Link is much appreciated, but there's nothing in the article suggesting Sparano is acknowledging O line problems.

The more I think about the O line, the less I understand about why we're having problems (which is continuing from last year). Ok, I expect improvement and since Grove is new and Thomas is back from an absence/injury, time is frankly on our side as the line gells and players learn to anticipate the moves of the man next to them. However...it's still baffling to me. We should be able to move that pile, blow open holes with who we have on that line.

I think it's just much harder in the modern era to rely on just the line. Offense is a total package, and if you don't have the right balance, and the right weapons for the QB to use, and maybe not enough talent on that side of the ball, including QB, then I think too much pressure falls on the linemen.

I don't think we have enough of those quick slants and fast QB releases that other teams have, we also don't do screens very well, and when Pennington drops back looking for the deep pass, even when he gets plenty of protection and he has all day to throw the ball, we rarely take advantage of that, the ball is dumped off to Ronnie for 5 yards or is thrown away. The fear for defenses is not there.

Successful offenses to me are not one trick ponies, they're balanced, and most importantly they take advantage of every down and exploit the weaknesses of defenses. If a defense makes the mistake of giving a QB time, then the QB should make them pay. If a defense allows the short pass, then the QB has to eat up yardage with quick throws hugging the sideline, etc, and the receivers cannot drop the ball. IMO when we fail to make it all work, defenses crowd in and figure ok they're going to run Ronnie Brown and we'll just stuff him, or stop bess short of the first down marker, and that's what happens.

I'm never that worried about our defense, but every season, every Sunday, I'm worried about what the offense is going to scrape together. I was disappointed in the draft in the sense that we didn't address any of that. And I just don't have the answers. I don't think the answer will come this year, because frankly we not only are lacking the balance I described, but lacking playmakers on that side of the ball as well. And the folks waiting in the wings (like Henne) don't inspire me with much confidence.

I think Parcells has to look back at the money he sunk into the O line and the penny pinching he did with receivers, refusing to bring in playmakers who wanted to come here, and really think about what we have invested now, and what we're direction to go in for the future.

Hey its no to late to go after Marshall!

MiamiThunder Wrote:
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> Hey its no to late to go after Marshall!(:

It's not too late to shut up either! Enough with the Marshall dreams. It's not going to happen.

DolphinSam Wrote:
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> Link is much appreciated, but there's nothing in
> the article suggesting Sparano is acknowledging O
> line problems.
>
The fact that we're letting Frye go instead of Garner at least says to me that Sparano is looking for quality depth on the O-Line. Another coach could go into the season with the 5 starters, assuming they'll play the whole year, and just stay with the more familiar backups.

So far we've traded 2 (Allemen and Ndukwe) and cut 1 (Frye) O-Lineman who all started last year at some point (in place of Thomas and Smiley). It's a pretty significant shake-up. That says to me that Sparano still isn't satisfied with the O-Line. That's just what I want to see.

I am on the other side of the fence. I am not worried about the offense. We were very balanced last year. Chad spreads the ball around and makes great decisions. He was a top 10 QB last year and 3,600 yards is nothing to sneeze at. Do we still need to get better? Yes but it's not like our running game was dominant last year. Each being better this year should help the other. Hartline and Turner will pay dividends this year...just in different areas of the field.

I am more worried about the defense. We have a tendency to be great and then give up too many big plays in the running game and secondary. I am not sold our safeties in coverage yet either.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

eesti Wrote:
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> I am on the other side of the fence. I am not
> worried about the offense. We were very balanced
> last year. Chad spreads the ball around and makes
> great decisions. He was a top 10 QB last year and
> 3,600 yards is nothing to sneeze at. Do we still
> need to get better? Yes but it's not like our
> running game was dominant last year. Each being
> better this year should help the other. Hartline
> and Turner will pay dividends this year...just in
> different areas of the field.
I'm not worried about anything you mention. I'm worried about the O-Line, that still hasn't shown consistency. How will Pennington continue to pass for so many yards if he's on his back? He's been injured nearly every season of his career. Do we want to risk that this year? As for the running game, we need to be able to run from a standard set to keep teams honest. If our standard alignment continues to be a pass-only set and we only run from the Wildcat, we're going to be in big trouble.

>
> I am more worried about the defense. We have a
> tendency to be great and then give up too many big
> plays in the running game and secondary. I am not
> sold our safeties in coverage yet either.
Our defense has played very well in preseason. I think our secondary will come along, but with the return of JT, improvement of Soliai and Ayodele, and emergence of Sean Smith, I expect to see more pressure on the QB, better run stopping, and more Ints from last year. Why worry about that?



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/05/2009 07:44AM by montequi.

this is true as we went through the same thing last year until we put Hill in at FS who directed everyone where to go. Problem is Hill is gone and even though Wilson has more talent, he doesn't know the system as well.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Yes, Chad spreads the ball around but that doesn't equate to having a balanced offense. Last year, the wildcat saved us. Otherwise, we were toast, offensively.

If you can say we have a solid running game, a deep threat, and an intermediate game to move the chains, I'd be happy. But we don't have that. We have Penny pulling rabbits out of hats, and the announcer saying.."and Brown gets back to the line of scrimmage" every game.

Well we were equally above average in passing as we were in rushing so yes we were balanced.

I really believe we will have those things you mention this year.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

I worry about everything, because any team can beat any team on any given sunday!

eesti, rushing stats can be attributed to the wildcat being new. It's mentioned again in one of the beat writers blogs recently, that our non-wildcat rushing plays averaged 3.8, near the bottom of the league.

During preaseason, you saw our base offense yet struggle again. So unless we all expect the wildcat to take everyone by surprise each and every game this season, then we're stuck with what we see so far, which is a stagnant running game.

That's why, I think, that from time to time you read stuff about how important it is for Ginn to have a breakout year. Because he's our only real offensive weapon, and can possibly make up for what we lack overall. We just CANNOT go three and out and hand the ball over to Matt Ryan, Tom Brady, and Joe Flacco. They will run the scoreboard on us, and when they do, I don't want to hear any kick-the-defense posts. The defense cannot do it all.

Our biggest offensive weapon? Yeah ok~!

DolphinSam Wrote:
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> That's why, I think, that from time to time you
> read stuff about how important it is for Ginn to
> have a breakout year. Because he's our only real
> offensive weapon

If he's our ONLY weapon, we have more problems than we think!

Guys there is no time to panic. I have faith in our Dline and our Oline will be just fine. Im also believing we will sign somebody to back up the OL in free agency.

Our Starting OL will alright its our backups who worry me. I hear burger did not impress in pre season.

We trade Both Ondukwe and that other guard...forgot his name...

Now we have murphy and burger as backups. Leaves a lot to be desired.

Like i said, our starters on the OL and DL will be fine.....Its the backup on the OL that worry me. We cannot afford to have any injuries in the OL.

We just signed Garner off the practice squad.

MiamiThunder Wrote:
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> We just signed Garner off the practice squad.


The probably think he is better than the FAs available.

Not panic, reality check ... we should see something in the dress rehearsal game ... and did not.

Reasonable questions for inquirting minds. Let's see it on the field!

Early and often, on the ground and in the air

Well I'm not sure what signing someone "off" the practice squad means but we did resign him "to" the practice squad for about an hour until we released him and signed another TE....Kory Sperry.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

Eesti, we made active if you will, Garner. To take the 53rd spot on our active roster, then signed undrafted rookie TE Korey Sperry.

Who did we take off the 53?

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

We waived TE DAVON DREW!

I didn't realize he was on the 53 man roster since he was new and only practiced once. kind of strange.

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“I'm here" You're welcome!" - Kenny Powers

And that is why Phin is a moderator.

Sparano has an OL history, and knows we haven't gotten to where we need to be.

i am convinced it will get better. It needs to happen soon.