If the O-Line doesn't show adjustment this week, how do we fix it?

[JSn]

I really think Matt's shortage of long-bombs and even TD's is as much the fault of the O-Line as anyone, and I don't think anyone would argue they're not showing anything close to elite...

So, what would you, as an armchair GM, do to fix it up mid-season? Can ONE addition make much difference if we managed to get anyone in a trade?

Along these lines I'm curious... can college players be signed to the NFL without going through the draft? I know a promising prospect would be foolish to do it, but can it be done at all? I don't know the rules on that.

What would ya do?

 

[JR4]

"...how do we fix it?"

I can't fix anything.

 

[SoCal Pmen]

Lots of alcohol:eat2:

 

[Kontradiction]

Lots of alcohol:eat2:

That doesn't really work as I actually managed to throw up on my own face after the Super Bowl.

 

[carolinatony]

Its too late to pick up any good OL so I would say; next draft.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

We?
Well BB will have two porkers coming off PUP by week 7, so that possibly might help.

 

[Leave No Doubt]

This OL scares me. I think they're going through an adjustment phase with Cassel at the helm but I also think they had problems before Matt. I'm just hoping to see improvement every week.

JMO but I think the same can be said for Cassel. The season isn't a sprint, it's a marathon. Every game is like a practice except that you need to do what you have to do to win, by 20 or by 1.

They'll let Cassel throw the long bomb when his timing or whatever improves,plus I don't care what he does or how he does it as long as they eek out enough wins to qualify. HFA would be nice but who knows-we take what we get as far as postseason goes-but I'm sure that's their ultimate goal.

I'm burying the Miami game.:rip:

 

[unoriginal]

I've only watched the Chiefs game and the first half of the Jets game closely, but I think a lot of the problem right now is the guard play, specifically Yates. Yates seems to end a lot of plays face down in the turf, and I think he loses position on players in space far too often for a guard - you're protected on two sides in pass blocking, and you've usually got the angle in run blocking.

I've never watched Neal's run blocking closely but in pass blocking at least I've never observed this level of "sliding" off blocks. I think once the Pats get him back there's a potential to pick things up more.

In a general sense I think the O-line is blocking below their weight. I've seen Kevin Faulk hit linebackers as hard in blitz pickup as I've seen from any more porky players. The Pats' tight end (only one's gotten any real playing time) and fullback in particular never seem to win any Oklahoma drills out there, and often flat out lose.

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Stephen Neal, get well soon!!!

 

[102 Pat]

Maybe a healthy Ben Watson will make a difference with keeping a TE in to help block and if the chance opens, to catch a few in the middle of the field?

 

[Deus Irae]

Maybe a healthy Ben Watson will make a difference with keeping a TE in to help block and if the chance opens, to catch a few in the middle of the field?

Oh, absolutely!


igsfly:

 

[unoriginal]

The 2nd half of the Jets game is the Yates and Thomas show. As soon as they make contact they stop moving their feet and try to create three feet of personal space with their arms.

 

[PatriotNMP43]

We?
Well BB will have two porkers coming off PUP by week 7, so that possibly might help.

Agreed, the OL will get a lot better once Neal gets back.

 

[TheComeback]

I think Neal is actually overrated. He'll be coming off an injury (again) and probably won't be full steam for a few games afterward. He is better than Yates, though.

This is an area we ought to address in the draft with a first rounder, if a good tackle or guard is available. That right side really needs reinforcement.

 

[nashvillepatsfan]

I spent most of the off season defending the o-line, but i'm really starting to think we need a new right side. Granted, Mankins hasnt been playing great either. All I know is, this time last year, Tom had enough time to have a drink, before launching a 50 yarder to Moss. Thats obviously not the case for Cassel. Different QB, or underperforming o-line? I'll leave this up to BB to figure out.

 

[pats_premi]

I agree with most people here that the right side of the OL needs to improve. However, with the current players and limited options, I think the OL play will improve once the QB and the O line are in sync.

In 2001, OL didn't look very good with Bledsoe being the QB and they looked lot better with Brady. So I think the QB can effect how the OL play looks, hopefully with time Cassel/O'Connell can make them look good.

 

[maverick4]

o line has sucked since the superbowl

 

[NEPatriot]

How do we fix it?

Replacing Cassel with somebody else is the first step in the right direction.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

I agree with most people here that the right side of the OL needs to improve. However, with the current players and limited options, I think the OL play will improve once the QB and the O line are in sync.

In 2001, OL didn't look very good with Bledsoe being the QB and they looked lot better with Brady. So I think the QB can effect how the OL play looks, hopefully with time Cassel/O'Connell can make them look good.

That may be true to an extent but the OL has been upgraded (draft position talent) and gained experience since then. Also the RB position was dramatically upgraded (talent wise). I think for a time that stood us in reasonably good stead. Brady developed uncanny pocket awareness and his accuracy moreso than anything burned blitzers. But recently teams determined that if they were going to be beat they had nothing to lose by trying disrupt the offense at the LOS by simply physically overpowering them. And it's a strategy that worked increasingly well for teams down the stretch last season even with Brady under center. With Brady out the incentive to attack that line has increased exponentially virtually across the league.

This is why I long held that just because you got away with something (OL inconsistency) didn't make it right. Tom didn't get sacked a lot, and he did have time here and there to make lunch for the crew, but while those snaps made highlight reels he also got harassed, hit and knocked down at an alarming rate over the last couple of seasons. Seasons he finished more dinged up that anyone realized at the time because he always popped back up and people adopted a no harm no foul mentality. In his 7th season it took him most of the off season to just shake off the drain operating this offense inflicts on him physically and mentally.

This OL is not very good at anything remotely consistently... and all the scheme and instinct or smarts it takes to play in a scheme heavy system isn't going to do you a hell of a lot of good when you're being physically run over or even mentally over run by the pressure to adjust weekly to mask basic physical deficiencies. Scheming periodically to account for a unique or elite matchup is one thing. Scheming to live weekly is another whole level of stress.

I also appreciate it's a delicate balance here where we used to focus more resources on defense. We now have substantial resources focused on offensive skill players. And a couple of OL in a league where the previously so-called big uglies are suddenly hip deep in $$$. So what gives? I don't envy Belioli the task of figuring that out but status quo ain't working. I've seen nothing in the first 3 games that doesn't convince me that Cassel was the right guy to stick with for the last 3 seasons and he could lead this team into the playoffs if he gets half a chance via just consistently decent pass protection and run blocking and pass blocking performances from this OL (and their augmentation corps of RB's and FB and TE's...). And no veteran or rookie QB is going to perform better absent that, either. In fact unfamiliarity with the system and personnel and/or NFL game speed would lead me to believe they likely would not perform nearly as well...

I don't think you can truly fix it in season. Getting Neal back may help, but his help is all too often fleeting at best. I hope they can patch and paste with chewing gum and string (scheme and coaching up existing personnel or stop gap acquisitions) to get through this season reasonably well. But I also hope they have finally learned the lesson that just because you get away with something doesn't make it a path you continue to follow. Better quality depth is a luxury you can only afford when your starters are outperforming their contracts.

 

[Ring 6]

Of all the things that can be volatile week to week on a football team (especially this one) the OL leads the way.
OLs change dramatically. It is common for excellent OLs to look like crap sometimes, and also common for OLs to play much better in a game than they had leading up to it, as well as for OLs to start a season playing poorly and end a season as a strong unit.

If a team needs one part to play a whole lot better, its chances are probably best when that part is the OL.
More than any other piece of a team, OLs are inconsistent, in both good and bad directions.