Thread: OL: Change of Scheme, not Personnel?

Originally Posted by MarkBear

Smith said he feels "comfortable" with Webb at left tackle but didn't rule out the possibility that Carimi could eventually play there.

This

Originally Posted by AmericanPitBull

I wonder how "comfortable" Jay is with them.

I'm sure Jay would say that he is fine with either of them. His real opinion isn't something that he's going to share with the media though.

If there is one gap in their performance, however, it's the apparent decision to stand pat at offensive line. We all know about the Bears' pass protection issues in recent years, but as Rivers McCown points out in this EPSN Insider piece , they didn't grade out well in run-blocking, either. According to McCown, the Bears had the third-highest percentage of runs stuffed at the line scrimmage last season and ranked No. 20 overall in converting short-yardage runs.

Oh for crap sake when will these guys start pulling there heads out stats books and their collective asses and stop criticizing the fuggin' run blocking. This only convinces people who don't bother to review the the rest of the stats. Maybe they should watch some tape of the same games I saw and then comment.

1) Just our three RB's alone gained 1702 yards averaging 4.5 yards per carry collectively. Eleven NFL teams gained less than that in total rushing yards with all rushers included.

2) Only MB III who was used primarily as a short yardage and goaline runner averaged less than 4.0 ypc but he still averaged 3.7 ypc. One ypc better than Chester Taylor did in 2010 used the same way. Bell averaged 4.6 ypc and Forte 4.9 so between those we gained just under 1300 yards averaging 4.83 ypc.

3) When your RB position gains just a tad over 1700 yards for the year averaging 4.5 ypc somebody must have been blocking someone at least some of the time. If you toss in all those reported stuffs and tfl's then when they did block well the holes must have been the size of mini vans.

4) Michael Turner gained 1340 yards with an identical ypc last year and I've yet to see one article from one writer criticizing Atlanta's line and their blocking ability. Arian Foster gained 1224 yards and 4.4 ypc vs Forte/Bell with 1280 yards and 4.8 ypc but nobody says a word about Houston's run blocking.

One guy on the Bears line was the worst in the league at what he did but yet another was a Pro Bowl alternate his first year playing OC. We also had three guys playing positions they don't ordinarily play and lost one starter for the entire season and another for half the season.

Maybe it's time the Oline haters got over their bad selves and gave it a rest. How many times do the coaches need to say that they aren't unhappy with the guys they have and that Oline isn't a priority before you all start believing that there won't be five new guys playing this year and that there is at least a reasonably good chance that J'Marcus Webb will still be starting at LT again this year.

When does it become time to consider that having Carimi returning is virtually the same as having an extra 1st round pick at OT this year and that before he was injured CWill was consistently grading out as the best OG on the team and at least the equivalent of another high round Oline pick returning. Both are above average blockers. That's two starters returning to a line that was good enough to get us to the NFCC Game in 2011 and may well have gotten us there again in 2012 if our starting QB and star RB weren't lost to injury.

I don't disagree with the need to add talent and competition in order to upgrade the line but the idea that these guys are totally worthless is a fantasy. It's time to hit the reality books and stop buying into every story these schlub's write about the line. It's about all they can criticize so they do......about every other week so much so that we've got some guys thinking we should spend our first three picks on the Oline if we don't draft a WR or TE first.

There..........rant complete.

This "good enough" mentality is a big gamble going into a must-win season. And I question this 'change in scheme' they say they're going to employ cuz , when it comes to line play, how much can you really change ? It comes down to beating your man .... and if they've PROVEN that they're not even middle of the pack , why think things are gonna somehow change ? This is a snow-job ...... Lovie just wants more toy's for his defense, as usual.

I ain't buying this ... and that ain't gonna change till I see different results.

Originally Posted by motownbear

sorry soul the oline blows donkey dick no sugar coating it. If OMYFAIL was considered inadequate why the hell are people making excuses for trash like Webb

Bullfinch..............Webb is a problem because we're trying to use a 7th round project as a starter at LT. Other than him you had the two highest graded lineman lost to injury last year and those guys constitute immediate upgrades. They wouldn't have re-signed Garza unless they believed he had another decent year or two to offer and the guy was elected as a Pro Bowl alternate which means he played above average ball at the very least.

With Carimi returning Louis can move back to RG where he looks like he could be ready to take his play to the next level and Spencer and EWill got some valuable experience enough so to be looked at as quailty reserves. A few of the interior lineman are in their contract years so anticipating that and drafting a good young stud at OG would be a wise move if we want to start an upgrade program.

Other than that we only need a solution for what to do about Webb if his play doesn't drastically improve. There doesn't appear to be much help within site outside of the current roster unless we get very lucky with a mid round pick or CWill or Carimi can be shifted to LT and handle it any better than Webb can. Before I trash these guys I want to see how they perform in a system that doesn't require them to do what no other NFL line was asked to do last year.

I want to see how they do in an offense built to fit the skills of it's players not the imagination of their OC. Webb had some flashes of competency last year but at other times he looked liked OMG's bigger twin brother. So get him some help against the Jared Allen types. Pep eats guys who are better than Webb alive too. He's always getting double teamed or chipped and I see no weakness in our scheme for needing to do the same.

If we can replace Webb and still maintain strength across the rest of the line we will have vastly improved. Now add to that the fact that or OC is our former Oline coach and if anyone knows the capabilities of those guys and in what kind of blocking schemes they play best it's him. It takes a few years to build cohesiveness and so far they haven't had that chance. If we should hope for anything it's an injury free year for the starters not a wholesale replacement of the components. There isn't as much difference between functional and non-functional as most think there is.

What ... EXACTLY ... were they "asked to do last year" , that they won't be asked to do this year ? I'd like to know cuz I'd like to see how someone re-invents the wheel ( and I've never seen that b4 ).