If Offensive Linemen Are A Dime A Dozen. . .

[Soju]

Why aren't we having more success with our dime a dozen o-linemen? More importantly, why is Colt scrambling for his life every down and holes aren't being opened for our RB's?

 

I don't care who the QB is, if he doesn't have time to throw the ball, he doesn't have time to throw the ball, and he's going to make poor decisions and make inaccurate passes.

 

I constantly see Colt running for his life literally within 2-3 seconds after snapping the ball. Last year I recall having a steadfast, consistant line that gave plenty of time to throw and opened up holes for Hillis. That gives confidence to a young QB that he can scan the field without having the snot beat outta him on practically every snap. That consistency is what's missing this year.

 

It's also important to point out that when Colt DOES have time to throw, like, say, the amount of time a Brady or Rodgers has, he has set, planted his back foot and made a strike down field.

 

You want to go back and watch the game?

 

I have the NFL pass and saw the game twice--every game twice. My eyes aren't deceiving me.

 

Ben played behind a great O-Line in Pitt for years, and he thrived having 5 seconds to make reads and make strikes down the field. Any simpleton can see Colt doesn't have time to throw the ball 70% of the time. The o-line is not showing up pure and simple. They don't provide time for Colt, and they DON'T provide time for our WR's to go down the field or finish their route.

 

Who has a brain that can make a read, set and throw within 2 seconds all with the fear of knowing a D-lineman will be in your face any millisecond?

 

You can draft a guy that can think like that? Who? Tell me. You think Brady can make a us a 10 win team?

 

Ha! I would bet my year's salary he couldn't.

 

Now if you want to blame the coaching or the scheme, then that's fine, but you need a good powerful O-line. It's what the whole offense centers around. You have to dig deeper to find out why these star QB's and WR's are so good in the first place. Think about it.

[Soju]

I hear ya about having skilled players at Key positions: QB, RB, WR...but having a line that can account for the 4-5 rushers that routinely come at us is vital. We can't even do THAT with the line we have. We are CONSTANTLY getting pushed back at the LOS into Colt.

I think more or less, the team is lacking self confidence. When DA entered the scene, he brought with him an aura of confidence that the whole team fed on. Remember the term "swagger" that was used so often to describe that 07 team by commentators? Northcutt had it, DA had it and the team fed off of it--it transfers to the defense then they breed it also. Our team now is weak and timid. How do you get that certain thing called "swagger?" You get a QB in here that can hit the deep man, WRs that can get open down field, break a tackle, get free and breaks it for the end zone, a RB that bursts for a 40 yard run, and a LB corps that instills fear with head-busting hits...tell me where that is on the Browns?

I know what I just said is what you've been preaching, and yes, I've agreed with you before on drafting talent, but I just wanted to point out that you were dangerously close in recent threads to dismissing the O-line as not pertinent to the plan of a successful team.