Are we asking too much of the Bills OL?

[don137]

Usually players on the OL are either better suited for the run or pass. A special offensive lineman is one who excels in run and pass blocking. I am not sure if we have any of those "special" OL players on this team that excels at both. This OL seems better suited for a smash mouth running offense so they are weak at pass protecting (i.e. Mike Williams is a much better run blocker than pass blocker). Throw in an immobile QB and an inept OC and we have embarrasing results. Even if we get one or two new players for the OL and a new OC are we asking a lot to have there niche be at run blocking in addition to protect a pocket passing QB that holds the ball too long? For Bledsoe to be effective it seems we need more pass protecting OL players...

[shelby]

Excellent post don!:up:

Who would you like to replace on the O Line, and who would you replace them with?

[Drewpac]

Throw a decent quarterback back there and these guys will look ten times better. The weak links are Teague and Pucillo. Find replacements for those two to go along with an upgrade at QB and we're set.

[HenryRules]

Originally posted by Drewpac
Throw a decent quarterback back there and these guys will look ten times better. The weak links are Teague and Pucillo. Find replacements for those two to go along with an upgrade at QB and we're set.

Really ... some people like to blame everything on Drew. He's been bad this year, but to say that C and RG are the only weak links on the line is laughable. If Jennings and Williams were the weak guys on the line, then we'd have a solid line ... but if we bring C and RG up to the standard of the rest of the positions, we'd still be found wanting.

Our OL's strength is run-blocking. That does not mean they are one of the best at run-blocking - it only means they're better at run-blocking than pass blocking. We're not even in the top half of the league in terms of run-blocking OLs IMO (Williams is around 8-12 in the NFL as far as run-blocking RT's and he's our best run-blocker). Our TEs who are supposed to be "blocking" TEs are only middle of the road as far as run-blocking and not even below average at pass blocking. As a unit, we're bottom of the league in pass blocking pretty much across the board.

I don't think we're asking too much of the Bills OL, the problem is that we're seeing things that aren't there based on their relative strength - just because they run block better than they pass block doesn't mean they're good run blockers.

[don137]

I agree we are a good but not great run blocking team. The problem is this OL was built for run blocking and not protecting a immobile QB that does not know when to get rid of the ball. I am not blaming either Bledsoe or the OL for the woes. I guess I am blaming TD if anything because the pieces on offense do not mesh well. You can't build a run blocking OL and expect to protect a QB like Bledsoe consistantly in passing situations. Throw in KG and his passion to pass the ball and what you end up with is a cluster on offense.
I really can't say I love any of our players on our OL. Mike Williams I thought would become dominant and right now he is above average in run blocking and below average pass blocking. I sure miss Wolford, Hull and Ballard...

[stuckincincy]

There are plenty of NFL thems that have the coaching and the player talent that actually accomplish run and pass blocking.

A team will be second-tier if it can't do both.

[don137]

Originally posted by stuckincincy
There are plenty of NFL thems that have the coaching and the player talent that actually accomplish run and pass blocking.

A team will be second-tier if it can't do both.

But how many teams have a QB as immobile as Drew and are built to run the ball? If the achilles heel of the OL is pass blocking you are not going to be too effective with a immobile QB.

[BillsFever]

You remember when Rob Johnson was the QB and he was always pressured or sacked and everyone said the line sucked. You remember when Flutie or AVP would play and all of a sudden the line would look better and the sacks would vanish?

This is the same problem we have now. Put a different QB behind center and this line looks a lot better then it has this year. Drew Bledsoe has been sacked 50+ times for about 5 years in a row. I guess he has had the worst OL's in the league for the last 5 years?

The fact is NO OFFENSIVE LINE can block 8 guys rushing the QB like they do on Bledsoe(and Johnson). He can't read a defense quick enough and get rid of the ball, and they know where he will be every time he drops back to pass because he is too slow to move any in the pocket.

Bledsoe is so slow most QB's have already gotten rid of the ball before he even finishes dropping back to pass. He is a couple seconds behind everybody else on the field.

It doesn't matter what OL you bring in if Drew Bledsoe is the QB. The sacks will still come in bunches. Till Drew can learn to get rid of the ball and beat the blitz they will continue to blitz him and he will continue to get sacked at an alarming rate.

Bledsoe has too many limitations to cover up in an offensive scheme. The only assest he has is his "strong arm" and by some of the ducks he has thrown this year that "strong arm" is now questionable too. He is no different then Jeff George. Big arm but a small brain.

Bledsoe has not learned anything new in the last 11 years of his career. If he hasn't by now he never will. What you see now is what you will always get from this stiff.

Why should be "try" and build a team around a 32 year old career loser and pay him top dollar for low dollar play? New England tried to build a team around him for years and we saw how that worked out.

[stuckincincy]

I agree wholeheartedly. I wish I woulda joined this forum before Drew got traded for. I woulda pitched a blue streak.

I don't totally buy into the "gotta have a mobile qb" camp. Manning does ok.

But as U allude to, you gotta have a modicum of "stage presence".

The bills would have been much better off with cincy's 3rd qb, Matthews...

One expects a "marquee" QB to pick up an improbable victory or two during a season. Not with this guy.

[helmetguy]

Originally posted by don137
The problem is this OL was built for run blocking and not protecting a immobile QB that does not know when to get rid of the ball. I guess I am blaming TD if anything because the pieces on offense do not mesh well. You can't build a run blocking OL and expect to protect a QB like Bledsoe consistantly in passing situations. Throw in KG and his passion to pass the ball and what you end up with is a cluster on offense.


I wouldn't put all the onus on TD, either. The offense sucked wind for a lot of reasons. Our O-line is one of the biggest in the NFL. GW had a lot to do with that, having said that he wanted a smsh-mouth, ball-control offense. The personnel TD brought in were geared for that kind of offense. He also brought Sam Gash back for that reason. It's too bad that GW had to bring in Kevin Gilbride as OC; a guy who wouldn't recognize a running play if he stood in the middle of it.

Most O-linemen prefer to run block, rather than pass protect. One good example of that was the Cincy game when, in overtime, the players practically begged KG and GW to let them go for the touchdoen, instead of kicking the FG. They said it was an attitude thing with them, considering how little they ran the ball in short yardage situations, practically since the first Miami game.

All too often this season, KG eschewed the run for lower percentage pass plays that blew up in the Bills' faces, virtually ignoring the opportunities presented. Case in point-the Tennessee game. KG was late getting a play called in. Bledsoe had 14 seconds left on the play clock to repeat the play call in the huddle, get lined up, scan the defense, and either run the called play or audible. DB ended up having to burn a time out. After the time out, Buffalo took the field in a five-wide set (I think it was like 3rd and 2, but could be mistaken). Tennesse blitzed, sacked DB and forced a fumble. That one play is a microcosm of the offensive problems.