On the complaints about play calls

[Adam]

I'll be the first to say, I'd like to see Willis get 25-30 carries per game, but when the line blocks so well, that he averages less than 1 yard per carry, and Lossman has to run all over the place just to throw the ball away, maybe the coaching staff thinks that we have to use trick plays just to get yards.

[bartshan-83]

I would really like to see the rollouts that we were all told were going to be a staple of our offense. JP throws very well on the run (probably because there aren't 3 guys in his face every time) and it seems to be our only somewhat consistenly successful play. Roll him out ALL THE TIME. Get him out of the pocket as much as possible. Sure the defense will adjust, but make them defend against that primarily. Then pound the ball with Willis.

 

As it stands, the defenders just bull rush our guys out of the way on evey play whether its a pass or a run. They bust into the backfield and disrupt everything.

 

Almost every QB skill that Losman has right now is weak or undeveloped. The one quality that he has (besides pure arm strength) that equals or surpasses the majority of starting QBs is his mobility. Put it to use for God's sake.

[Adam]

I would really like to see the rollouts that we were all told were going to be a staple of our offense. JP throws very well on the run (probably because there aren't 3 guys in his face every time) and it seems to be our only somewhat consistenly successful play. Roll him out ALL THE TIME. Get him out of the pocket as much as possible. Sure the defense will adjust, but make them defend against that primarily. Then pound the ball with Willis.

 

As it stands, the defenders just bull rush our guys out of the way on evey play whether its a pass or a run. They bust into the backfield and disrupt everything.

 

Almost every QB skill that Losman has right now is weak or undeveloped. The one quality that he has (besides pure arm strength) that equals or surpasses the majority of starting QBs is his mobility. Put it to use for God's sake.

531493[/snapback]

I think the roll outs would help, but I wonder how much- if the line can't block, then no play will work, and that is a huge concern

[bartshan-83]

I think the roll outs would help, but I wonder how much- if the line can't block, then no play will work, and that is a huge concern

531496[/snapback]

I agree...but the rollouts take the onus off the OL. Yeah they still have to block, but not as well. JP will buy extra time by getting away and our incompetent blockers' inability to do their jobs will be less damaging.

 

I do get your point about Willis though. While 8 carries is not nearly enough...how many 1 yd gains do you sit through before going a different direction? Would people have been happier if his stat line read 25 carries for 10 yds. as opposed to 8 for 3?

[macaroni]

Would people have been happier if his stat line read 25 carries for 10 yds. as opposed to 8 for 3?

531501[/snapback]

 

 

Oh .... Oh .... Oh .... Oh ..... I would ........ then of course I'd enjoy wearing a burlap thong too

[sfladave]

How many times did Willis run to the outside this week?

 

A big difference from last year to this year is where we have been running. I remember a lot of effective runs going outside the tackle last year, along with some stiff arms.

 

This year it seems as though we are hell bent on running only up the middle.

 

Is this selective remembering by me or am I right?

[/dev/null]

Okay, Devil's Advocate's Advocate

 

The OLine stinks. You get no argument from me. So maybe the coaching staff has to come up with trick plays to compensate for the line's lack of talent.

 

My question is who evaluated those players and thought that they had any talent? And you can't just write this off to personnel decisions by Donahoe. At some point Mularkey has to take responsibility. Either he is a poor evaluator of Offensive Line talent, which points to a serious head coaching flaw. Or he has no say in personnel decision, which points to him being a weak leader, which is a major head coaching flaw

[beerme1]

How many times did Willis run to the outside this week?

 

A big difference from last year to this year is where we have been running. I remember a lot of effective runs going outside the tackle last year, along with some stiff arms.

 

This year it seems as though we are hell bent on running only up the middle.

 

Is this selective remembering by me or am I right?

531515[/snapback]

 

Well I certainly agree with you. Willis seemed to be as good as anyone I have ever seen utilizing the stiff arm. I don't recall going wow, that was awesome at all this year.

[Sisyphean Bills]

This year it seems as though we are hell bent on running only up the middle.

 

Is this selective remembering by me or am I right?

531515[/snapback]

 

I thought this was the result of Mularkey coaching Willis out of his bad habits. Just hit the "hole" and all that load o' mularkey.

[Sisyphean Bills]

Okay, Devil's Advocate's Advocate

 

The OLine stinks.  You get no argument from me.  So maybe the coaching staff has to come up with trick plays to compensate for the line's lack of talent.

 

My question is who evaluated those players and thought that they had any talent?  And you can't just write this off to personnel decisions by Donahoe.  At some point Mularkey has to take responsibility.  Either he is a poor evaluator of Offensive Line talent, which points to a serious head coaching flaw.  Or he has no say in personnel decision, which points to him being a weak leader, which is a major head coaching flaw

531516[/snapback]

 

What does Tom Modrak do again? Something with player evaluation?

 

Can't wait for him to get more authority to pick up high quality players from the discount dumpsters in the back alley!

 

Woohoo! Modrak for GM!

[bluv]

How many times did Willis run to the outside this week?

 

A big difference from last year to this year is where we have been running. I remember a lot of effective runs going outside the tackle last year, along with some stiff arms.

 

This year it seems as though we are hell bent on running only up the middle.

 

Is this selective remembering by me or am I right?

531515[/snapback]

A lot of that has to do with MW sitting on the bench as while he is not worthy of the 4th pick in the draft and is overpaid he is when healthy our best OL and a really good run blocker. While Peters seems to be a step up in pass protection he is not the drive blocker MW is. At the beginning of the season with MW McGahee averaged about 4.6 ypc, since, especially with the OL shuffling the running game has been crap! I know that since MW has been injured this point is mute, but a few weeks ago when they tried to move him to LG they should have left him in his natural position and inserted Peters at LT and shifted Gandy down to LG. This would have been a much more solid unit, even though Gandy has held up pretty well at LT. Really with either of the 3 playing tackle our biggest problems are really between the tackles as from guard to guard the unit just isn't getting the job done as they can't run the ball up the gut and most of sacks have come either from the inside or via stunts, not by the tackles being abused.

[ganesh]

I agree...but the rollouts take the onus off the OL. Yeah they still have to block, but not as well. JP will buy extra time by getting away and our incompetent blockers' inability to do their jobs will be less damaging.

 

531501[/snapback]

 

How about the WRs blocking....May be JP and McGahee can get some yards

too....I haven't heard good or bad about our WRs ability to block downfield,

anyone who has watched tape care to comment ?

[bartshan-83]

How about the WRs blocking....May be JP and McGahee can get some yards

too....I haven't heard good or bad about our WRs ability to block downfield,

anyone who has watched tape care to comment ?

531878[/snapback]

Well I haven't re-watched any games, but with TiVo I do tent to rewind a lot of plays during the game. My opinion on our WRs blocking pretty much falls in line with what a lot of other people think.

 

Reed: Physical blocker...seems to me to take pride in it (ala Hines Ward). I think his build (more short and stocky for a WR) really plays up to this skill.

 

Aiken: 2nd best blocker (behind Reed IMO) and quite good at it. If he could be at all productive catching the ball, I would love to see him on the field more.

 

Moulds: Actually, I don't really know much. He seems to be a physical blocker who holds his blocks downfield but I admit I only ever watch him block if it is like at the end of a long gain and he happens to be in the picture.

 

Evans: IMO, terrible. Doesn't block anyone and when he tries, he holds. Remember last year when he nullified McGahee's TD vs. the Rams on that amazing stay-in-bounds-miracle run? He grabbed the guys jersey when Willis was like 10 yds from the endzone. Stupid. He has a few holds this year too that have wiped out some of the few nice outside runs by WM.

 

I think Reed and Aiken can hold their own blocking against any CB. As many people have said, I would really much like to see Josh back next year as in addition to his blocking, he has really shown something more in the receiving game.