So Many Are Worried About Our Offense...I Just Don't See The Problem

[pepaw]

I'm not trying to be negative I hope you guys are right. I just have strong concerns with the O Line being better than 20th in the league.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/28/ranking-the-2012-offensive-lines/

If the line is below average our backs will not get to flourish. Furthermore, I do not consider Brandon a legit number 2 in today's NFL. I like him and I think 600 yards or whatever is respectable but we need more.

[SetfreexX]

You guys can be as cynical and negative as you want to be, but keeping Shula allows us not to completely scrap an offense for a new one forcing a likely regression on that side of the ball as the players will have a curve. I think its suggestive to say that about Chud b/c he regressed from an OC in CLE, to a TE Coach in SD, Ron brought him here drafted Cam and the rest is history. If you guys think Chud will be the next Sean Payton in CLEVELAND I wouldn't hold your breath.

Shula was last an OC with the likes of Shaun King iirc running the show, I'll reserve judgement.

[fieryprophet]

I'm not trying to be negative I hope you guys are right. I just have strong concerns with the O Line being better than 20th in the league.

https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2013/01/28/ranking-the-2012-offensive-lines/

If the line is below average our backs will not get to flourish. Furthermore, I do not consider Brandon a legit number 2 in today's NFL. I like him and I think 600 yards or whatever is respectable but we need more.

Losing Kalil wrecked our offensive line, which was the 9th ranked unit in 2011. Without him, Silatolu lost his security blanket to the right, Hangartner was shuffled back and forth betwene C and G, and played worse at both, Bell was himself moved from RT to G and back (although he improved slightly on his rookie year) and Gross had to take on the role of OL leader. It was an absolute mess, and hopefull any lingering effects are minimal. However, Silatolu improved as the season progressed, we drafted a potential replacement for Hangartner, Bell should continue to improve, and Gross can focus on handling his own job and not running the whole line again.

[fam4life09]

The offense averaged 28.8 ppg (through the final 6), compared to 18.8 (through the first 10)...There was a graphic that displayed during the draft (Rd 1 I believe) that illustrated this. All this uproar about weapons, weapons, weapons is currently unwarranted.

When Chud got his head out his ass trying to run the read option as our base running game and we returned to more traditional runs the offense became much more effective, opening up play-action opportunities and easier reads as defenses had to begin to respect the run.

We've all seen what out WR's/HB's can do when healthy, and properly utilized-

Smitty: +1,100 yds each the last two seasons

Olsen: 843 yds (as the feature TE, ranked 10th best in the NFL at the position http://www.footballnation.com/content/the-2012-13-final-nfl-tight-end-rankings/22410/ )

LaFell: 677 yds (in his first full season as a starter as the 3rd option)

Hixon: 567 yds as the 3rd option in an crowded NYG receiving corps.

Gettis: 508 yds in his lone healthy season, with a revolving door full of untalented QB's as the 2nd/3rd option during the lame duck season and "Fox Ball" (ACL-now two yrs removed should be at 100%--Gettis is my X-Factor this season, and Panthers come back player of the year)

Factoring in an infusion of talent in our return men roles with the additions of Ginn and Barner, as much as Adams may improve I think he'll like just spell those two. But even in that scenario our offense should enjoy better field position from an improved special teams unit.

So while we did not draft offensively the way many of us were thinking/hoping (myself included), we really aren't as weak on offense as many of our fellow huddler's/experts would expect you to believe.

And keep in mind everything above does not even include getting Kalil back on the O-Line, and Williams/Stewart/Tolbert all coming back healthy, homerism aside I'd say any defensive coordinator is going to have their hands full scheming to keep all the talent we have in check.

Well put sir

[Jackofalltrades]

My concern is the OC, not the players.

[SOJA]

Gettis returning to full strength would be a huge plus for this team. I have dreams of him and LaFell on the outside, with Smitty in the slot

[SOJA]

My concern is the OC, not the players.

this is a valid concern that many people seem to be looking over

[rayzor]

My concern is the OC, not the players.

same here.

the only reason he has the job was so we didn't need to change what we were doing. we settled.

i'm just really hoping he doesn't hold the team back.

[CRA]

Losing Kalil wrecked our offensive line, which was the 9th ranked unit in 2011. Without him, Silatolu lost his security blanket to the right, Hangartner was shuffled back and forth betwene C and G, and played worse at both, Bell was himself moved from RT to G and back (although he improved slightly on his rookie year) and Gross had to take on the role of OL leader. It was an absolute mess, and hopefull any lingering effects are minimal. However, Silatolu improved as the season progressed, we drafted a potential replacement for Hangartner, Bell should continue to improve, and Gross can focus on handling his own job and not running the whole line again.

Shitty guard play wrecked our line. Kalil played a full 1/4 of the season....and our RBs couldn't run no matter how we ran them with him.

[tiger7_88]

My concern is the OC, not the players.

Do you know who got fired from an OC position he held in college once?

Last years OC/interim HC of the Indianapolis Colts and current HC of the Arizona Cardinals, thats who.

Coaches change and they grow. That's no *guarantee* of future success, but past performance isn't always predictive of future results.

[Captain Morgan]

one more factor to consider....this is Cam's third year. Qb's usually blossom in their 3rd years.

Considering how he started, I think the rest of the NFL is worried. Good QB's often make their

receivers seem better than they are, and maybe he's at that level.

[Dunn]

Im sure I may be the lone one on this, but while our D needed just that *extra* bit to make it elite which I think we will be this year, my main concern is getting our Special Teams on a solid ground.

There were multiple instances over the past two years where our STs unit put the Defense in a tough spot and the other team optimal field position. Vice Versa our STs on the recieving end has been less then spectacular since Smitty was our return man. Its been THAT long.

The Addition of Ginn and Blackburn are a huge plus on both sides of the ball and if we can start suring up good field position when we do have to punt, that will free up the D to be more aggressive on attacking the pass and shutting down offenses sooner.

[fieryprophet]

Shitty guard play wrecked our line. Kalil played a full 1/4 of the season....and our RBs couldn't run no matter how we ran them with him.

Our RBs couldn't run because we were trying to run them out of read option sets that weren't working.

[rayzor]

Losing Kalil wrecked our offensive line, which was the 9th ranked unit in 2011. Without him, Silatolu lost his security blanket to the right, Hangartner was shuffled back and forth betwene C and G, and played worse at both, Bell was himself moved from RT to G and back (although he improved slightly on his rookie year) and Gross had to take on the role of OL leader. It was an absolute mess, and hopefull any lingering effects are minimal. However, Silatolu improved as the season progressed, we drafted a potential replacement for Hangartner, Bell should continue to improve, and Gross can focus on handling his own job and not running the whole line again.

agreed. the health of the OL and throwing a rookie into the starting lineup made for the clusterf*ck we saw last year. the OL getting healthy is and has been top priority this offseason.

i would add to that the OL did struggle even with kalil early...but they do that every year. one of the things that has always bugged me was just how long it took the OL to get their crap together and start gelling. it usually wan't until wekk 5 or later that they didn't look bad and that's when the run game and wins typically started happening.

there is a way to fix that late start, imo, and that is to decide on the OL starting lineup early in the offseason and have them take at least twice as many reps as they do any other year....and have it happen well before TC. by training camp that OL should have been set and the line itself solidified. they should be gelling heading into spartanburg. if we are going to have a steady rotation with a couple guys, then we need to have them get their reps in as well. and we need them to put in lots of time with cam as well.

these guys have to have their crap together long before the season actually starts if they want to start out hot.