Will Our OL be Better or Worse Than Last Year? Top Half or Bottom Half of NFL OLs?

[SpikedLemonade]

Perhaps the optimistic among us can spell out their views of our OL.

My sense of it is that despite last year's offensive scheme flaws, the quick release emphasis made the OL look better than it actually was.

This year we are going to a quick tempo which will require our OL to at the very least be in better physical condition.

The new QB and WRs are exciting but if our OL is not a strength....

[jimmifli]

Worse.

Our Oline couldn't get tough yards. The sack numbers were scheme and QB. Our run game was based on running from the spread which is fine, but it wasn't successful because our OL beat their DL.

We also lost our best lineman. Now we have a rookie QB and a guy that makes Rob Johnson look like he had pocket awareness.

Lets hope CJ can run behind Glenn and Wood, because after that... he'll be doing it all himself.

[MikeInRoch]

No, we lost our second best lineman. Our best lineman is still starting at center.

[Uncle Jesse]

Our open guard spot is just a glaring hole. I just don't see how we'll be better. Isn't Colin Brown starting at LG at this point or is it Doug Legursky? RT is maybe Pears?

Then you have to worry about Wood staying haelthy, something he never does.

It could be a big issue, lots of pressure on Wood/Urbik/Glenn for sure.

[Pinkerton Security]

I'd say we'll be slightly worse, but not as much as some might expect. We still have a fairly strong unit, but we will miss Levitre

[justasportsfan]

looks like it isn't better talent wise but having a former OL player/coach for a HC, I'm pretty sure the OL won't be ignored.

[SpikedLemonade]

looks like it isn't better talent wise but having a former OL player/coach for a HC, I'm pretty sure the OL won't be ignored.

So in your opinion, the OL will be better than last year because of the HC?

In your opinion, will it be top half or bottom half of the NFL?

[stuckincincy]

Perhaps the optimistic among us can spell out their views of our OL.
My sense of it is that despite last year's offensive scheme flaws, the quick release emphasis made the OL look better than it actually was.
This year we are going to a quick tempo which will require our OL to at the very least be in better physical condition.
The new QB and WRs are exciting but if our OL is not a strength....

It sure is a question mark. The younger players have last years' seasoning under their belts, but it's a loss re Levitre. They square off against the AFC North, with at least 2 clubs that will bring strong interior pressure. And IIRC, Marrone seeks to use a bunch of multiple wide sets. So I wonder about the BUf qbs getting hammered. As well as inside holes being opened for Spiller. They may have to keep a blocking FB on the field more than they'd like - dunno.

Bottom half.

[Typ0]

Hard to say. I think the OLine has so much to do with coaching and scheming. If they do their job planning and preparing top half. If they are bone heads bottom half.

[justasportsfan]

So in your opinion, the OL will be better than last year because of the HC?

In your opinion, will it be top half or bottom half of the NFL?

hard to say at the moment especially when we don't know what the offensive playcalling is going to be like. I'm sure they want up tempo but I don't know if this OL is built for it.

[TigerJ]

I don't expect a lot of difference. If the can stay relatively healthy, I think the total product could be a bit better, even though the loss of Levitre is an obvious downgrade at LG. I expect it will be better than average for the NFL, and that means in the top half of the league.

[Pinkerton Security]

Hard to say. I think the OLine has so much to do with coaching and scheming. If they do their job planning and preparing top half. If they are bone heads bottom half.

this...i think they were made to look better last year than they really were bc of the amount of dink, dunk, and screen passes we threw...and CJ also made something out of nothing a lot. Not to say that the line didnt play well because they did, but I think in the right scheme this year we can do nearly as well, esp with a mobile QB

[better days]

Perhaps the optimistic among us can spell out their views of our OL.

My sense of it is that despite last year's offensive scheme flaws, the quick release emphasis made the OL look better than it actually was.

This year we are going to a quick tempo which will require our OL to at the very least be in better physical condition.

The new QB and WRs are exciting but if our OL is not a strength....

So why don't you tell us what you think. Top half or bottom half?

[MikeInRoch]

Then you have to worry about Wood staying haelthy, something he never does.

Which is due to flukey injuries. There is no reason to expect that he will get injured any more than any other center in the league from this point forward.

[SpikedLemonade]

So why don't you tell us what you think. Top half or bottom half?

Same as last year -- bottom.

[GvilleBills]

Worse. These guys never beat anybody straight up and lost the best lineman. Glenn was impressive at times, but gets more credit than he deserves IMO. Hope I'm wrong.

[better days]

Same as last year -- bottom.

Well, IMO, the Bills did not go 6-10 last year because of the OL.

And if they go 6-10 or worse this year, it will not be because of the OL.

I blame last years poor record on Coaching & if there is no improvement this year, I will blame it on the Coaching again.

[SpikedLemonade]

Well, IMO, the Bills did not go 6-10 last year because of the OL.

And if they go 6-10 or worse this year, it will not be because of the OL.

I blame last years poor record on Coaching & if there is no improvement this year, I will blame it on the Coaching again.

It is easier to blame coaching than the level of player talent.

I do agree that the OL was not THE reason why were we were 6-10 last year.

[coastal]

Bottom half.

bet Titans are top half... wonder why.

[better days]

Bottom half.

bet Titans are top half... wonder why.

So you are saying a Guard has that much effect on the OL?

Well, I wanted the Bills to keep Levitre, but was told by MANY people on this board that Guard was not that important & Levitre was easily replaced.

I guess we will find out.

[better days]

It is easier to blame coaching than the level of player talent.

I do agree that the OL was not THE reason why were we were 6-10 last year.

Poor Coaching is much easier to see than anything else.

And a GOOD Coach can make mediocre talent look better than they are while poor Coaching/Scheme can make GOOD players look mediocre.

[Pinkerton Security]

Same as last year -- bottom.

By almost any metric, the Bills OL was easily in the top half, if not the top quarter of the league, so not sure what you're playing at.

[stuckincincy]

By almost any metric, the Bills OL was easily in the top half, if not the top quarter of the league, so not sure what you're playing at.

The numbers don't mean much when you tote them up by firing the ball off quickly to avoid a sack or a splattered qb. :stretcher

[SpikedLemonade]

The numbers don't mean much when you tote them up by firing the ball off quickly to avoid a sack or a splattered qb. :stretcher

Or run out of the spread.

The reality is that when the Bills needed to run the ball and the other team knew it, our OL couldn't do it enough.

I would have put our OL in the 16th to 20th range last year.

[stuckincincy]

Or run out of the spread.

The reality is that when the Bills needed to run the ball and the other team knew it, our OL couldn't do it enough.

I would have put our OL in the 16th to 20th range last year.


I'd put it less - when you end up 6 and ten and out of the money for so long, chatting about OL rankings seems pointless. AFAIK, Marrone is a big spread proponent, so I guess we'll find out soon what the loss of Levitre means. And FWIW, TEN thought enough of him to pony up a boatload of $.

[better days]

Or run out of the spread.

The reality is that when the Bills needed to run the ball and the other team knew it, our OL couldn't do it enough.

I would have put our OL in the 16th to 20th range last year.

What a Crappy OL. Spiller only ran for about 6 yds per carry & Fitz was sacked every other play.

[SpikedLemonade]

What a Crappy OL. Spiller only ran for about 6 yds per carry & Fitz was sacked every other play.

As posted above, much of that was by design.

[better days]

As posted above, much of that was by design.

Yeah, well the players still have to execute that design.

You think the new Coaching staff will have the QB hold on to the ball for 10 seconds or more? Or have the OL not block for CJ & Fred like they did in the past?

[NOT THE DUDE...]

only a dumbass would say our oline sucked when fitz was only sacked 30 some times and spiller averaged 6 ypc lol

- - - Updated - - -

you have a lt/c/and potential rt in hairston that could be big time. urbik is a solid road grader, avg pass protect guy and brown is big guy with potential. what more do you want?

[NOT THE DUDE...]

the oline wasn't the problem the past 2 years, it was the qb play, and will be our fate this year. if kolb/ej play really good , we will win.