RotoWorld ranks Pats offensive line 8th

[NavinR.Johnson]

Just what we need another preseason ranking by a site that has no idea what really goes in the trenches, but to their credit they know how important a great line is for a quarterback and the running game. I found it particularly interesting how low they rank the rest of the East. Dolphins 21st, Jets 29th, and Bills 30th. From the site

8. New England – The Patriots pile up big numbers with interchangeable parts along the offensive line. Only two of Tom Brady’s five favorite metaphors are likely to start in 2006. Although the Patriots laugh at continuity, this is the best returning five of the Belichick era. LT Matt Light and future Pro Bowler Dan Koppen return from serious injury. Guards Stephen Neal and Logan Mankins are improving maulers.

21. Miami – Former Chargers line coach Hudson Houck, a real superhero, turned a moribund unit in Miami around in only one season. Still, the talent level, led by new tackle L.J. Shelton, is average at best. This group struggled in pass protection, which is bad news for Daunte Culpepper.

29. New York Jets – Jason Fabini and Kevin Mawae are gone, and rookie first-rounders D’Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold will take over the two biggest positions on the line. They were good draft picks, but expect a steep learning curve. The rest of the line isn’t exciting.

30. Buffalo – Cutting deadweight like Mike Williams and Bennie Anderson was a step in the right direction, but very few personnel additions were made to this dreadful group. It’s unreasonable to expect **** Jauron to solve the problems on his own.



http://fantasyfootball.rotoworld.com/content/features/column.asp?sport=NFL&column=25&articleid=23451

 

[Remix 6]

getting some love finally! wooo

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

A decent read, even if it is for fantasy.

 

[PlattsFan]

Yeah, but when you rank commercial acting, they have to be #1.

Matt Light was actually pretty good in that ad. And Tom Ashworth's (?) "hi" to the girlfriend was well-done.

Summer. Can we get some real football, soon?

 

[sarge]

Yeah, I'm not sure I would go with this sites opinions

10. Indianapolis – Peyton Manning was right. He should have kept his mouth closed (What good does it do?), but the team’s line failed him in the playoffs just like in their regular season loss to the Steelers. They struggle picking up extra rushers from 3-4 teams; just ask the Patriots. As regular season lines go, however, Indianapolis does a consistent job run blocking. Joseph Addai is set up for success. Peyton Manning doesn’t get hit much either. I’m surprised the team ignored the position during the off-season, but they develop from within.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Colts destroy the Steelers in the regular season?

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

Yeah, but when you rank commercial acting, they have to be #1.

Matt Light was actually pretty good in that ad. And Tom Ashworth's (?) "hi" to the girlfriend was well-done.

Summer. Can we get some real football, soon?

Sigh, such is the unnoticed lot of an offensive lineman - that was the Director, Russ Hochstein saying "hi." Russ stole the show in both commercials.

 

[flutie2phelan]

Just what we need another preseason ranking by a site that has no idea what really goes in the trenches, ....
8. New England – The Patriots pile up big numbers with interchangeable parts along the offensive line. Only two of Tom Brady’s five favorite metaphors are likely to start in 2006. Although the Patriots laugh at continuity, this is the best returning five of the Belichick era. LT Matt Light and future Pro Bowler Dan Koppen return from serious injury. Guards Stephen Neal and Logan Mankins are improving maulers.

Seems like a pretty fair appraisal of our guys.
Causes me to take their other judgments seriously.

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

ahead of the Colts? That's shocking! I think people are overreacting to the poor blocking against Pittsburgh last year which is a fluke. Indy's O-Line is still one of the best in the league. Top 5 in my opinion.

 

[NavinR.Johnson]

Yeah, I'm not sure I would go with this sites opinions



Correct me if I'm wrong, but didn't the Colts destroy the Steelers in the regular season?

I think they meant the loss to the Bolts. Manning was sacked 4 times

 

[PlattsFan]

Sigh, such is the unnoticed lot of an offensive lineman - that was the Director, Russ Hochstein saying "hi." Russ stole the show in both commercials.

Damn. I went back and forth. Ashworth? Hochstein? Ashworth? Hochstein?

I chose poorly.

 

[shakadave]

Lots of food for thought in this good article.

I notice how strongly a good O-line correlates with making the playoffs. With not too many exceptions, the top 15 or so O-lines were the playoff teams, the bottom 15 or so were poorer teams.

Someone please tell me Edgerrin James was great at picking up blitzes, because if he was, Indy should have some problems this year.

I think calling Koppen a future Pro Bowler might be an exaggeration. Let's hope not.

What I read about Seattle scares me a little, but we don't have to worry about that til February!

 

[AzPatsFan]

The Clots Offensive line is a symptom of Pay-me-a-ton-itis. I have said that the Clots hierarchy has dumped or let walk five of their Offensive linemen the last two years.

They kept their LOT, Tarik Glenn 32, and C Jeff Saturday 29, and Ryan Diem has becomes an above average ROT. They have dumped their Guards in order to save a few cap pennies, and it shows. Stumble bums have played Guard for the Clots the past two seasons.

As long as the the Clots Offense had superb skill position players and could jump out to big leads, they could get away with it. When they ran up against talented clubs, the Guards in Payton's words "...had protection problems..."

A great franchise back can gain yards behind a few good offensive linemen, but even Edge was tailing off. Now he is gone, and there is no franchise back to carry the load, and get some yards on his own. Plus Marvin is a year older then Troy Brown. Will he start to show it? In short the skill position dominance is crumbling.

Saving pennies by getting raw rooks or never were scrubs to play Guard, cost them against the Chargers, and Steelers, and maybe a Super bowl appearance.

 

[captain stone]

My OL thoughts...

I can't verify the reliability of Rotoworld's analysis, as I do not participate in any fantasy leagues. Boards such as this and on Hockeysfuture.com and Soxprospects.com are fantasy enough for me. I do agree, though, that IF healthy, the Pats OL is top-10 caliber, based on factors such as talent, experience, intelligence, toughness and flexibility. I also agree that Dan Koppen is a Pro-Bowl level C. His health going forward is, of course, the big question. Thus my disappointment on Greg Eslinger not being drafted, instead of the pedestrian J.Mincey. Hochstein and Ross Tucker should be more than adequate backups/replacements, however. The RT position remains open, with Kaczur, Britt and O'Callaghan the likely candidates. Notice there is no mention of, and will be no mention of, Brandon Gorin as a possibility. Watch the Denver game, as I have masochistically done many times, if you need any convincing of his unworthiness to wear the uniform.
Assuming everyone emerges from TC unscathed, however unlikely that may be, I am hoping for an OL roster of: Light, Mankins, Koppen, Neal, Kaczur; Britt, Roehl, Hochstein, Tucker, O'Callaghan; with Hand, Stevenson, Mruc, Steitz as injury insurance. As Adam Sandler might say: not too shabby.