Do we have issues at center?

[51Hits]

It just seems we struggle Against elite dts so much lately. The ravens game, the lions preseason game, bengals, etc

It just seems we need to make improvements with protection in the middle. Thoughts?

 

[Kontradiction]

Interior blocking has been putrid for the last three weeks. The team has very real issues at center, though Connolly hasn't been playing that well at RG either. How much of that has to do with Wendell's struggles is up for debate. I keep pounding the table for Connolly to be moved back to center, Cannon to RG, and Wendell to the bench but apparently the coaching staff is happy with pressure up the A and B gaps and sees no reason to change things. Wendell must have a Guatamalan hit squad on stand by.

 

[andrewgarrr]

Three words...

****ing Brian Waters...

 

[JackBauer]

I'd been a Wendell fan based on his performance last year, but he has much worse through 5 games this season. At this point I wouldn't be against starting Connolly at C and Cannon at RG.

 

[RI Patriots fan]

Three words...

****ing Brian Waters...

"Romo pumps as he looks like he want to throw underneath to Beasley, but the receiver had not cleared the umpire so Romo re-loaded. As he looked for Beasley again Shaun Phillips brought some pressure, forcing Romo to his right. Phillip shook free from Brian Waters and came up with the 6-yard sack."


Closer look at Dallas Cowboys' final drive vs. Denver Broncos - ESPN

 

[Big-T]

Wendell has been pretty bad this year - from what looked like tipping off the Bills defense to the snap to the botched snaps on QB sneaks (Collinsworth explained why Wendell is at fault). The poor blocking on the overload blitzes are down to a combination of him & Brady not sliding the protection over too leaving Mankins doing a 360 and Solder trying to block 2 rushers.

The interior OL as a whole have been poor this year, though so some rearranging needs to be done because a collapsing pocket sure doesn't help Brady find his new receivers (thought I just had: no confidence in his protection means he isn't reading the defenses properly hence the errant passes - like the Dobson one yesterday where he read post and Brady didn't).

 

[Kontradiction]

I'd been a Wendell fan based on his performance last year, but he has much worse through 5 games this season. At this point I wouldn't be against starting Connolly at C and Cannon at RG.

Welcome TO the dark side.

 

[Kontradiction]

Wendell has been pretty bad this year - from what looked like tipping off the Bills defense to the snap to the botched snaps on QB sneaks (Collinsworth explained why Wendell is at fault). The poor blocking on the overload blitzes are down to a combination of him & Brady not sliding the protection over too leaving Mankins doing a 360 and Solder trying to block 2 rushers.

The interior OL as a whole have been poor this year, though so some rearranging needs to be done because a collapsing pocket sure doesn't help Brady find his new receivers (thought I just had: no confidence in his protection means he isn't reading the defenses properly hence the errant passes - like the Dobson one yesterday where he read post and Brady didn't).

Not to take the thread off topic but I just have an obvservation. Those in the chat can feel free to back me on this. On the final drive yesterday, I pointed out that the Bengals CB's were giving Dobson a ton of cushion at the LOS and that Brady should look for a quick screen to him as it had potential to go for a lot of yardage. As it turns out, the next play, Brady looked for the screen but Dobson took off on what looked like a go route (disappeared off the top of the screen) and Brady was sacked from pressure coming up the A Gap. In all, that play was simply a microcosm of what was going on with the offense yesterday.

 

[Joker]

Pretty much agree with you, Kontra...sit Wendell...move Connolly to center...beef up right guard.

Wendell seems physically over matched this season, why I have no idea.

 

[Kontradiction]

Pretty much agree with you, Kontra...sit Wendell...move Connolly to center...beef up right guard.

Wendell seems physically over matched this season, why I have no idea.

He's undersized and the team has been playing a slew of defenses with good to excellent DT's. We'll see that again in the playoffs.

 

[Joker]

ON the post that Dobson ran, the safety was on his left shoulder...he broke to the middle, Brady threw the out...THAT looked like Brady's fault. Look, it was a horrible display. A real dog. Let's look forward to the green bloodbath tonight...

 

[Big-T]

ON the post that Dobson ran, the safety was on his left shoulder...he broke to the middle, Brady threw the out...THAT looked like Brady's fault. Look, it was a horrible display. A real dog. Let's look forward to the green bloodbath tonight...

Dobson throws a nice head/shoulder fake to get the safety moving towards the sideline, I can only assume Brady fell for the fake too on a read that bad!

 

[Deus Irae]

ON the post that Dobson ran, the safety was on his left shoulder...he broke to the middle, Brady threw the out...THAT looked like Brady's fault. Look, it was a horrible display. A real dog. Let's look forward to the green bloodbath tonight...

From your lips to God's ears. This site could use something to give us all a bit of shared happiness.

 

[BradyFTW!]

Wendell has been bad. Pure and simple. Would be best to fix two problems by moving Connolly to center and getting a better RG.

 

[Sciz]

I think Wendell is the kind of player who is completely serviceable when things are going well but quickly becomes an issues when they're not. Namely, he's not the kind of guy you want to have to try to get push in the running game when there's no push to be had and he's not the kind of guy you want to be trying to sustain a pass block for too long.

At this point, I'm in favor of them revamping the OL so they can win up front when things aren't going perfectly. That probably means no Wendell or Connolly, at least starting.

 

[cstjohn17]

Mankins has not been great either. I have no idea how on the 2nd play of the game he lets Atkins rush through untouched and destroy Brady. That set the tone.

 

[Sciz]

Mankins has not been great either. I have no idea how on the 2nd play of the game he lets Atkins rush through untouched and destroy Brady. That set the tone.

I forget if this actually came from Mankins or if this was someone else, but someone said this morning that they don't pass block on a play like that. They count on the defensive line playing the run. If they don't, then that happens.

 

[pazrul72]

I didn't notice this until another poster pointed it out but Wendell has the worst tell I have ever seen from any NFL player. He bobs his head then 2...1... snap. Every. Single. Snap. As a Dlineman I would be watching that every play and getting a jump. I trust Bill and Dante so if they don't think its an issue I bow to their wisdom but it bothers me everytime I see it. I do wonder if that is something that has only recently been picked up on and has lead to Wendells recent troubles? An upgrade at C was something I have been wanting for a couple of years now so assuming there is a good one in the 2nd or 3rd round next year I would be all over that. I view it kind of like the Ninkovich problem, he is good enough to be servicable and not the first place you would upgrade but if the right situation came around... he is definetly replaceable.

 

[Onedaful]

Solder was responsible for the first two sacks. He was getting man handled the first two quarters. Then he got it together somewhat later on

 

[Big-T]

Solder was responsible for the first two sacks. He was getting man handled the first two quarters. Then he got it together somewhat later on

How was the first one on Solder? He took the outside rusher whilst Logan Mankins decided to do a 360 as Geno Atkins just strolled by him.