightling like they do today. "Back in the day", we would call that titty blocking and make fun of it. However when they changed the rules that allowed offensive linemen to extend their hands they literally had to change all the techniques for both the OL, DL, & LB.

"Back in the day" , we were taught (as a LB) to use our forearm to ward off blockers. Today everything is in the hands. If fact I'm always amazed that guys don't break their hands more often given the beating they take now days.

Good stuff, Ken. Thanks.

 

[PatsSteve1]

It was the definition of smashmouth, and the kind of attitude that helped the 1978 Patriots rush for 3,165 yards, an NFL record that still stands. They blew teams off the ball with an attack that took perverse pleasure in gaining 4 yards a pop, punishing defenses snap after snap after snap.

* And that record was set playing 14 games. Everyone in the stadium used to know the Patriots would run and almost alway's run left and teams still couldn't stop it. The best team running game I think I ever saw in the NFL.