Are we cut blocking or what???

[pbmax]

I have seen the same plays KYPack has, some old Power Gap stuff and traditional center-guard traps (reminded me of the 70's Steelers, except they weren't as successful ) This is a cause for concern because as their QB likes to say, they have nothing to hang their hat on. Especially in short yardage.

The size of the lineman is just a small part of run blocking. Remember that according to coaches, the Packers current best run blocker is now on IR (Palmer). Run blocking technique requires different skills (don't make me channel my inner Christl and tell you about waist benders versus knee benders).

Clifton came into the league with a rep as a better pass blocker than run blocker, pretty typical for Left Tackles. Tauscher has never been a road grader in the run game. Each is over 30. Tausch has never been highly mobile. CLifton is great on his feet in pass blocking, but injuries to his pelvis and knee certainly have slowed him down.

Remember last year both M3 and Jags said they had as many problems with the front side blocks as the backside cut. I think both tackles are playing the front side better, but its not lights out on either side.

The youth of the interior line exacerbates the problem as it would have taken time for veterans to learn the system, but we also must wait for the youngsters to mature. And I don't believe any of the interior guys was a better run blocker in college than pass blocker with the possible exception of Spitz who was regarded equally in each area IIRC, and who might be better suited to play center.

If the Wells paraphrase is correct (I think I would have seen something elsewhere about this major change in strategy), then M3 is undoing work the his GM did. Changing horses midstream will set them back farther. Colledge and Coston might be able to do the Wahle role with time, but they have no Rivera or Flanagan and older tackles.

In the end though, M3 will need to run whatever scheme or plays works for these guys, just as Sherman launched U71 in mid-season.

[RashanGary]

I think you guys have some points.

1. The aging, less than stellar run blocking OT's

2. The young interior line

3. The smaller than average, pass pro type lineman

4. The below average RB's


They have some physical and experience limitations to overcome across the board. However, they shouldn't be as bad as they are. I think the biggest problem is the coaching staff bouncing around between schemes, never really finding an identity. Are they zone? Are they power gap? It's hard enough work to do one thing well, but this team seems to be flopping around, doing a little bit of everything and doing none of it well.

I think it's time to look at what guys did best and focus in on whatever it is they think is best. Get an identity. Get a couple bread and butter plays and just do those well first, then add wrinkles.

[Maxie the Taxi]

This is a highly interesting and informative discussion. It's hard to tell from our limited "official" information (i.e., direct quotes from coaching staff) whether ZBS is out of favor.

Apparently, some of us have noticed from the film that our OL are not making cut blocks. However, it doesn't follow from this observation that the coaching staff has abandoned "pure" ZBS scheme. Perhaps, the coaching staff realizes the limitations of the present OL group and has made adjustments pending the acquisition of better personnel and/or more intensive training.

Similarly, because one lineman says the Packer OL is going to phase out cut-blocking doesn't mean that the Packer coaches no longer believe in the Gibbs' style ZBS. Again, the coaches could just be making adjustmens to mesh with the reality of their situation to get them through this season as best they can. We'd alll expect them to do this, kinda of like a half-time adjustment to game conditions.

If indeed MM has given up on the Gibbs' style ZBS scheme, then this is huge news. Our drafts of running backs and offensive linemen, our trades and releases of running backs and linemen were all geared to the ZBS system.

I agree that "size" alone has little bearing on the discussion. However, "size" is just a shorthand. Bigger guys tend to be less athletic and more steamrollerish than smaller guys. Still, no one can deny that some big men are more athletic than others. Some big men are quick on their feet. Some are steam rollers. A 305 lb. guy could be quick or he could be a steamroller or budding steamroller. TT and MM have been emphasizing athletic, quick linemen, not the steamrollers.

They've been emphatic about their backs making one-cut. They sure didn't break their necks getting free agent backs or backs in the draft that were adept at multi-cut, broken field running, i.e., following man on man blocks.

For all these reasons, I'd be shocked if there has been a sea change in blocking philosophy among TT and the coaches. I wouldn't be shocked if they're making adjustments to suit their personnel. I would be super-shocked if the coaches came out mid-season and announced what they're really thinking in a press conference.

So all we can do as fans is sit back and speculate, just like opposing defense coordinators.