Riley Reiff at Left Tackle

[tpaulus_2]

You keep saying that I said "most teams do that", but you're clearly ignoring the post I made to correct myself on "most".

More of your convenient memory, I suppose...

 

[jdwills126]

Lol, it's not about proving you wrong. Most of us don't feel the need to seek validation via an online fooseball message board.

The argument at hand is centered around your rigid inability to see other's points of view and assimilate that information into your own knowledge bank.

The last 10-12 years saw the rise of the LT as a pass rush thwarting specialist. As such, modern defenses are changing accordingly. With the rise of the spread offense and the NFL turning into primarily a passing league, there's far more opportunity for the defense to rush the passer. Rather than just letting their best pass rusher go one on one against the best pass protector, d-coordinators are moving them around to find advantageous match-ups.

It's like with shut-down CBs: they used to shadow the opposing team's #1 WR. But now WRs are becoming so tall and fast and talented (coupled with increased PI rules) that there's very, very few CBs that can handle them one on one. So, in response, defenses have adapted- most #1 CBs now shadow the opposing team's #2 WR now and shut him down while the #2 CB takes the #1 WR and always gets help via the safety of slot CB double teaming him.

That's where this argument is coming from. The NFL is a fluid, evolutionary league. Things change game to game and especially year to year. Everyone is trying to stay ahead of everyone else.

It's not that the information you're offering is "wrong" per se, but it's not always right, either. I'd say the best pass rushers are much closer to 50-50 on which side they rush from, rather than it being an accepted, stead-fast rule that they always rush from the right side.

Left tackles are key because they protect the QBs blind side (to use Smitty's favorite term), not because they're facing the other team's best pass rusher all game long...

I agree that the game is fluid and ever changing. The LE is usually a right handed QBs blind spot. But with the 3-4 defenses are getting better athletes on the field in the way of OLBs. The LT is somewhat neutralized by the Von Millers of the NFL. Meaning you need a TE or RB help.

The best defenses or defensive players move around. Create mismatches, stunts, blitzes, and it may be the RT of Guard that is getting exploited. So to say the LT is key.....is partially correct. I feel the traditional 4-3 keeps the Left end as the pass rushing specialist more often than not due to the traditional DE can't drop in coverage as often or move inside.

The same way teams are looking for big fast TEs,or big fast Strong safeties it's a trend and I am thinking maybe the Jason Pierre Paul and Ziggy Ansah athletic fast 4-3 DE can become a trend or force that teams cn't handle or figure out for awhile.

 

[tpaulus_2]

I agree J-dub.

It's all about trends, and then countering those trends, which leads to the next trends.

Nobody will disagree that the LT is still the key piece on the o-line, but, imo, it's more because of where plays vs. who he plays against...

 

[jdwills126]

Nobody will disagree that the LT is still the key piece on the o-line, but, imo, it's more because of where plays vs. who he plays against...

Thats the thing. As the 3-4 becomes more relevant.....and I would love to Detroit go to the 3-4 instead of the wide 9, the LT becomes less important.

Interesting trend that I noticed and I think it is directly related to the 3-4 is that the FB is becoming popular again. The FB, the TE that can play out of the backfield, the blocking TE.

 

[RobBase]

This is your brain:

This is your brain on drugs:

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

What I'm saying is that I have the ability to use my feaking brain and go with what I see on the field. The game is far more complex than what an depthchart has to tell you.

I'm not interested in a token list of what side a pass rusher is listed as playing on. I'm going to go with what my eyes tell me, and what I read- and that is that pass rushers are increasingly being moved to wherever they can best be utilized.

i do find it humorous that you say you have the ability to use your brain, yet you spell freaking without the R while doing so. gave me a good laugh.

i have never said a player isn't moved around during the game -- they are. i just said the majority of team use their best pass rushers on the right side.

as i said -- i'm guessing the reason you have yet to provide me with the list of "a lot of teams" who use their best pass rusher on the left side is because there is no such list. i can think of two -- Cameron Wake (Miami) and JJ Watt (Houston) who primarily play on the left side. I missed your post where you amended your comment from "most" to "a lot" of teams, so apologize for that mix up.

 

[RobBase]

Mike please copy and paste/link the rosters you are looking at. Thanks.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

2013 NFL Depth Charts All Teams | Ourlads.com

I think this is the easiest one to look thru, as you don't have to open each team individually. They are all laid out on one page.

 

[RobBase]

Thanks. I just wanted to see what you were seeing.

 

[Mebert]

i guess i have the same qualities as Jim Schwartz, as you guys seem to think he was too stubborn or proud to play Riley Reiff last year.

I told you fisher was a failure because Albert will be the starting LT this year

 

[Thruthefog]

Here's the sentence I read from time to time that makes my eyes roll. "The QB is the most important position on the team, followed by the LT to protect his blind side."

First of all, a team needs two good offensive tackles. It would do no good to have a great LT if your RT can't keep those sub-standard defensive ends that rush from the left side (like J. J. Watt) from harrassing your QB.

Second, it is my opinion (and only my opinion. absolutes aren't my thing) that OT is the 4th most important position on the field.

 

[tpaulus_2]

Nobody will disagree that the LT is still the key piece on the o-line, but, imo, it's more because of where plays vs. who he plays against...

Thats the thing. As the 3-4 becomes more relevant.....and I would love to Detroit go to the 3-4 instead of the wide 9, the LT becomes less important.

Interesting trend that I noticed and I think it is directly related to the 3-4 is that the FB is becoming popular again. The FB, the TE that can play out of the backfield, the blocking TE.

In a vacuum I'd love us to switch to a 3-4. However, we've spent two recent top 15 picks on pass-rushing undertackles, so moving to a 3-4 would render their talents basically moot. With the exception of J.J. Watt most 3-4 DEs are designed to occupy blockers, nit rush the passer. Suh and Fairley would be great at that, but then we're not even coming close to maximizing their skill-set.

But I agree that the 3-4 is a superior defensive scheme.

That last part about the FB/TE that can block perfectly describes the relatively new position of "H-back" which is pretty much a FB/TE hybrid.

Our TE coach has already been referring to Michael Williams as an H-back, so that should make you happy if you're a fan of that kind of player. I like it- he's basically and extra blocker who can be moved all over the field to best thwart the pass rush or open up running lanes.

I know grail has been stumping for a FB for a few years now, so Williams should make him happy I'd think...

 

[tpaulus_2]

Second, it is my opinion (and only my opinion. absolutes aren't my thing) that OT is the 4th most important position on the field.

Are those 4 QB, DE, CB, OT?

That would be my 4 most important...

 

[gvsulaker82]

lions offensive line will struggle mightily this year if they intend to keep it the way it is...

 

[gvsulaker82]

Tpaul and Jason fox hasn't shown anything in four years or whatever and you talk about him like hes a star. I for one am not sure how reiff will turn out although it doesn't look good at this point. Its clearly too early to throw him in at left tackle though as he still needs to develop. Could he be good one day? Sure, I'm not thinking it will happen this year though which leads to serious offensive line problems. Just because someone disagrees with your blind homerism doesn't mean they are wrong. You spend multiple posts attacking miked for his opinions always being right and I can see why. You are the exact same way except you think every player the lions ever sign is the best player in the nfl and will plug in and be a star. The nfl isn't a video game.

 

[gvsulaker82]

muzzer I wouldn't have expected reiff to be playing over backus last season. I don't know why backus gets so much hate, the guy was a solid left tackle for many years. Lions fans will be missing backus sorely this season that's for sure.

 

[gvsulaker82]

trustmeimright, come on man anyone can look at a draft five years ago and be like oh we should have picked that player over Pettigrew. Damn you could say that about every player except the best player drafted that year. In that case just about every year the lions should have picked someone else. Micro is right, hindsight is great.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

............

trustmeimright, come on man anyone can look at a draft five years ago and be like oh we should have picked that player over Pettigrew. Damn you could say that about every player except the best player drafted that year. In that case just about every year the lions should have picked someone else. Micro is right, hindsight is great.

i know -- i just like giving Mayhew a hard time and Pettigrew is one of my least favorite players of all time.

 

[tpaulus_2]

Tpaul and Jason fox hasn't shown anything in four years or whatever and you talk about him like hes a star.

More of your crap? We haven't hardly discussed Fox on this thread, I may have said I think he'll be the starting RT, but that's about it.

I realize that you don't like me because I called you out on the other board, but this shit is getting old. You're becoming my Iffster, and I'm starting to see how Muzzer feels...

Focus on contributing something useful, and stop randomly commenting on this I said that aren't even germane to the current conversation you fawking creeper.

 

[TrustMeIamRight]

TP,

What happened? Are you not going to give me the list of teams who use their best pass rushers on the left side? I've been patiently waiting. I even posted the link of all the teams depth charts on one page, so you don't even have to research anything.