O-Line Grades: Week 5 @ TN
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O-Line Grades: Week 5 @ TN
11 series - 31 1st-half plays and 47 2nd half plays...
Folks that's 78 plays in the game...
1st Half: S1 - 11:53; S2 - 4:38; S3 - 14:32 (Q2); S4 - 3:43; S5 - 2:38
2nd Half: S6 - 15:00; S7 - 8:21; S8 - 1:25; S9 - 10:56 (Q4); S10 - 5:14; S11 - 3:03
O-line Revelation of the week: Our backup LT, should we ever need one, is our starting LG.
General Notes:
- A number of things went right for us in the 2nd half including some "conservative D" by TN, but a predominance of Single-back, Two-TE sets fueled our comeback. I have not crunched the data, but I believe it is our single most effective formation this season.
- We seemed to do a lot more influence blocking this week. It especially worked in zone runs left.
- TN had decent discipline against PAP boots, but bit fairly hard on most other play-action.
- Other than Alex the O-line had issues maintaining their run blocks too often. It's almost as if they have their own internal whistle instead of awaiting the Ref's...
- Related to the above issue, there were numerous plays where one or more of our boys were looking behind them for the ball carrier while the play was still live. I thought we left this behind us week 2...
- Other than a blitz package or two and a couple of strong bull rushes up the middle, TN's pass rush was no real threat.
- Why can't we screen? Through three regimes and counting we have been unable to screen...
- I could watch JT pass protect all day long. He is so quick off the ball and his initial drop step is so deep. The rusher to his side seemed to be watching him most of the day as well.
- JT flashed some power blocking this week. His 2nd D+ came for a pancake block on Crow's 10-yd run (S7P8). But Joe's grader of the day came on Hoyer's sneak (S9P7).
- His 1st D+ came for a classic JT move to seal and inside D-line from an inside run by Tate (S3P8).
- All the above said though there were 3 puzzlers.... very unusual for JT. These included ones on back-to-back plays in our penultimate series, S10, that the INT ended. On the INT play Joe inexplicably left a DE for a TE outside him with no other defender in his area and a RB to his inside to handle any late blitz. Very strange choice...
- Finally Joe was one of the more noticeable of the week's head turners.
- Growing up fast and well... Joel's D+ came on Tate's 11-yd run to the right (S8P3) for a gorgeous seal block.
- Our leading puller pulled three times in the game. Two were very successful; the third was derailed by penetration.
- Pass protecting he had one pretty blitz pick up and a couple of successful efforts that kept his rusher's hands down; but a couple did not including the blocked 4th down throw towards a wide-open Cam.
- He also was bulled into Hoyer's face once. He got away with one pretty good hold.
- Bito seems to be absorbing the best parts of the games of the players to either side of him... and it's cool to watch.
- Paying Alex was our best FA decision this off-season....
- His D- came early (S3P1) when the DT across from him blew him up.
- The D+ came for sustaining a great 2nd level block all the way past Tate's double-clutched, 7-yd run, wide left to the 3. Had other O-line done the same Tate might well have scored. Instead the drive stalled and was the 2nd of our ill-fated 4th-down tries.
- Alex is the master of the Chip and 2nd level seal.
- John is the first O-lineman other than Bito to pull in 2014... and then he whiffed.
- John racked up the most spectacular fails this week including a massive blow up in the Goal-line O just prior to the half. But he fought back and scored his D+ on a great drive block (S9P6).
- First, Mitch's pass blocking was fine this week. The first chop steps of his drop have never looked better and in a few instances were near mirror-images of JT's.... near...
Mitch and Greco combined to snuff a nice X stunt early in the 2nd half (S7P3). - Second, I think they've simplified Mitch's run assignments in an attempt to decrease his athletic challenges. His "zone role" seems now to be to look for an assignment rather than react to what comes his way. This can work if his fellow linemen all make appropriate blocks, but if any of them fail... not so much...
- Case in point was S7P9 where Mitch "led" the line to the right on 2nd and 4 against 8 in the box. Other OL failed to seal off a DE and LB. Mitch had shots at both and possibly could have sealed off both, but instead he drifted up field waiting to seal off a DB who never came. The DE and LB combined to drop Tate after a 2-yd gain.
- In Week 5 this approach worked well enough...
- TEs: We asked a lot more of our TEs this game
- Cam: +8-12 net -4 w/ 2D-; one for his holding Penalty.
- Dray: +6-1 net +5; want a block? Call Dray
- Barn: +1-2 net -1; Barn pulled twice in the game.
- RBs:
- Ag: +5-6 net -1 w/2D-; After a disastrous game 3 Ag started well in week 5 posting 3 +'s before his 1st neg; He followed with a nice chip/ release on his way to his PAP reception. Ag missed one seam as lead blocker. He hit one LB with the wrong shoulder in another hole allowing the LB to make the tackle (S7P8).
- Tate: +0-2 net -2; He allowed two pressures; the second was for not aiding the TE on the DE (see JT notes).
- West: +1-1 net 0; picked up a blitz, but did not sustain block.
- Crow: +0-1 net -1; missed chip
- WRs:
- Hawk: +3-0 net +3; Give the guy a cage! Pretty roll block. Also really popped one DB... he bounced off, but he really popped him.
- Benji: +0-1 net -1; at least he was in position...
Give Benji a pass for 2 TDs...
Give Gabe a pass for shielding off the DB on the 2nd half's opening bomb...
I can't wait for Game 5....
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Good stuff Tour. 1-800-JIM-DRAY
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I agree....GREAT stuff Tour....thanks!
I was also thinking about the screen last week and wondering if we'd see it when Tate came back.....was hoping his experience catching the ball would bring it out, but was disappointed when it didn't happen.....maybe we'll see it this week....
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Yeah, Mayock has a clip on him :
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/rookie-report-cleveland-browns-offensive-225755824.html
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Bitonio is the final fix of the oline. The line is really starting to gel,
and they are run blocking and pass blocking like the best
offensive line in football.
Used to be, that any slow developing play, like a delayed draw, rollout, reverse...
could not be called because the blocking broke down too quickly.
Hell, the qb used to not have to plant his feet on the drop back. Used to try for
a first down on 3rd and 1, and lose a yard or two.
Now, they can run any play... just seems they needed a couple of games to get the
new blocking scheme down.
And Hoyer and the rbs are getting to rock...man, what a huge improvement in the offense.
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Bitonio is the final fix of the oline. The line is really starting to gel,
and they are run blocking and pass blocking like the best
offensive line in football.
Used to be, that any slow developing play, like a delayed draw, rollout, reverse...
could not be called because the blocking broke down too quickly.
Hell, the qb used to not have to plant his feet on the drop back. Used to try for
a first down on 3rd and 1, and lose a yard or two.
Now, they can run any play... just seems they needed a couple of games to get the
new blocking scheme down.
And Hoyer and the rbs are getting to rock...man, what a huge improvement in the offense.
Bitonio is the final fix of the oline. The line is really starting to gel,
and they are run blocking and pass blocking like the best
offensive line in football.
Now, they can run any play... just seems they needed a couple of games to get the
new blocking scheme down.
And Hoyer and the rbs are getting to rock...man, what a huge improvement in the offense.
Along with your(and Tours) points.....I agree the RB's could be the biggest key to future improvements in pass protection.....aside from Tate, they are all rookies and are the last line of defense for the QB.....they have a lot of room for improvement and will get better and better as the season progresses(hopefully)
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Yeah, Mayock has a clip on him :
http://sports.yahoo.com/video/rookie-report-cleveland-browns-offensive-225755824.html
Yeah, Mayock has a clip on him...
I like Mike's breakdowns... good one there on Bito.
Bitonio is the final fix of the oline. The line is really starting to gel,and they are run blocking and pass blocking like the best offensive line in football.
Bito was a great addition. While I still have Schwartz concerns and depth is essentially an unknown to anyone outside of the Browns organization, the growth of the starting unit is undeniable. There's no reason to see it doing anything but continuing.
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I love Jim Dray and what we've gotten out of him. As I understood of the guy his two main qualities were hands of glue and the ability to block. He isn't one of new age 6'6 guys dominating the NFL, but they way we play offense Dray is perfect.
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Nate Ulrich @NateUlrichABJ · 3h 3 hours ago #Browns OC Kyle Shanahan said this O-line has picked up his zone-blocking scheme quicker than any group he has ever coached.
I've heard it normally takes about 3/4 of a Season for the OL to gel in this system.
If this (gelling) is true, then that means we've got a fair amount of improvement yet to come from this OL . . .
For those that didn't check out the Mayock breakdown clip above, he stated that Bitonio looks like a 10 year All-Pro . . . he's only played 4 Regular Season games . . . .
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Pro Football Focus has this as the best Oline in the NFL. You want sustained team success? It starts from the inside out.
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Who gave up that sack where Hoyer got crushed, early in the game, after making his first read. Or was that just a blitz we totally missed?
Z
Zombo said:
Who gave up that sack where Hoyer got crushed, early in the game, after making his first read. Or was that just a blitz we totally missed?
Last play of first series... It was an overload right blitz with 6 rushers altogether.
Four blitzers came at Greco/ Schwartz/ Tate... and for once Meatloaf was wrong, "three outta four was bad". Tate got a + for a nice pick up of one.
Only unoccupied O-Lineman was Bito... would have been a tough block for him to loop right behind Mack, but possible had he been aware. Also he and Mack might have slid right, but Mack had his hands full.
Best counter would have been for Hoyer to sprint out immediately to his left. There was an ample gap there as JT's man had tried a wide speed rush and Joe was in good shape. Bito would then have had an easy opportunity to seal off any pursuit from the right... but this is all hindsight.
Bottom line... it was a good call by TN and we got beat that play. I think BH saw one blitzer, but not the second who showed relatively late pre-snap. It's gonna happen...
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Zombo said:
Who gave up that sack where Hoyer got crushed, early in the game, after making his first read. Or was that just a blitz we totally missed?
Last play of first series... It was an overload right blitz with 6 rushers altogether.
Four blitzers came at Greco/ Schwartz/ Tate... and for once Meatloaf was wrong, "three outta four was bad". Tate got a + for a nice pick up of one.
Only unoccupied O-Lineman was Bito... would have been a tough block for him to loop right behind Mack, but possible had he been aware. Also he and Mack might have slid right, but Mack had his hands full.
Best counter would have been for Hoyer to sprint out immediately to his left. There was an ample gap there as JT's man had tried a wide speed rush and Joe was in good shape. Bito would then have had an easy opportunity to seal off any pursuit from the right... but this is all hindsight.
Bottom line... it was a good call by TN and we got beat that play. I think BH saw one blitzer, but not the second who showed relatively late pre-snap. It's gonna happen...
Last play of first series... It was an overload right blitz with 6 rushers altogether.
Four blitzers came at Greco/ Schwartz/ Tate... and for once Meatloaf was wrong, "three outta four was bad". Tate got a + for a nice pick up of one.
Only unoccupied O-Lineman was Bito... would have been a tough block for him to loop right behind Mack, but possible had he been aware. Also he and Mack might have slid right, but Mack had his hands full.
Best counter would have been for Hoyer to sprint out immediately to his left. There was an ample gap there as JT's man had tried a wide speed rush and Joe was in good shape. Bito would then have had an easy opportunity to seal off any pursuit from the right... but this is all hindsight.
Bottom line... it was a good call by TN and we got beat that play. I think BH saw one blitzer, but not the second who showed relatively late pre-snap. It's gonna happen...
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Here's the link to the ProFootballFocus article ranking the NFL O-lines:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2014/10/08/offensive-line-rankings-2/
Here's their bit on our #1 ranked unit:
1. Cleveland Browns (12th)
PB: 1st, RB: 3rd, PEN: 4th
Stud: How about going for a rookie? Joel Bitonio has been everything advertised and a little bit more. It’s not just that he doesn’t look lost on the field, he’s added some punch to the team’s running game. A great start to life in the NFL.
Dud: All of the starters are grading in the green. There is no dud. Not yet.
Summary: It’s rare the stars align like this. You’ve got five players who have played every snap and look like a line in sync. They’re opening up holes for their backs and giving their quarterback time to make plays. A real testament that the guys you associate with making up the numbers are playing just as well as the guys on the big money.
Our fellow AFCNers rank as follows:
Ravens 2nd
Steelers 4th (30th in penalties)
Bengals 13th
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And here's a nice Bito article in Bleacher with illustrative photos of his abilities.
Love the outside seal illustrated in the last set vs. the Ravens...
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