Win or lose, every week our team will make mistakes. It will be my goal at the conclusion of each game to identify the weakest link and attempt to remedy the situation. How will I cure our biggest problems? Simple, I’ll FIX IT!
For those unfamiliar with how to fix something, let me lay out the process. Or, if you don’t fancy yourself a reader, refer to the video below.
Step One: FIX!
Step Two: IT!
Step Three: FIX IT!
Green Bay Packers vs. Cincinnati Bengals (9/20)
Public Enemy #1: The Offensive Line
What the fuck happened here? I’m baffled. I don’t remember complaining about them much last year, and it was pretty much the same dudes. We kept our left side in tact and replaced an aging, ACL-less staple (I still love you, Tauscher) with a younger, meaner and more athletic RT in Allen Barbre. Everything we heard out of camp was that the line should actually be noticeably improved with the C/RG combination of Spitz/Sitton as opposed to Wells/Spitz. Improved? Shit no. An offensive line that can’t protect the passer OR open up holes in the running game isn’t much of an offensive line at all.
After two games, all signs point to our offensive line being completely fucked. With Chad Clifton expected to miss time we are forced to move our left guard Daryn Colledge out to left tackle. DC is a hell of a LG, but, unfortunately, left tackle is a different ball game. I shouldn’t have to spell out how important a left tackle is to a football team (Michael Lewis does that in his book “The Blind Side” – I recommend it), but suffice it to say there is a reason we see LTs taken top ten in the draft year after year. To make matters worse, the offensive line was given help on a staggering 80% of plays (according to @tompelissero), which makes it impossible to spread out and use what many consider the best four-deep receiving corps in football. If you were an opposing defense, wouldn’t you rather see Lee, Kuhn and Grant in as blockers opposed to Jones, Jordy and Jermichael split out?
With all this doom-and-gloom surrounding our OLine, what can be done to get it turned around? Call me crazy, but I honestly think the best approach to take with this group is patience. Don’t sign desperation free agents, don’t panic and become an ultra-conservative offense, simply give them time because I believe it will get worked out. Not to say they’ll be amazing, but I believe they can return to being a perfectly adequate pass-protection unit. Give them time to work out the kinks and let’s hope this young, talented unit can gel together. I’m obviously biased toward DC because he is clearly the most likeable guy on the team, but I think he’ll be an able fill-in at LT, and possibly the long-term solution at that position – although I’m not going to hold my breath on the latter.
As far as the running game goes, I don't think the combination of this line and these RBs will ever produce an above-average rushing attack. Hopefully we can produce just enough on the ground to keep defenses honest and attain some semblance of offensive balance.
It’s fitting that Pagel’s first FIX IT! solution simply requires being lazy; just sit around and wait for them to play better.
Predicted problem for next week vs. St. Louis: Ryan Grant.
It actually might be a banner week for Ryan. I’m going to go on record and predict he will break his first career tackle this week against the Rams. You can do it, Ryan!
While I would normally agree that a young, talented (?) group needs time more than anything, we are in Week 3 of a season that many had very high hopes for. I think you're sending mixed signals with the current group. Couple considerations-
ReplyDelete-DC isn't your answer at LT...he's an awesome LG, as you said, but he was a complete turnstile to Antwan Odom's record-setting day. Even if injuries/unpreparedness played a role, he was beyond suck. Plus, even if it was an aberration, with Colledge starting at LT, you now have to play shitty Scott Wells at center. Good luck with that when he faces the Williams Wall in 2 weeks.
-Assuming Cliffy gets his job back in ~3 weeks, and you're just trying to hold down the fort the next few weeks, why play DC out of position? Trying to establish a young group at positions they'll never play or work together at doesn't accomplish any goal other than saving money and trying not to let Aaron get killed (with the out-of-place shitty backups on the roster). Instead, if you're going with the makeshift-til-Gaptooth route, why not sign a temporary veteran LT? (Wireless Runyan? Dairyland Icon Tauscher?)
-If you want to go with the "let's see what we have for the future" route, might as well just go for broke and throw Gianocomini or Lang at LT. Sure, Rodgers' career might be done by Week 3, but at least you'll give your actual future a chance together.
I know they're just gonna duct tape it together with what they've got for a few weeks and hope Clifton is right, but I think they should try adding quality (/old) depth and dump some of the nobodies on the roster, if they actually feel like they've got a shot this year.
As much as I love Runyan and Tauscher, there is nothing I'd want less than old, banged-up career RTs playing LT. Colledge at the very least has some of the athleticism necessary to play LT.
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