Our O-Line is our Achilles Heel (1 Viewer)

[Noble Saint]

Even though I don’t think highly of our coaching staff, they aren’t the main issue. I think going into the season everyone knew our O-line was by far the weakest part of our team. It’s not possible for an offense to gel and have much success with such poor play up front. It’s an extremely hard obstacle to overcome. Especially when every team in the league knows this and exploits it.

I just think all of this criticism of everyone else on the team and staff has gotten out of control. Sure it would help if we had Brees out there compensating with quicker decision making and Payton exploiting more mismatches and making better adjustments, but I still believe if somehow we get a good upgrade or two up front we can be a really good team in the very near future.

Somehow it feels fans and media have lost sight of what our major concerns were coming into the season. All we are seeing is those concerns being justified.

 

[Paul]

To take it a step further, I think our play in the trenches is our Achilles heel, meaning both O and D lines. I agree with you - the O-line is a huge problem but I also find that opposing QBs have too much time and space to make plays.

 

[scott88]

you think so?

 

[Saint Taysom]

It’s inexcusable when you have a former HC and supposed OL guru in Marrone coaching the O-line… and that line consists of FOUR 1st round picks and ONE 2nd round pick!

3 of those 1st rounders look like busts (Penning, Peat, and Ruiz)… and one has been degraded by injury (Ramcyzk)

The 2nd rounder is the best of the group at this point (McCoy), and even his play has slipped under Marrone.

Yet, nobody is held accountable (except maybe Penning, and he’s basically still a rookie)… and nothing looks to be changing.

DA just has them “keep doing what you’re doing”

 

[saintsgotaring]

Nooo I’d have to disagree with this. You’re still living in the past as in the first couple weeks yes. But the last 3 weeks or so they been doing much better giving him time in the pocket. He’s just not comfortable. One day you guys will hold him accountable for his bad play. Can’t keep blaming everyone else but him. Remember this is the same OL, same OC from Last year yet we put up bigger numbers on Offense.

 

[Noble Saint]

It’s inexcusable when you have a former HC and supposed OL guru in Marrone coaching the O-line… and that line consists of FOUR 1st round picks and ONE 2nd round pick!

3 of those 1st rounders look like busts (Penning, Peat, and Ruiz)… and one has been degraded by injury (Ramcyzk)

The 2nd rounder is the best of the group at this point (McCoy), and even his play has slipped under Marrone.

Yet, nobody is held accountable (except maybe Penning, and he’s basically still a rookie)… and nothing looks to be changing.

DA just has them “keep doing what you’re doing”

You’re right. And that’s what sucks so much. Between Davenport, not paying Hendrickson, and all this draft capital spent on our line, we shouldn’t be in this position.

 

[GeneHansen]

It’s inexcusable when you have a former HC and supposed OL guru in Marrone coaching the O-line… and that line consists of FOUR 1st round picks and ONE 2nd round pick!

3 of those 1st rounders look like busts (Penning, Peat, and Ruiz)… and one has been degraded by injury (Ramcyzk)

The 2nd rounder is the best of the group at this point (McCoy), and even his play has slipped under Marrone.

Yet, nobody is held accountable (except maybe Penning, and he’s basically still a rookie)… and nothing looks to be changing.

DA just has them “keep doing what you’re doing”

Peat has been injured too much for our tastes, but he's far from a bust.

 

[Noble Saint]

Nooo I’d have to disagree with this. You’re still living in the past as in the first couple weeks yes. But the last 3 weeks or so they been doing much better giving him time in the pocket. He’s just not comfortable. One day you guys will hold him accountable for his bad play. Can’t keep blaming everyone else but him. Remember this is the same OL, same OC from Last year yet we put up bigger numbers on Offense.

How did we do this season when he wasn’t in the lineup?

 

[saintsgotaring]

How did we do this season when he wasn’t in the lineup?

That was only for a quarter and half and JW was actually getting the ball out more decisive allowing the OL the few secs they need to block. Not looking downfield like Carr does which is funny Bcas JW seems to have learned his lesson from that. Maybe watching Carr fail doing so

 

[OldTimeGamer1966]

Even though I don’t think highly of our coaching staff, they aren’t the main issue. I think going into the season everyone knew our O-line was by far the weakest part of our team. It’s not possible for an offense to gel and have much success with such poor play up front. It’s an extremely hard obstacle to overcome. Especially when every team in the league knows this and exploits it.

I just think all of this criticism of everyone else on the team and staff has gotten out of control. Sure it would help if we had Brees out there compensating with quicker decision making and Payton exploiting more mismatches and making better adjustments, but I still believe if somehow we get a good upgrade or two up front we can be a really good team in the very near future.

Somehow it feels fans and media have lost sight of what our major concerns were coming into the season. All we are seeing is those concerns being justified.

Nice points! If you look at most of Drews career he was hindered by mediocre defensive play but always had a stout line.

We were so deep we had guys like Kelemente that could play everywhere as a backup. You had Drew who made very good lines stellar so he did help but yea no OL makes it hard for a QB and a RB.

 

[Deucewildin]

Spot on!

The combo of Carr not being Brees and reading defenses as fast , Carmichael bad play calling is all exposed because of the poor Oline play

 

[Lustmord]

Rams regression is whats gets me. I mean fell off haaaaaaaard.

 

[Goatman Saint]

I have 2 things with the line, possibly 3.

1st- Marrone is one of the most overrated position coaches in the nfl. Going back as far as I choose, his lines do not develop significantly in any way. You Feel free to prove me wrong with statistics.

2nd Brees had a quick release and climbed the pocket. Hence the saints drafted larger, stronger players in the middle, and faster footed players to run the DEs around the outside of the pocket. It worked like clockwork unless teams could break the wall of the pocket, but even then long periods of blocking were not needed. The problem I saw with Winston last year was when he floated back he ran into where the tackles by instinct ran the rushers.
To go with that Marrone has changed the way the line works. Not quite sure but I don’t think the drafted body and style of player supports what he wants to do. It’s trying to fit a square peg in a round hole. It will not work.

3rd is the quarterback, Winston, or Carr is holding the ball too dang long.
But here again that’s on coaching not designing plays to work tot he strengths and get people open quicker so that makes the OL look worse than it is.

As far as Penning, I think the coaching staff has pulled a Turley on him. His game was built on being mean and physical. Now they trying to make in into a technique player and it’s not working. Don’t draft a mean nasty player and make them into a happy joyful person. Didn’t work for Turley and won’t work for Penning

 

[Magic_Leather_Jacket]

Ever

Even though I don’t think highly of our coaching staff, they aren’t the main issue. I think going into the season everyone knew our O-line was by far the weakest part of our team. It’s not possible for an offense to gel and have much success with such poor play up front. It’s an extremely hard obstacle to overcome. Especially when every team in the league knows this and exploits it.

I just think all of this criticism of everyone else on the team and staff has gotten out of control. Sure it would help if we had Brees out there compensating with quicker decision making and Payton exploiting more mismatches and making better adjustments, but I still believe if somehow we get a good upgrade or two up front we can be a really good team in the very near future.

Somehow it feels fans and media have lost sight of what our major concerns were coming into the season. All we are seeing is those concerns being justified.

Every teams Oline is their Achilles heel this season.

 

[LoE]

Brees used to call the blocking assignments in the huddle. Right?

Or am I misremembering that.