O-line pass blocking regressing as NFL adjusts to 'Skins Offense?

[Laxpunk2006]

But there are some things Mike abhors, the end zone fade, hurry up, heck even throwing into the endzone to wideouts seems a rarity. Maybe rolling out the pocket / Griffin is just not in the playbook.

How many passes into the endzone were called back due to penalty or dropped in the endzone in the last two games alone? 6? 7? Throwing to wideouts in the endzone is not a missing element from our offense. I'd like to see more hurry up in certain situations but I don't think our offense necessitates it. We would probably see more of it if Garcon and Davis were healthy but your options start becoming limited as you move to depth players. Where you originally had two plays that could stretch the field, run underneath routes, and be factors in the blocking game you're replacing them with guys that are more one dimensional. It requires more substitution. Not saying we shouldn't still incorporate it at times, I just don't think its needed as a large part of our offense this year. Griffin also already has quite a bit on his plate as it is for a rookie QB.

[authentic]

I def think the pistol style offense helped out the O-Line immensely...

Now teams are making small adjustments and the O-line is being exposed

Kyle needs to add a few more wrinkles

THIS^^^.. the various option calls and other formations (pistol being one) has masked the isses of the Oline. Teams have now adjusted by blitzing and not hesitating in getting to the backfield.

[Tweedr01]

Good point.

A solid passing attack works best with 11 all pros. Hell, so does the run game!

lol, i sense some sarcasm

[Bishop Hammer]

THIS^^^.. the various option calls and other formations (pistol being one) has masked the isses of the Oline. Teams have now adjusted by blitzing and not hesitating in getting to the backfield.

The Pitts game opened my eyes to how bad the O-line is this season. I'm not sure if it can be fixed in one off season? I hope so for our QB's sake.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Here's the deal, guys...

Our offensive line is a pretty solid unit. They're consistently good in the run game and they're actually decent in pass protection when we can run the offense the way it is designed. At present, we're a run heavy offense predicated strongly on misdirection. We open up the run, open up the pass, and cause the defense to hesitate and make poor decisions by effectively disguising everything we do and adjust our playcalling according to what the defense appears to be keying in to. When our defense gives up points early in games and our offense stalls that dynamic is completely taken away from us because teams don't respect the threat of the run as much and we have to resort to a slightly more conventional passing attack. This makes protecting Griffin harder because we do not have an exceptional pass blocking group and it puts Griffin in situations that he did not have a ton of experience with at Baylor where he is bound to look more like a rookie than the all world player he has the ability to be. Penalties that set up 2nd and 3rd and longs present the same difficulties and are where we've consistently struggled in games (as most teams tend to).

In the long term, we do need to upgrade from Polumbus at RT and we need to continue to develop younger interior OL players. However, the guys we have in place right now are quite capable of getting the job done (i.e., they can put up enough offense and enough points to win most games if our defense wasn't historically bad) provided that we can stay within our gameplan and minimize the sloppy mistakes we've been prone to making (mostly coming from the receiving corps in the form of drops and dumb stuff like illegal motion or illegal formation penalties). These last two games should not be representative of the norm going forward because I haven't seen a defense yet that has made a good, lasting schematic adjustment to what we do. Our level of offensive execution has simply dropped to the point where we haven't been finishing plays where we've had the defense beat. The only way this persists is if our team is truly undisciplined in a profound manner, which would be very unlike a Mike Shanahan team.

[Brixtion_skin]

THIS^^^.. the various option calls and other formations (pistol being one) has masked the isses of the Oline. Teams have now adjusted by blitzing and not hesitating in getting to the backfield.

Indeed.

Steps to slowing down the Redskins passing game.
1- Make sure OLB/DE channel everything inside.
2- Bring pressure up the middle (don't react, just blitz)!
3- Make your sure safeties off load on any WR coming over/through the middle. Our WR will drop a catch or two.

The above three make our play action not so effective. This line is no better than last year in terms of straight drop back pass protection. Its an area that still needs addressing, but with so many other issues on this team, its going to be tough. The good early start had many of us fooled in terms of the quality of depth, coaching etc.

[RandyHolt]

Here's the deal, guys...

Our offensive line is a pretty solid unit. They're consistently good in the run game and they're actually decent in pass protection when we can run the offense the way it is designed At present, we're a run heavy offense ....

Agreed completely.

Where I see Mike has fumbled the ball, is having a very thin backfield. He hit a home run on Morris, clearly. I frequently see him out of the game after long drives and runs, and I think he is catching a breather. On the goal line, we get Banks as often as Morris.

That is where his entire approach to offense fails. We see it and it is awkward, RG3 on a sweep on 4th and goal... running Banks, Morgan, even Briscoe has ran it. Royster seems like he is a shell of what he was last year.

Helu out may be the biggest injury impacting our team, yet it nary gets a mention. A dominating offense can cure ANY defensive woe.

But again you hit the nail on the head, his entire offensive approach is predicated on running the ball. And we have 1 RB. Morris gets tired or gassed, and we are screaming at Kyle's play calling - running Banks wide etc.

I am screaming we need a GM to fix the gaping hole in the backfield. We have no one to spell Morris. Most teams seem to have 3 good backs, you would think Mike would have 4 as dependent as he is on it. I would even entertain bringing back Torain for a game, or offer up a trade, for last I saw, it looked like Morris got injured last game.

[fordranger76]

The line is the least of our concerns when it comes to team units. I watch this unit every week very closely and even have a thread on their strengths and weaknesses. The line does have some weaknesses but it is not bad at all. If you want to start to point fingers at blocking you have to look no further than the tight ends and running backs the latter especially. We have not one running back that can block effectively and the tight ends are only a step better. If you want to fix the "line" you need to get a blocking back and a blocking tight end. They are the ones that cause the blow ups in the backfields 9 times out of 10. You can believe me or not but I just call it how I see it.

[Skins Wingman]

The line is the least of our concerns when it comes to team units. I watch this unit every week very closely and even have a thread on their strengths and weaknesses. The line does have some weaknesses but it is not bad at all. If you want to start to point fingers at blocking you have to look no further than the tight ends and running backs the latter especially. We have not one running back that can block effectively and the tight ends are only a step better. If you want to fix the "line" you need to get a blocking back and a blocking tight end. They are the ones that cause the blow ups in the backfields 9 times out of 10. You can believe me or not but I just call it how I see it.

this is interesting.. do you think because the injury to davis and having to use paulsen as more of a receiver is hurting the line? i would think that paulsen is our best blocking TE and now hes out running routes so all we have is paul and cooley. the good thing about hightower is he was a good 3rd down back and now we have royster who looks completely lost out there

[RandyHolt]

Interesting point Ford.

Almost every series we could see Portis with a great blitz pickup. Now, I am not even sure who is our best blocking back, nor do I even see them doing it. I remember Morris a few times, but we should really be seeing Royster our 3rd down back.

Maybe we need to have Cooley as our 3rd down back. Obviously, Royster is of no threat on 3rd and long, and we can get a little more beef to help our porous pocket pass pro.

Its clearly not just someone to spell Morris / run the ball, that is hurting our team. When Morris is out, we have NO production out of backfield. Nada, null, niet. No back to block, run screens, draws, blitz pickups. Its a situation.

It's unthinkable on such a run heavy team, isn't it?

Its wise we picked up Keiland, but he is insurance only.

its no surprise why we suck ass on 3rd down. We don't even have a viable 3rd down running back. If nothing else, I would like to see Young used more on 3rd, or to spell Morris. At least try, and give his spot to Cooley.

[fordranger76]

On 3rd down from what I have seen it is Royster almost every single time we get beat on that given down. He cannot hold a block, chip a block, or even get in the way of a defender. He gets tossed aside, ran past, or pushed back into a developing play. He is a liability point blank. As far as our tight ends Paulsen might be the best blocker we have but I promise you his success rate is not better than 50 percent. These two positions from what I see and concentrate on every single week is what is dooming a lot of the calls. If it were up to me I would let Davis go in the offseason and pick up the best blocking tight end in the draft with the number two pick. Davis really isnt anything special at all imo. Has to be a rookie coming out that can do what he does plus blocking. For a blocking back we need experience here and someone that can nail people. I could care less if he can run or not as long as that guy can put a hat on something that is all we need. These two changes along with RG3's play making ability would put this offense over the top.

[RandyHolt]

We are basically using RG3 as our backup running back for Morris.

While the thread is about pass pro, Mike has designed pass protections to be tied into our successful run game.

Without a strong blocking TE, we are still able to run the ball.

I would rather our 2nd be spent on a RB over a blocking TE.

If we have a stud RB on the field at all times, that is what I see as a quick fix to almost all that ails us.

[KDawg]

We are basically using RG3 as our backup running back for Morris.

While the thread is about pass pro, Mike has designed pass protections to be tied into our successful run game.

Without a strong blocking TE, we are still able to run the ball.

I would rather our 2nd be spent on a RB over a blocking TE.

If we have a stud RB on the field at all times, that is what I see as a quick fix to almost all that ails us.

What if I told you may already have the guy on the roster who can do that and compliment Morris?

I firmly believe that #36 is capable of doing that. He's a capable runner. Powerful. A capable blocker.

And call me crazy, and I may be because this is only a tought I had... But maybe the 'Skins were going to try to use Dorson in situations where Young was at tailback. Just thinking outloud.

[darrelgreenie]

On 3rd down from what I have seen it is Royster almost every single time we get beat on that given down. He cannot hold a block, chip a block, or even get in the way of a defender. He gets tossed aside, ran past, or pushed back into a developing play. He is a liability point blank. As far as our tight ends Paulsen might be the best blocker we have but I promise you his success rate is not better than 50 percent. These two positions from what I see and concentrate on every single week is what is dooming a lot of the calls. If it were up to me I would let Davis go in the offseason and pick up the best blocking tight end in the draft with the number two pick. Davis really isnt anything special at all imo. Has to be a rookie coming out that can do what he does plus blocking. For a blocking back we need experience here and someone that can nail people. I could care less if he can run or not as long as that guy can put a hat on something that is all we need. These two changes along with RG3's play making ability would put this offense over the top.

I thought Royster should have been replaced weeks ago.

[Enter Apotheosis]

Agreed completely.

Where I see Mike has fumbled the ball, is having a very thin backfield. He hit a home run on Morris, clearly. I frequently see him out of the game after long drives and runs, and I think he is catching a breather. On the goal line, we get Banks as often as Morris.

That is where his entire approach to offense fails. We see it and it is awkward, RG3 on a sweep on 4th and goal... running Banks, Morgan, even Briscoe has ran it. Royster seems like he is a shell of what he was last year.

Which is not really Mike's fault. People thought we had a good unit with Helu, Royster, and Hightower but he still effectively brought in an upgrade to all of them with Morris. Unfortunately, Hightower wasn't good to go coming back from a knee injury and Helu's achilles gave out. Any team would be thin after losing two backs.

Unfortunately, Morris can't be in the game all the time. We lean on him so heavily just to get into the end zone that we need Royster to be just a little productive for us. He seems to be fairly useless in situations where he isn't carrying the ball, though. Royster is a back who is needs more carries to succeed but there's no advantage to giving him those touches over Morris, so we have to be creative.

Helu out may be the biggest injury impacting our team, yet it nary gets a mention. A dominating offense can cure ANY defensive woe.

But again you hit the nail on the head, his entire offensive approach is predicated on running the ball. And we have 1 RB. Morris gets tired or gassed, and we are screaming at Kyle's play calling - running Banks wide etc.

I am screaming we need a GM to fix the gaping hole in the backfield. We have no one to spell Morris. Most teams seem to have 3 good backs, you would think Mike would have 4 as dependent as he is on it. I would even entertain bringing back Torain for a game, or offer up a trade, for last I saw, it looked like Morris got injured last game.

Agree on Helu. He would be the perfect change of pace guy, not necessarily because he's a fantastic blocker but because he's a threat as a receiver and is a more dangerous runner.

We did bring back Keiland Williams... but this offense can't be terribly easy for a guy to pick up coming off the street. No one really does what we do. I can't blame the coaching staff too much here, it's just bad luck that we're so thin (I feel slightly differently about the defense, though).