O-line So Important in the NFL

by Kurtstack on Oct 13, 2009 9:17 AM EDT Comment 7 comments

The O-line is probably the least important unit on a football team in the eyes of a casual football fan (yes Dan Snyder falls into this category). The casual football fan wants to see the fancy 6'4" WR with 4.2 forty speed, or the 230 LB running back who can change direction without losing any speed, or the QB who can throw the ball 75 yards from his knees. The fact of the matter is that none of those guys even have a chance to exhibit those skills if their offensive line does not perform. A casual fan would say why on earth don't we throw the deep ball more often? However, the educated fan knows that you can't throw a deep ball if the offensive line can't provide the QB with the time needed to throw the deep ball. The casual fan would say why don't we run the ball more often so we can set up the pass? While the educated fan would say you can't run more often because the o-line sucks and we are lucky to get 2 yards per run. And if you can't run successfully, well it doesn't really set up the pass. Here is where the Redskins find themselves, with one of the two worst O-lines in the NFL, and a fanbase and owner clammering for more creative playcalling, a new head coach, and even a new QB, and most recently a new RB. Come on now guys, does any TRUE NFL fan believe this team could win with a better QB, a better RB, or better WRs, or even better playcalling? The answer is a resounding NO!! You can't win consistently in the NFL without a strong offensive line. Examples of consistent winners with great lines are the Redskins of the 80s-90s, the Cowboys of the 90s, the current Eagles, the current Giants, current Patriots etc. Andy Reid and the Eagles probably draft more Offensive Linemen than any other team in the league. And, well I think his record over the past 5-10 years speaks for itself. Until we begin to draft 2-3 offensive linemen every year, we'll continue to suffer offensively, and we'll continue to win and lose ugly, but we'll never win consistently until we establish a top tier line.

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exactly

Which is why I hate all of the posts that talk about what QB, or RB, or WR we should draft in the first and second rounds next year. Sadly it’s hard to get an entire OL in a single year becaue there usually just aren’t THAT many good prospects. It’s something that usually happens over 3-4 years.

by ZakInOmaha on Oct 13, 2009 9:55 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Hey, I've got the time

If someone around here would just wake up and do the right thing. That is, put football people in charge and let them do their damn job. What other business would survive if experienced people were not welcomed and not allowed to do their job.

by grandpa grouse on Oct 13, 2009 10:38 AM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

DEVIN THOMAS /// KICK OFF RETURN TEAM PLEASE !!!!

ROCK CARTWRIGHT /// is not getting the job done !!!

by LETJASONPASS on Oct 13, 2009 12:19 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

You hit the nail on the head!

So many so called “fans” keep blasting Jason about not being accurate or being able to make plays, keep blasting Portis for not getting through holes, and keep blasting Zorn for playcalling! There were a few times where I have questioned some play calls but for the most part they have been ok. But if he is running for his life in almost every game how accurate can you really expect Jason to be? If the O-line can’t create holes for Portis how do they expect him to get through one? He isn’t one of those backs who can just explode through creating his own by running over three defenders at a time! My reply to them is that if they think they can do better then they should go and show them how its done!

by BrandonO on Oct 13, 2009 2:49 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

While I agree the offensive line needs improved

It’s not, It is what it is and now it’s the season….So, do the Redskins just fall down and do nothing?

Or do they try to find a way to score, find a way to run the ball, find the way to pass..by doing something known as Coaching.
Kansas City is talked about as having a worse OL than the Redskins, yet the offense has scored points, once more than 20 points this season it seems they have figured a way to play with a weak line.
If Portis can’t do it then try Betts, Rock, Mason
If Jason has too slow a delivery, then Collins
Change the plays, develop the plays to best utilize the weakness instead of limiting the play calling to that of a HS team because the line can’t do the job….

Coaching! Carolina who has a great line, couldn’t run block against the Redskins for 3 qtrs, but John Fox figured a way to call plays to losen up the defense and to open up the running game. Coaching!

by dr WNC on Oct 13, 2009 3:35 PM EDT up reply actions 0 recs

it is what it is

applies to the coaching too. Quite frankly I don’t expect a miracle there any more than I expect one from the backup O Linemen.

Let’s face it, Zorn was not supposed to be the HC, he was just going to be the OC. But then Napoleon with a cell phone couldn’t get a proven HC so presto – here we are with Zorn as HC. Hiring an OC without consulting the HC or even hiring 1 first just shows Snyders foolishness and why we need a FO. And now look at our offense – Zorn wasn’t ready to be OC either.

What’s sad is that your statements about KC and Carolina are true – they both score while we fall apart or kick FGs. Sad. I think JC is better than Delhomme, in fact I wouldn’t be shocked to see them go after him next year.

So what do we do? Hope for a backup OL to step up, hope for a WR to step up, and most of all hope for the head coach / OC (who should really have just been the QB coach) to step up. Other than that all we can do is endure another year.

by ZakInOmaha on Oct 13, 2009 4:41 PM EDT reply actions 0 recs

Sad but True

It’s a sad reality for Redskins fans, myself included, who long just to be a playoff contender again. Well, it ain’t going to happen until we beef up that O-line with young fresh bodies, but I’ve been here through the thick and thin, and I’ll continue to pull for these guys week in and week out. I mean it is a game afterall, and we can only do so much with the players we currently have.

by Kurtstack on Oct 14, 2009 8:20 AM EDT reply actions 0 recs