The_Incomparable wrote:
If you want to you can tell me where you got it & I can crash their server for you.
Note to self: Don't screw The Incomparable over.
PFW/Stats, Inc. keeps OL blocking stats on their site. And their stats pretty much agree with thsoe Cap posted. Vick has been sacked 7 times this year, and only 2 sacks have been attributed to the OL:
Lehr - 1.0
Weiner - 0.5
Forney - 0.5
Shaffer - 0.0
McClure - 0.0
I don't want to make it sound like I don't think the O-line is bad or anything, because they are one of the worst units in the league. But I think there are maybe 5 or so truly "BAD" lines out there, maybe another 5-10 that are weak, but aren't terrible.
We've had some terrible O-lines here (namely those protecting Chandler from 1999-2001), and the line we've had the past 2 years has been better. Not good, but better. Which is a start. In the past, I've never really advocated that the line has really progressed but by only small degrees. But I wanted to give Gibbs a chance to get 2 years with these linemen in his system. It's very true, that this unit still needs a lot of work. Weiner is capable and steady at RT. He's no star and struggles against good LDEs, but he's a middle rung starting RT IMO, and that's fine with me. Forney is a quality RG, and Top 10-15 among guards, so that is also pretty good. McClure is another serviceable center. He can't block on an island, but few centers in this league can (there are maybe like 3-5 of them). I can live with him at C, assuming we can upgrade the LG spot. Lehr is another serviceable guy, but I think most recognize his future is at C. But that can only happen if we can add a LG that can start over him. I hope McKay/Gibbs don't get complacent with him at LG and don't try to upgrade. Shaffer is serviceable on his good days at LT. Put any 8-sack RDE against him and it usually spells trouble, but I don't remember Wistrom making any noise last week, which is an accomplishment. Let's see what he can do against Schobel. I really hope last year was an abberation for him being his first year in the scheme. I don't expect him to be a Pro Bowl LT or anything, but hopefully he can be more like Weiner.
But basically, this will be the year that the coaching staff decides who stays and goes. Shaffer is a UFA after this year. Weiner and McClure are both UFAs after 2006, and Weiner could be cut after this year. Those that show vast improvement from this year in comparison to last year will stick around.
But it's a process. You have to draft quality players, and you can't just hand starting spots to players. They have to earn their way on the 1st unit.
It's the left side of the OL that I think needs fixing, and I don't think you can just go out and sign 2 top FAs and automatically it's going to work. I've advocated getting Pro Bowl caliber OL in recent years (like Chad Clifton, Randy Thomas, Robert Gallery), but these guys need time to gel, and there's no telling if/when they will.
BTW, Weiner was a 2nd round pick in 1998, and was considered a bust until 2001, the year before he came here, which was a breakout year for him.
