Quote:
Originally Posted by Schneed10
I haven't read all of your posts in this thread, so forgive me if I missed any comments along the way, but I think you're underestimating the problems along the offensive line. I don't think they are depth-based and correctable at those spots.
Our RT is a major weakness for us. Jansen is consistently getting pushed back into the face of Campbell. Rabach and Randy Thomas at times have been overmatched physically in one-on-one matchups. I have no beef with Samuels, he's not pass protecting like his all-pro self but he's doing pretty darn well considering the knee. Kendall has been the best of the bunch, clearing a path in the running game rather well, a role Randy Thomas used to play for us but now seemingly does not. We never get him out in space anymore, which is either an indictment of the coaching staff or it says that Randy is slowing down.
But whether it's Rabach making the line adjustments or Campbell doing it, the line is failing to pick up blitzes effectively. And when it's not a mental gaffe, one of them simply gets physically beat one on one.
RT has to be our top priority entering the offseason, and G and C aren't far behind.
I agree that our WR play has been miserable and is a major problem. But I don't see the offensive line being an easily correctable issue.
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I don't want to make it seem like I'm ignoring the problems on the offensive line, talent-wise. Obviously, Rabach is a problem, and Jansen isn't all that. But I've noticed significant improvement from this group since the Steelers debacle. Which is why I'm not going off on them right now. It's because there's nothing more to say that hasn't already been said: there's some seriously under-talented pass blockers on this OL, but there was also a cohesiveness issue early in the year that killed us against Pittsburgh, and I think that has largely been fixed since the bye week.
I apply the depth-based tag, because I feel one injury could bring back the cohesiveness issues. Heyer in for Jansen seems like a lateral move, talent-wise, but if Rabach is being a weak link, we have no depth to place in for him.
It's not like Samuels and Kendall aren't great lineman, it's that they are part of a unit that needed to not get financially tied down to the other three guys. It's depth based only because Samuels and Kendall could be part of something great, but get lumped in with the rest only because the guys on the right side have really sucked at times.