O-line discussion

[Patler]

Look, I've been on the oline bandwagon for the past 3 years now. I've sat dumbfounded as people kept insisting that they were better than they are. I didn't see it then, and I don't see it now.

I stated last week that I thought they were "adequate" and in spite of the criticism I've received for that statement, I stand behind it. Patler, I completely agree they are a talented bunch. They should play better than they do.

Each of them (except Barbre, and he's too new yet) have had a couple of spectacular games. Each of them (including Barbre) have had their share of clunkers too. I'm of the opinion that there is no consistency. None. One week, plays lights out, next week, plays for crap. Meanwhile that pattern is reversed with another lineman.

I'd never spent time laying the blame at the feet of the coaching staff, and maybe that's appropriate. I don't know. I'm not at practice, I dont' follow coaches comments either. But, they damn sure don't look ready to play consistently good football. They have never seemed to be a cohesive group. Always like a box of mismatched parts. All good parts, but they don't seem to fit together well.

The movement of positions, the shuffling of starters, the switch in offensive philsophy, can all be blamed, but at the end of the day, as our fearless leader says, good football players just play football.

I'm still waiting for that to happen. Later tonight, I'll go find some of my comments, both new and old, and post them for your review, and criticism if any are inclined.

Also, I'm one of the guys that has touted Colledge as a better tackle than a guard. One of the things that I really liked when he came out of college was his footwork. I thought he had the feet of an LT, though he was a bit small. I was very disappointed in how he played in relief yesterday. If that's the best he's got, we're in deep trouble, but I think, given some practice reps there this week, we'll see a dramatic improvment. If we don't, then, well I don't know what to say.

Over the 3+ years, of the young guys, Spitz has been the most consistent. Some bad plays from time to time, all players have them, but I don't really recall any real bad games from Spitz.

I think over the years we may be spoiled watching Clifton pass block. He almost always looks in control. While Colledge may have good feet as you say, too often at both guard and tackle I have seen him "faked out" by rushers who get by him with combination moves. Over the years we have rarely seen that happen to Clifton, even though he isn't what he was at one time. For that reason, I have never thought Colledge would be anything more than "OK" at left tackle. I hope I'm wrong.

[pbmax]

Re: O-line discussion

I have questioned Campen's ascension before. His coaching resume includes 9 years as a high school football coach (4 as DC, 5 as HC), two seasons in the infamous "quality control" position with the Packers, one season as a full assistant line coach, and then he became the offensive line coach the next season.

Campen went from coaching high school to the NFL, and after three seasons was put in charge of the O-line, to teaching a scheme he has very little experience with. His assistant, Fontenot has a long NFL career, but no coaching experience. He was a summer intern in 2006 and hung around as an unpaid assistant during the season. The next year he was promoted to the full time assistant line coach position.

The Packers have playing experience in their O-line coaching staff, but not a lot of relevant coaching experience. That inexperience, coupled with the influx of rookie lineman every year, very well could have slowed development of the O-line as a whole and the players individually.

Campen had one more year of NFL experience before he landed his first full-time position coach gig than Jon Gruden did. Chucky had one season in San Fran and one season in GB as a Quality Control guy before becoming the WR coach. Prior to his NFL experience, Gruden was a grad assistant at Tenn, QB coach at Southeast Missouri, and WR coach at University of Pacific and (between the 49ers and Packers) the University of Pittsburgh.

This, of course, does not mean he CAN coach. But it wouldn't be unheard of to climb the ladder like this, esp. with one year as Asst. Line Coach.

The article quoted one of the infamous "anonymous NFL scouts", who essentially said the feeling around the league is that TT has done a very good job in drafting O-line talent with Colledge, Spitz, Barbre and Sitton; but the coaching staff so far has totally botched their development, primarily from trying to cross-train them so much. I got the impression that MM's proclamation of letting guys settle into a position may have been mandated from higher up.

Waldo made the observation that with our roster, one of the results of the "no musical chairs" mandate is that we have no one on the roster (except for Meredith on PS) who has spent any time at LT this year. So damned if you do, damned if you don't.

[Noodle]

I agree that Patler and RG are on to something with the quality of the coaching.

But I also don't give TT a free pass on this, and that's because he has not seen fit to bring in any older guys to provide depth.

Asking new guys to learn multiple positions is a recipe for disaster (e.g., the Pack's line). Instead, I think it makes more sense to get yourself a war horse or two who has played a few positions at the NFL level to be your backup. Not your starters, but guys who can fill in so that you don't keep shifting guys around all the time.

I have to wonder if TT was so burned by the O'Dwyer and Klemm experience that he just will not bring in vet OL guys.

[Patler]

Re: O-line discussion

I have questioned Campen's ascension before. His coaching resume includes 9 years as a high school football coach (4 as DC, 5 as HC), two seasons in the infamous "quality control" position with the Packers, one season as a full assistant line coach, and then he became the offensive line coach the next season.

Campen went from coaching high school to the NFL, and after three seasons was put in charge of the O-line, to teaching a scheme he has very little experience with. His assistant, Fontenot has a long NFL career, but no coaching experience. He was a summer intern in 2006 and hung around as an unpaid assistant during the season. The next year he was promoted to the full time assistant line coach position.

The Packers have playing experience in their O-line coaching staff, but not a lot of relevant coaching experience. That inexperience, coupled with the influx of rookie lineman every year, very well could have slowed development of the O-line as a whole and the players individually.

Campen had one more year of NFL experience before he landed his first full-time position coach gig than Jon Gruden did. Chucky had one season in San Fran and one season in GB as a Quality Control guy before becoming the WR coach. Prior to his NFL experience, Gruden was a grad assistant at Tenn, QB coach at Southeast Missouri, and WR coach at University of Pacific and (between the 49ers and Packers) the University of Pittsburgh.

This, of course, does not mean he CAN coach. But it wouldn't be unheard of to climb the ladder like this, esp. with one year as Asst. Line Coach.

Ya, we had this discussion before. I see a little difference between Grudens more varied 5 year experience in college programs than Campen's years as a high school coach. Gruden coached five years in college, and one year as QC with the 49ers before coming to the Packers. Campen coached high school. More closely related work to evaluate Gruden on than Campen, in my opinion.

Sure, it can work, but not for everyone. Is anyone suggesting Campen as a future OC or head coach? As a guy that really has "it" as a coach? If they are, I haven't seen it. Gruden was a rising star from the beginning.

Then they gave Campen an assistant with virtually no coaching experience at all, and a bunch of rookies every year to develop into NFL caliber players.

Maybe it CAN work, and maybe it actually has in the past for others like Gruden. I suspect that might be the exception more than the rule.

[Harlan Huckleby]

Re: O-line discussion

5. - Some insist Colledge is an LT masquerading as a LG. I've never been real comfortable banking on him at LT, long term. Looks like we might get the chance to find out, with Colledge preparing and playing there for a while.

I was impressed with Colledge in LT stints in the past.

I know Colledge and MM didn't talk about it much, but Colledge didn't practice during the week because of a bad foot. I don't know if this accounts for his problems blocking in space Sunday, but I'm withholding judgement.

[Patler]

Re: O-line discussion

5. - Some insist Colledge is an LT masquerading as a LG. I've never been real comfortable banking on him at LT, long term. Looks like we might get the chance to find out, with Colledge preparing and playing there for a while.

I was impressed with Colledge in LT stints in the past.

I know Colledge and MM didn't talk about it much, but Colledge didn't practice during the week because of a bad foot. I don't know if this accounts for his problems blocking in space Sunday, but I'm withholding judgement.

Like against Miami and Jason Taylor a couple years ago?

Seriously, I do recognize that this was a difficult situation for him, moving to LT in the middle of a game in a week in which he didn't practice much. With time to prepare, he should be better. Overall, I think the best that can be said for his play at LT so far is "inconsistent".

[retailguy]

Re: O-line discussion

5. - Some insist Colledge is an LT masquerading as a LG. I've never been real comfortable banking on him at LT, long term. Looks like we might get the chance to find out, with Colledge preparing and playing there for a while.

I was impressed with Colledge in LT stints in the past.

I know Colledge and MM didn't talk about it much, but Colledge didn't practice during the week because of a bad foot. I don't know if this accounts for his problems blocking in space Sunday, but I'm withholding judgement.

Like against Miami and Jason Taylor a couple years ago?

Seriously, I do recognize that this was a difficult situation for him, moving to LT in the middle of a game in a week in which he didn't practice much. With time to prepare, he should be better. Overall, I think the best that can be said for his play at LT so far is "inconsistent".

How about "adequate".

(you of course have to throw out the most recent performance as that was inadequate by any accepted standard)

[Cheesehead Craig]

Let's give Cleveland our 1st and 3rd next year along with Barbie for Joe Thomas. Who's with me?

[retailguy]

Let's give Cleveland our 1st and 3rd next year along with Barbie for Joe Thomas. Who's with me?

You might have better luck with just the 1st and the 3rd.... :P

[Cheesehead Craig]

I just wanted to have one of those ridiculous trade posts out there.

[Patler]

Let's give Cleveland our 1st and 3rd next year along with Barbie for Joe Thomas. Who's with me?

Should have sent Moll to them for Thomas.

[retailguy]

I just wanted to have one of those ridiculous trade posts out there.

score!

[retailguy]

Let's give Cleveland our 1st and 3rd next year along with Barbie for Joe Thomas. Who's with me?

Should have sent Moll to them for Thomas.

Ok, everyone chant on 3:

1,
2,
IF TED CAN'T DO IT, NOBODY CAN!

I can't hear you.... Let's try again.

1,
2,
IF TED CAN'T DO IT, NOBODY CAN!


that's better! :P

[wist43]

I see some of you guys giving a pass to the coaching staff... I can't do that.

It is McCarthy, Philbin, and Campen that insist on having essentially one backup - Wells. If your LT goes down, put in your backup Center??? And besides, if Wells is your 6th best OL, what does that say about the rest of your backups???

MM and TT have, from the word go, been advocates of OL playing multiple positions; and, while having some flexibility is a good thing, it can't outweigh the continuity and consistency that can only come with players getting reps in one spot, and knowing how the guy next to them is going to react in a given situation.

Bouncing players from position to position has been the norm in Green Bay since MM arrived, and the OL has been crap more often than not - and its struggles have been particularly glaring at the beginning of each season - a testament to the fact that there is no continuity on the line, and that it takes them the better part of a season to get it dialed in.

Beyond that, I think it should have been fairly obvious that the OL would struggle out of the gate this year... Barbre looked brutal at times this preseason, and Sitton is a 1st year starter too. It is MM's responsibility to put together game plans that take that into account.

3 running plays for the entire 2nd half??? in a close game, is moronic. The game plan from the opening kickoff should be to establish the run, short rhythm passes, TE's up the seam, and then take the occassional shot. After a few games, assuming the OL comes together, gets comfortable, then open up the play book a little bit, but even then with an eye toward helping Barbre, i.e. TE's and Back's chipping or doubling, etc...

[wist43]

Then there is TT... no position on the team exemplifies his philosophy of "build from within" more than the OL. He spent a 2nd rd pick on Colledge, and a 3rd rd pick on Spitz... but no FA's, and other than Colledge and Spitz, everybody else has essentially been a dart thrown at the board.

In short, the committment to building a top flight line simply isn't there in terms of financial committment to any FA's, or to high draft choices. It's tough to air it out, if your QB is on his back.

As for moving forward, I like Sitton, and I like Spitz at C... but Clifton's days at LT are numbered, and I don't see Colledge as being a full time LT; Barbre has a long way to go; and if you do move Colledge to LT, does that mean that Wells is your starting C again??? As I've maintained, any team that has Wells as their starting C is going to struggle up front.