Falcoholics Of The Roundtable: Offensive Line Discussion

by Dave Choate on Jun 5, 2008 1:59 AM EDT in Falcons News

Crack open your favorite cold beverage and use those...ummm....brains, I think they're called.....because we're having a discussion!

I'm going to lead this sucker off by saying that I think we're going to have one of the worst offensive lines in the league next year. I truly love Justin Blalock and I think Sam Baker will end up being a much better player than many give him credit for, which is the good news. The bad news is that between Todd Weiner, Tyson Clabo, Todd McClure and possibly Kynan Forney, there's a motley collection of solid guys who are in the decline phase of their careers and one young guy who can't possibly save it by himself. Once Sam Baker inevitably gets some time in the starting lineup, you have exactly one proven, capable backup lineman: Whoever Baker replaces. In short, a team with a capable ground game and at least one excellent receiver is going to have to put together greatness in spite of their offensive line. This makes me want to weep.

But maybe you disagree. Maybe you think Petrino really did screw the line over that badly last season, or maybe you think the slight shift in personnel is enough to save the whole shebang. If that's the case (or even it if isn't), comment away. I'm more than willing to call you awful names have a civil discussion.

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Sorry Sir Dave ...

... but you’re correct. The Falcons OL will be one of the worst in the NFL for another couple of years. And the problem is just an overall lack of talent. Although clever schemes will always help, they won’t make up for mediocre players. And that’s what’s on the roster.

The only ray of hope I can see is that most OL like the power running game. It’s a lot easier to fire off the ball and get into the guy across from you rather than cut blocking or pass blocking. We’ve got some big guys on the roster and maybe a couple of them can at least maul people. If we can crank up some semblance of a running game perhaps we can complete a few passes off play action.

And then hope that at some point the current regime starts drafting premium linemen (I realize they took Baker in the first round, but taking the 50th rated player with the 21st pick is a reach no matter how you cage it). It’s still blocking and tackling, and the Falcons don’t have enough of either.

by Falco Chicquera on Jun 5, 2008 11:10 AM EDT reply actions

Running game

Turner will help with that a great deal, but we’ll need Mughelli to live up to his contract a bit.

Football is not a contact sport. It's a collision sport. Dancing is a good example of a contact sport. ~Duffy Daugherty

by Dave Choate on Jun 5, 2008 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

Even the 50th rated player ain't bad...

I disagree with you about Baker. Not sure where you got the number 50 rating for him, I won’t contest that stat’s accuracy, but the dude has talent. I respect what you are saying. We will suck something awful at some points over the course of the next two seasons (as we navigate through growing pains), but you really don’t think we have talent? Baker doesn’t have talent? Clabo and Blaylock don’t have talent? McClure/Forney/Weiner have diminished skills, but they have experience. I am not saying we’ll be anywhere near the top of the pack. I just don’t see us being towards the bottom of the bottom half.

"You never know what I'm going to do..."
- Michael Vick (Palm Beach Post 11/6/2005)

by jamesrael on Jun 5, 2008 1:55 PM EDT up reply actions

No Love For Clabo????

I dont know if any of you noticed but, Tyson Clabo turned in to a pretty good damn lineman last season…check the tapes…and he should only get better….

IT IS WHAT IT IS

by ATLallday on Jun 5, 2008 11:26 AM EDT reply actions

Clabo's actually the only one I'm praising

I just have no hope for the older guys.

Football is not a contact sport. It's a collision sport. Dancing is a good example of a contact sport. ~Duffy Daugherty

by Dave Choate on Jun 5, 2008 12:04 PM EDT up reply actions

i dont see it like that

i really dont see us as being a terrible line. i think mularkeys power run game isnt too complicated. just get across that line and block someone, but when it comes to passing who knows what will happen.

by iloveroddywhite on Jun 5, 2008 6:07 PM EDT reply actions

Not As Bad As It Seems

I believe championships (and the Falcons will win a few of them in my lifetime) are won at the lines (O and D). With that said, we are in trouble…..if our coaching and system doesn’t account for that. Good coaching can make up for mediocre players and/or plays (ie NY Giants). And vice versa. Our line won’t be the best in the league but it won’t be the worst. As I always say: “Never underestimate a rookie/young player!”

Day One Starters:

LT: Clabo (You can call me crazy because I’ve been called worst. Besides, the higher the risk, the higher the reward.)
LG: Blalock (Obvious reasons)
C: McClure (He’s getting older but I’d rather have a good, quality General running my O-Line especially with young players. Any great team MUST have a good mix of young and veteran players)
RG: Forney (I would like for Forney to gain about 10 lbs to better facilitate a power running attack. But Forney did a good job blocking for MY FQB (Franchise QuarterBack) Mike Vick.)
RT: Baker (His short arms theoretically would make him a better run blocker than pass blocker. But I have no problem with Clabo being RT and Baker being LT. I just don’t know how our QBs would feel about this considering its their blind side in jeopardy!)

I know it was a while ago, but McClure and Forney was part of the line that lead the league in rushing 3 yrs straight. In one of those years Dunn set a career high. If you try to change too much too soon, it can be disasterous (ie last season). Ojinnaka and Foster will make quality backups with Foster possibly starting.

Like I said, you can call me crazy but I’M JUST READY FOR SOME FOOTBALLLLLLLLL!!!!!!

by THE ICON KING E on Jun 5, 2008 7:47 PM EDT reply actions

Butterworth

Watch out for Butterworth.

by THE ICON KING E on Jun 5, 2008 8:01 PM EDT reply actions

Good news!

All I can say is thank goodness we didn’t draft any additional OL help.

We really need all those linebackers. To, um, back the line. Especially since we didn’t draft any DT help either.

This F.O. is either completely idiotic or total genius.

Dear Matt Ryan: Don't eff this up. Love, iRonin.

by iRonin on Jun 6, 2008 12:02 AM EDT reply actions

Makes you wonder...

...what the FO people are thinking. It’s encouraging that we have a couple of promising building blocks in place, but if they make Ryan a starter behind this line, it will in fact confirm that they are indeed idiots.

On the other hand, if they manage to shore the line up during next offseason, and Ryan has a good year in ‘09, we’ll all be saying how we trusted Our Comrade all along…

When do I start holding my breath?

"There's no such word as 'quit' in swamp buggy racing, Marigold"

by tom slick on Jun 6, 2008 1:46 AM EDT up reply actions