Captain gameboy
10-23-2002, 03:21 PM
On draft day, you trade your no.1 pick of the following year for an expensive, immobile QB, who's getting up in years and who has just suffered a career threatening injury. During the off season, knowing you had one of the worst offensive lines in football, you sign a LT free agent for handsome $. Your brand new offensive coordinator designs his offense around this QB. What's the key to making it all work? The LT spot- right? Here's my point: It's time we paid Jonas Jennings his due respect.
Teague was moved to center because a second year RT, the last pick in the third round, a compensatory pick at that, has been a big bargain and is turning out to be a very good LT. Maybe not Bosselli or Will Wolford, but darn good. We put all our hopes on him to protect Drew, and he's more than delivered. I've been watching him since the late middle of last season when I noticed we started running right, around him, in run situations. Most teams are right handed, but the stud OL'man is the LT. This year he starts at LT and is doing great. This past weekend, he goes against Jason Taylor and absolutely handles him. I watched the matchup the entire game. Taylor got a lot of pre game national press because of his success this year, so I figured he'd have a big game in front of a home crowd. Taylor went to his new four point stance and tried to beat JJ to the outside-JJ beat him almost every time. When Taylor took one quick step to the outside and came in, JJ reacted in time to force him back into the inside traffic instead of allowing a lane to Drew. Usually, Travis Henry picked him off after JJ forced him inside.
In my view, it's time we acknowledged that a bit of our offensive success this year is due to decent line play. Most of the pressures last week were coverage related. I think Jennings is the pleasant surprise that allows Drew to wait for our skill players to do their thing. He'll make his mistakes and take his penalties, but right now, he's money well spent.
Teague was moved to center because a second year RT, the last pick in the third round, a compensatory pick at that, has been a big bargain and is turning out to be a very good LT. Maybe not Bosselli or Will Wolford, but darn good. We put all our hopes on him to protect Drew, and he's more than delivered. I've been watching him since the late middle of last season when I noticed we started running right, around him, in run situations. Most teams are right handed, but the stud OL'man is the LT. This year he starts at LT and is doing great. This past weekend, he goes against Jason Taylor and absolutely handles him. I watched the matchup the entire game. Taylor got a lot of pre game national press because of his success this year, so I figured he'd have a big game in front of a home crowd. Taylor went to his new four point stance and tried to beat JJ to the outside-JJ beat him almost every time. When Taylor took one quick step to the outside and came in, JJ reacted in time to force him back into the inside traffic instead of allowing a lane to Drew. Usually, Travis Henry picked him off after JJ forced him inside.
In my view, it's time we acknowledged that a bit of our offensive success this year is due to decent line play. Most of the pressures last week were coverage related. I think Jennings is the pleasant surprise that allows Drew to wait for our skill players to do their thing. He'll make his mistakes and take his penalties, but right now, he's money well spent.