Machota - Jones: Personnel is better than it’s been at any time in the last 2 yrs.

[Smitty]

For all the much deserved derision the OL gets, I think by far the biggest problem (collectively) on the team is the overall depth.

I can't agree that it's the bigger problem, because you can't have an effective running game with this line, and it impacts a lot of what you can do in the passing game too.

But yeah, it's right there as the 2nd problem.

But it all stems from the real problem in that, we can't draft.

 

[Cowboysrock55]

Other than center, yep.

We're still in wait and see mode regarding Leary's health and ability. If he had stayed healthy and we had landed Moore, I could say that I feel the OL as a whole will be markedly improved.

Instead, it's still a wing and a prayer.

I don't know if I would call a first round pick a wing and a prayer. For a team with an on Oline that may be a big move. Unfortunately we were far worse to start. If we get Waters, with Leary and Frederick, that is a big time rebuild on the interior.

 

[Smitty]

I don't know if I would call a first round pick a wing and a prayer. For a team with an on Oline that may be a big move. Unfortunately we were far worse to start. If we get Waters, with Leary and Frederick, that is a big time rebuild on the interior.

I wasn't calling Frederick a wing and a prayer, but the rest of the OL still is. Leary is very unproven and the other spot is still a mess.

And Frederick is still a rookie. You put him next to a guy like Brandon Moore and Frederick, as a rookie, is getting some help. You put him next to David Arkin and now he's doing the job of 2 people and he'll struggle more.

So with a gimpy Leary, who knows what at the other guard, and a rookie Frederick, I still consider the interior OL a wing and a prayer.

 

[ravidubey]

The OL is better than last year. Run blocking has to improve or this team has no chance to improve on 8-8.

 

[Smitty]

The OL is better than last year. Run blocking has to improve or this team has no chance to improve on 8-8.

It looked better the first game.

Against the Cardinals it looked like shit.

 

[Plan9Misfit]

It looked better the first game.

Against the Cardinals it looked like shit.

How much better does anyone really expect it to be when 3/5 of the o-line still needs to be replaced?

 

[Smitty]

How much better does anyone really expect it to be when 3/5 of the o-line still needs to be replaced?

Well, I'd say hardly at all. But then people will say I'm making excuses for the current regime.

 

[Cotton]

It looked better the first game.

Against the Cardinals it looked like shit.

The starting OL actually looked decent against the Cards.

 

[Smitty]

The starting OL actually looked decent against the Cards.

I did miss some of the first half. However I noticed that the starting line was in the game at least until the 2nd half (I saw Tyron Smith, Frederick, Bernadeau, and Free all on the field) and they were getting no push in the running game. Maybe it was a bad couple series' but given our first half yardage totals I doubted it.

 

[Simpleton]

To be fair the Cardinals have two of the best interior DL in the league in Campbell and Dockett and we were starting Arkin. I feel like the pass protection was solid but the run blocking was definitely not good.