Confidence in the OL

[flyerhawk]

So I'm just curious as to where everyone stands when it comes to the OL and their comfort level with it.

Perhaps this is a reaction to 2 years of pretty terrible OL play but I feel vastly better about OL this year than I did last year or the year before.

IMO, the interior line looks really good. The tackles are certainly a question mark but not nearly to the same degree as the past 2 years.

The run blocking has looked really really good. Even if Christine Michael has found religion and is going to be a great back for us, just about everyone else has looked good running the ball. The pass block is vastly better than it was last year, even if it leaves much to be desired.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think this is going to be a good OL or a strength for the team. But if we can get league average play from our OL, we are going to be in VERY good shape.

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Yeah mostly I'm happy with the OL. I actually think the interior of the OL is better then what the Seahawks have had in the recent pass. Pretty much agree with most of your post except for this part.

The tackles are certainly a question mark but not nearly to the same degree as the past 2 years.

This part I disagree with. Feel Okung and Gilliam made for a better set of tackles then Gilliam and still trying to figure out who plays the other tackle. Never the less feel up beat about the OL, feel they well be at least adequate with a chance to be a bit better then league average.

Amazed at Christine Micheal resurgence and a bit disappointed with the rookies RBs, but they got time to get better. Really hoping Rawls makes it back to last year form, that would be huge.

The passing attack looks like it could be really good also.

Really looking forward to the up coming season.

 

[flyerhawk]

This part I disagree with. Feel Okung and Gilliam made for a better set of tackles then Gilliam and still trying to figure out who plays the other tackle. Never the less feel up beat about the OL, feel they well be at least adequate with a chance to be a bit better then league average.

Personally, I think that Okung was not good last year. Further, was Gilliam our opening day starter at RT?

Amazed at Christine Micheal resurgence and a bit disappointed with the rookies RBs, but they got time to get better. Really hoping Rawls makes it back to last year form, that would be huge.

Proisse looked good last night. Collins hasn't done a whole lot. Injuries have limited their impact.

Really looking forward to the up coming season.

You and me both!!! Can't wait!!!

Go HAWKS!!!

 

[blstoker]

Personally, I think that Okung was not good last year. Further, was Gilliam our opening day starter at RT?

I agree that Okung wasn't as good last year as in years past - but until the season starts we won't know for sure if the new LT is better than he was. Personally, I think that if Seattle played with the interior line looking like it does in the preseason, Okung would have looked a lot better.

Yes, Gilliam was the starting RT week 1, and other than Nowak, he was our worst lineman for the first 8 weeks, IMO. He's playing much better right now that he did at this time last year, but Sowell and Webb have both also played better than Gilliam did this time last year. So, overall - I think our tackles will start the season playing better than they did last year, no matter who the 2 starters turn out to be.

 

[dude82]

I think we're looking at Sowell and Gilliam at left tackle and right tackle respectively and I actually feel pretty good about that. Haven't really seen enough of Webb to say that he deserves either starting spot over those guys, but I think that if either of them have trouble, they won't hesitate to rotate Webb in. I'm more optimistic about our offensive line going into this season than I've been in a long time.

Remember, too, that it was the interior of the offensive line that was at the center (pun intended) of our offensive line issues when we had the worst line in football during the first half of last season. To have those guys looking as solid as they've looked so far is very encouraging.

The reshuffling (again) of our offensive line could have been a complete disaster, but so far it's looking pretty good. There's a long way to go still, so I'm not ready to call this the best offensive line we've had in years anytime soon, but optimism about our offensive line in late August is something that we haven't experienced in a while either.

 

[blstoker]

The reshuffling (again) of our offensive line could have been a complete disaster, but so far it's looking pretty good. There's a long way to go still, so I'm not ready to call this the best offensive line we've had in years anytime soon, but optimism about our offensive line in late August is something that we haven't experienced in a while either.

I agree, I would have to see how they perform in the games that count - and see if they put a full season together. Unfortunately, the lines of the last decade have put the bar so low, it won't take much more than a solid season to rank pretty high on the list of best recent OLines for the Hawks.

 

[JMR]

Perhaps this is a reaction to 2 years of pretty terrible OL play but I feel vastly better about OL this year than I did last year or the year before.

Sums it up for me. The line was pretty much the only thing I was mildly worried about heading into camp, and I think it's performed way above my expectations. If it starts off the year as a "below average" OL, that will be a big jump above what we had to open the season a year ago.

 

[DunceKaep]

Britt. It was pretty obvious that he struggled in space with fast edge rushers.
Being a wrestler, it appears he matches up much better with the slower yet stronger interior linemen.

 

[blstoker]

Britt. It was pretty obvious that he struggled in space with fast edge rushers.
Being a wrestler, it appears he matches up much better with the slower yet stronger interior linemen.

I've been impressed with Britt's move to center. He seems to be playing well there, and there have been a lot fewer growing pains issues than I expected.

 

[flyerhawk]

I've been impressed with Britt's move to center. He seems to be playing well there, and there have been a lot fewer growing pains issues than I expected.

Britt has played really well so far in the preseason. Russ must be confused by how much time he has from interior pressure.

 

[blstoker]

Britt has played really well so far in the preseason. Russ must be confused by how much time he has from interior pressure.

Yeah, I think it was the Minny game where he had like 5 seconds of protection, so he tucked it and ran to a defender just so he'd be back in his comfort zone

 

[HaroldSeattle]

Britt and C Michaels have both been unexpected surprises this year. That's like the frosting on the cake....sweet!

 

[MrS]

Ill wait and see how they do against the dolphins and rams before i buy in.

 

[Uhsplit]

Ill wait and see how they do against the dolphins and rams before i buy in.

Oh please snugs!
You buy into anything Cable? Not gonna happen. Lol.

 

[Uhsplit]

My comfort level is just fine with our OL. My feeling is based upon playing the hand we are dealt.
We are up against the cap. The team has a lot of capital spent mainly on the D, on Russell, Graham, and Baldwin.
Obviously Pete and JS want to keep JG on the roster even though we have not seen a solid return.
We will remain low budget on OL and RB.
For me, that is the 1st part in understanding our dilemma at OL.
The 2nd part is patience. Few on this board were patient last year calling for castration of Bevell, Cable, and the OL. Chuck Knox told us all that it takes about 3 years for an OL man to learn the pro game.
For myself, I am good with the decisions PC and JS have made regarding our roster and the resources allocated to the different position groups.

 

[MrS]

Oh please snugs!
You buy into anything Cable? Not gonna happen. Lol.

Only a fool would give him the benefit of the doubt.

 

[Uhsplit]

Only a fool would give him the benefit of the doubt.

Maybe, but I have been impressed with our run game for years. I believe he is one of the best in the NFL at teaching an OL to run the ball and that is why he is here.
It's ok.
I'm happy, you aren't.

 

[JMR]

Ill wait and see how they do against the dolphins and rams before i buy in.

Well sure, but we aren't there yet. All we have is what we've seen in 3 pre-season games, and at least we aren't sitting here wringing our hands about how poor they've looked.

 

[chf]

Only a fool would give him the benefit of the doubt.

bloody fool.

 

[Cave_Johnson]

They've surprised me so far this preseason. Plenty of issues in pass protection but they were able to create a good pocket for Russ on several occasions in the last game. The running game has just been solid all the way around. I guess we'll see for sure week one but right now it looks like they have the potential to be just below average instead of awful. I'll take that.