Newhouse Says Goodbye

[gbgary]

Watch him be a solid starter for cinci...just watch.

at rt guard.

[Patler]

Newhouse plays a mild-tempered game, which many fans dislike, but he is not without ability. He seemed lost in his role last year, but the coaches have said he is very sincere in his preparation. In 2012, someone (Campen?) described him as a player who is very solid most of the time, then seems lost on 4 or 5 plays each game. On the other plays, they said he is a player you can easily see as a starter you can play with. Perhaps just a matter of concentration or focus.

The kid filled a huge hole for the Packers in 2011 and 2012. No, he wasn't great, but in pass protection his 42 1/2 pressures in 2012 were not that far off from the 39 given up by Barclay in 2013 or the 37 given up by Bakhtiari. His four penalties as the starter in 2012 were much better than Bakhtiari's 10 in 2013. That might show some of the differences in their games, Newhouse's more mild-mannered approach and Bakhtiari's aggressiveness. It looks like Bakhtiari has pretty decent potential, but he has a lot of things to improve as well.

The team became better in 2013 by replacing him, and as I mentioned, he seemed lost in his backup role. It was time for Newhouse and the team to move their separate ways. I hope he finds his niche, whether as a reserve or starter.

All in all, the Packers need to upgrade their performance at both tackle positions. The 76 pressures and 16 sacks given up by Barclay and Bakhtiari were a far cry from the typical years of Clifton and Tauscher when they would give up a combined total of 5 or 6 sacks and 30-40 or so pressures between them. Now, the Packers would feel good if one of their tackles individually yielded the types of numbers that Tauscher and Clifton did combined.

[run pMc]

All in all, the Packers need to upgrade their performance at both tackle positions. The 76 pressures and 16 sacks given up by Barclay and Bakhtiari were a far cry from the typical years of Clifton and Tauscher when they would give up a combined total of 5 or 6 sacks and 30-40 or so pressures between them. Now, the Packers would feel good if one of their tackles individually yielded the types of numbers that Tauscher and Clifton did combined.

Agree, and hope that Bahktiari can make a big jump. I think Bulaga will be fine back at RT. Will be very interested to see if Sherrod can come back and play. I do think that they will be hard-pressed to approximate Tauscher/Clifton's numbers -- Rodgers holds the ball longer than many QBs will to extend the play, and finding someone as good as (in-his-prime) Clifton in pass-pro isn't easy.

[Patler]

Agree, and hope that Bahktiari can make a big jump. I think Bulaga will be fine back at RT. Will be very interested to see if Sherrod can come back and play. I do think that they will be hard-pressed to approximate Tauscher/Clifton's numbers -- Rodgers holds the ball longer than many QBs will to extend the play, and finding someone as good as (in-his-prime) Clifton in pass-pro isn't easy.

Interesting thing is that the sack/pressure #s are from JSO, and they try to mitigate the impact of the QB holding the ball by attributing sacks to the QBs too. In 2013 they attributed 14 sacks to Rodgers himself. This year, they gave Rodgers 5 1/2 and Flynn 3 1/2. Now granted, a lineman might still get a sack or pressure he wouldn't have if the QB got rid of it in a hurry, but JSO makes a decent attempt to blame the linemen only when it is their failure that causes it.

[pbmax]

Interesting thing is that the sack/pressure #s are from JSO, and they try to mitigate the impact of the QB holding the ball by attributing sacks to the QBs too. In 2013 they attributed 14 sacks to Rodgers himself. This year, they gave Rodgers 5 1/2 and Flynn 3 1/2. Now granted, a lineman might still get a sack or pressure he wouldn't have if the QB got rid of it in a hurry, but JSO makes a decent attempt to blame the linemen only when it is their failure that causes it.

I think you could make an argument, Newhouse or no, that the pass protection this year was worse at Tackle than last year. The big difference, and what helped keep the QBs (mostly) upright, was the huge gain in run blocking.

[Patler]

I think you could make an argument, Newhouse or no, that the pass protection this year was worse at Tackle than last year. The big difference, and what helped keep the QBs (mostly) upright, was the huge gain in run blocking.

I almost suggested in a previous post that the biggest difference between Newhouse and either Bakhtiari or Barclay is in run blocking. Each has problems in pass protection, but both Barclay and Bakhtiari get after guys in run blocking while Newhouse doesn't. I think that was the primary reason they played and Newhouse didn't.

[Pugger]

I think you could make an argument, Newhouse or no, that the pass protection this year was worse at Tackle than last year. The big difference, and what helped keep the QBs (mostly) upright, was the huge gain in run blocking.

And huge gain in RB talent.

[bobblehead]

I think you could make an argument, Newhouse or no, that the pass protection this year was worse at Tackle than last year. The big difference, and what helped keep the QBs (mostly) upright, was the huge gain in run blocking.

I don't know about worse, comparable is my opinion. I have been trying to tell everyone that Baktiari isn't a very good LT. I would like to see him at RT and Barclay somewhere serving fries (or a backup).

[bobblehead]

And huge gain in RB talent.

Marginal gain. Its all about the OL. Proof is in James starks looking better than ever behind this line, and after being lost all preseason, Franklin ripped off 100yds in his only significant carries.

Barclay and Baktiari sustain their blocks very well which gives a RB a chance to find daylight. We saw Lacy dance many times then rip off yards. When Brandon Jackson tried to dance he was swallowed whole because our previous OL didn't sustain blocks in the running game (which is why MM preached "one cut and downhill")

[Patler]

Marginal gain. Its all about the OL. Proof is in James starks looking better than ever behind this line, and after being lost all preseason, Franklin ripped off 100yds in his only significant carries.

Barclay and Baktiari sustain their blocks very well which gives a RB a chance to find daylight. We saw Lacy dance many times then rip off yards. When Brandon Jackson tried to dance he was swallowed whole because our previous OL didn't sustain blocks in the running game (which is why MM preached "one cut and downhill")

The RB makes a difference at the end of the run, making a would-be tackler miss, or getting extra yards after contact. Some are better at it than others, and with Lacy and Starks the Packers have two decent ones. But, without the line making and sustain their blocks the RB is doing that at the LOS or behind it too many times. This year the backs were able to get positive yardage first.

[Guiness]

Marginal gain. Its all about the OL. Proof is in James starks looking better than ever behind this line, and after being lost all preseason, Franklin ripped off 100yds in his only significant carries.

Barclay and Baktiari sustain their blocks very well which gives a RB a chance to find daylight. We saw Lacy dance many times then rip off yards. When Brandon Jackson tried to dance he was swallowed whole because our previous OL didn't sustain blocks in the running game (which is why MM preached "one cut and downhill")

Did Starks ever really look bad when he was healthy and able to go?

Franklin is a real wild card. He looked damn good that game, was that just a fluke, related to Cincy not being prepared for him? Tony Fisher and Davenport also both had some big one game totals - Najeh ran for 180 yards in his first start, Fisher had a couple of starts as a rookie, came pretty close to 100 yards both times.

[Fritz]

Starks looked pretty marginal in my opinion before this year. He really ran with authority this year, and I do attribute much though not all of it to better run blocking.

As for Franklin, I'm just not that excited about the guy. Looks like a battle between him and DeJuan Harris for that #3 job.

Which one will be a more reliable blocker? That might be the key to that job.

[pbmax]

Starks used to take 2-3 games to get going full speed it seemed. Like relearning how to run the ZBS read the gaps, one cut and go.

However, this year, he seemed to have no problem getting into mid-season form quickly. So it might always have been more about the blocking than Starks.

Had you asked me in the preseason if Starks was an ideal change of pace, I would have said no because he always took a game or two to really produce. Long term fill-in? yes. He proved me very wrong in 2013. Probably helps the opponent is first focused on Lacy's stuff and doesn't spend as much time on ZBS.

[Freak Out]

Good riddance.

[run pMc]

Agree Bahktiari is a much better run blocker -- better temperament for it than Newhouse, and he's quick/agile enough to get out and execute blocks on the move that Newhouse couldn't. He won't get any taller, but he can get stronger, and I think he'll get smarter.

I'm not as sour on Franklin as others; he was a productive back in college and I think M3 just has to figure out how to use him. He's not a banger like Lacy, and I don't think he's ideal for KOR. I think he could be the 3rd down back eventually, but he has to show he can pass protect, stay healthy, and hang onto the ball. Lacy is the man, but if the lightbulb goes on for Franklin I think he could be better than Brandon Jackson.
Agree with pugger there was a huge RB talent gain -- with Starks' injury history, drafting/starting Lacy was a big upgrade over Alex Green. Without drafting those two, losing Harris in TC would've forced them to feed Kahlil Bell and/or Kuhn the ball 10+ times a game.