Offensive Line

[Ballboy]

Great victory by the Pack yesterday. I hope we can move forward to the Philly game and get another one. The WR don't really scare me, but TE-Smith and Westbrok could give us problems.

Anyway our O-Line still isn't getting the zone blocking and after watching it really close yeaterday I came up with two items that are alarming to me.

1) Clifton has really lost it. He is able to keep DL off Brett in the passing game, but gets NO push on the run game. His knee(s) must be killing him.

2) Tauscher can't cut block on the back-side. I saw him flop several times in an attempt to cut a DL. When we run straight at him, he blocks well, but the backside is terrible.

Solution: When Spitz comes back, can College play either tackle position? I know I will catch grief for this, but it looks like to me both Clifton and Tauscher are the reasons the running game hasn't come around yet.

I would hate to see it, but could we actually trade Tauscher? He is an awesome OL, and we should get decent value for him....Lets face it, this team isn't going anywhere this year. Tauscher/Clifton for whatever reason isn't getting the zone blocking. Put in the younger players and let them face the music in the NFL so that next year they will be prepared to play.

[MJZiggy]

I thought Colledge's natural position was tackle, I could be wrong, but I would hang on to Taush over Clifton right now. How weird is it that all preseason, people were screaming about the rookies and now we're discussing which vets need to go???!!!

[HarveyWallbangers]

Not a chance in hell. So, let's replace two guys that have protected Brett like gold for 6 years (including this year) for some rookie who couldn't beat out two oher rookies for a starting spot at OG (and might get Brett killed if he played LT).

Clifton and Tausch were stout in pass blocking yesterday. They've been slow to adapt to the ZBS. That doesn't mean you bench them. That means you give them all the time they need to adjust.

[swede]

Harv you are right again. And you are such a grown-up it's scary to think that you're younger than me.

When I read your posts I think of Ward Cleaver talking to the boys:

"Now Beaver, we're not going to make Wally go live with Aunt Martha just because he is having a few problems with ZBS. Now wash up for dinner."

[HarveyWallbangers]

I'm not sure I'm younger than you. I'm 36. How old are you?

[Brainerd]

Not a chance in hell. So, let's replace two guys that have protected Brett like gold for 6 years (including this year) for some rookie who couldn't beat out two oher rookies for a starting spot at OG (and might get Brett killed if he played LT).

Clifton and Tausch were stout in pass blocking yesterday. They've been slow to adapt to the ZBS. That doesn't mean you bench them. That means you give them all the time they need to adjust.

Agreed. They are both gold.

ZBS isn't working. I read that they don't practice ZBS against other players, only against bags. Why? Maybe they should simply drop ZBS altogether?

[Harlan Huckleby]

ZBS isn't working. I read that they don't practice ZBS against other players, only against bags. Why? Maybe they should simply drop ZBS altogether?

Maybe they should have kept Donnel Washington on the roster just for cut-blocking practice.

[Fritz]

Hilarious.

[vince]

Not a chance in hell. So, let's replace two guys that have protected Brett like gold for 6 years (including this year) for some rookie who couldn't beat out two oher rookies for a starting spot at OG (and might get Brett killed if he played LT).

Clifton and Tausch were stout in pass blocking yesterday. They've been slow to adapt to the ZBS. That doesn't mean you bench them. That means you give them all the time they need to adjust.
Don't get me wrong. I'm not espousing getting rid of either Clifton or Tauscher, but I just want to point out one thing... I think Colledge would be much more effective at tackle than at guard. His problem at guard was getting bull-rushed by 350 lb. DT's. Colledge fares much better against smaller DE's than he does with the hogs in the middle...

I think we'll see Colledge in the lineup at tackle before long though, because I have doubts about Clifton making it through the year healthy... If/when that happens, I believe he'll hold his own there...