Can we give some credit to the tackles?

[PoolBoy]

Levi Brown and Mike Gandy really stepped it up against the Giants. They get blasted when they play below average, but ignored when the play well.

 

[Shogun]

Absolutely not.

 

[ASUCHRIS]

Not a chance. We win in spite of them, not because of them.

 

[dogpoo32]

Two worst players starting.

 

[Carddan]

I can. They are part of the team. It is the "team" that has won three games in a row and beat the Giants. The schemes and game calling depend on them. They have to play more 1RB, 4WR sets than any other tackles in the league. (that means no TE and no FB to help with blocking) A "team" is only as good as it's weakest link. This team is good, the weakest link is strong.

 

[MadCardDisease]

Levi Brown was a big part of the reason Hightower fumbled the ball early in the game. He didn't even get a hand on his guy who hit Hightower from behind.

 

[82CardsGrad]

No way on Brown. He sucked. He sucks. And he will suck...

As for Gandy, I have to say that he did a tremendous job on the Hightower TD in the 3rd quarter. In fact, the entire line was awesome, but Gandy in particular absolutely blew up his guy!

 

[Buckybird]

Levi, no freaking way!!! The guy sucks & I will never forgive him for being on the team instead of #28 in purple. Levi plays the game with no emotion & no effort what so ever.

 

[Dr. Jones]

I love this.... They are the weakest links. !!! LOL!!!!

 

[PoolBoy]

Levi Brown was a big part of the reason Hightower fumbled the ball early in the game. He didn't even get a hand on his guy who hit Hightower from behind.

Hightower was wrapped up for 3 damn seconds before he dropped it. That fumble is on Hightower.

I'm not saying these guys are the best tackles in the world, but they both had a solid game.

 

[az1965]

Levi did not have a solid game...

 

[Jasper]

Well out of the entire oline I think Sendlein and Lutui are the most stable. I am happy with both playing on our team. Wells has his ups and downs. Nothing special this season. Gandy can pass block but same as Wells nothing special run blocking. Levi is a liability in pass blocking. He commits the most penalties of anyone on this team (fact) and gets beat so easily during a speed rush to the outside of his shoulder. Problem is we have so much of our cap with our QBs, and receivers we can't really upgrade our oline. Oh help us if 1 member on our oline gets injured and is out for a few games. We have no depth as is.

 

[Stout]

Hightower was wrapped up for 3 damn seconds before he dropped it. That fumble is on Hightower.

I'm not saying these guys are the best tackles in the world, but they both had a solid game.

And how did he get wrapped up? Because Levi Brown let a man walk untouched into the backfield and the play blew up! There's no excuse for Hightower fumbling, but there's equally no excuse for any NFL player for whiffing that badly on a block. Levi certainly didn't have a solid game.

 

[splitsecond]

i counted at least 4 major errors by levi, and those were just the obvious ones that i paid attention to before I was 5 beers deep

 

[Carddan]

I don't see the coaches putting anyone else in there. Either everyone criticizing Levi Brown knows more than the coaches, or there is something the coaches know that you are missing. I'm trusting the coaches on this. We are only 4-2, but we do have a three game winning streak and just played a very impressive game on Sunday night. We do need to continue to improve as a team. I'm moving on to more positive subjects as long as our winning streak continues.

Just one more thing: be careful throwing Levi under the bus...it might stop the bus.

 

[Catfish]

CarDan, I am with you on this one. TRUE, they are the tackles with the worst stats in the league, BUT, no other tackles have been asked to do what these two do. To top it off, Levi is playing out of position, just like Leonard Davis was when he was here.

If you don't think that it makes a difference, then try coming out of a 3 point stance using the left hand down if you are a rightie, or the opposite if you are a lefty. He was selected to be on Leinart's blind side, (not Warner's blind side).

Secondly, Levi was taken to be a roadgrader, (one that hasn't really been used, since we are a pass, pass, pass, machine). Because of this he doesn't really get to play to his strengths.

The bottom line is, MOST OF THE LEVI HATERS-------HATE HIM BECAUSE WE TOOK HIM INSTEAD OF #28. That is NOT Levi's fault, and no amount of performing would EVER change your minds about that fact. Linemen, when they do play well, are never heard from. Those of you who look for the positive all the time, see what #28 is putting on the board for the VIkes and automatically hate on Levi because no one is hearing about him.

Most of you who are hating on Levi, hated on Leonard Davis when he was here. Once put into his proper position, he became a Pro-Bowler. He never had a chance here, and Levi probably won't either. Sad to say but too true in my opinion. Yes it is my opinion, but I am entitled to it, and at least I have considered the other side of this story before I formed it. Can you say the same??????

 

[Stout]

I don't see the coaches putting anyone else in there. Either everyone criticizing Levi Brown knows more than the coaches, or there is something the coaches know that you are missing. I'm trusting the coaches on this. We are only 4-2, but we do have a three game winning streak and just played a very impressive game on Sunday night. We do need to continue to improve as a team. I'm moving on to more positive subjects as long as our winning streak continues.

Just one more thing: be careful throwing Levi under the bus...it might stop the bus.

It's not necessarily that we think the coaches are missing something. I personally don't think we have much of a choice. People might say that House can't be worse, but he's a rookie that had questions as to his athleticism. All we have heard of Keith is that he's raw but shows awesome potential. As bad as Levi is, and he is horrendous, I don't know that we have a replacement on our roster that's ready yet.

 

[Shogun]

Catfish, I don't hate Levi because of Peterson, I hate Levi because he's mediocre AT BEST, hasn't shown much of improvement since he was drafted despite being our OL Guru's pet project. We all knew that Brown wasn't drafted for his pass blocking, but I would like to think that in one's third year playing the position the light would come on and there would be some improvement, but there hasn't.

The Leonard Davis comparison falters for one reason - Davis was a guard and we forced him into a tackle. Levi was drafted as a tackle prospect and has floundered so far, but the problem is that he hasn't shown the consistency that would allow me to have the faith in him to succeed on the left side or at guard. If he can't handle team's second best defensive end on a regular basis, what makes you all think he can handle a defense's best pass rusher if he's put back at his natural position considering pass blocking still isn't his strong point?

 

[jw7]

The bottom line is, MOST OF THE LEVI HATERS-------HATE HIM BECAUSE WE TOOK HIM INSTEAD OF #28.

No, the people that are down on Levi are because of his stupid false starts and turnstile pass protection.

The Cards were not the only team that passed on #28, several others are kicking themselves as well. He had an injury history and the Vikes were the team that took the risk and it paid off. No looking back.

 

[Buckybird]

Catfish, I don't hate Levi because of Peterson, I hate Levi because he's mediocre AT BEST, hasn't shown much of improvement since he was drafted despite being our OL Guru's pet project. We all knew that Brown wasn't drafted for his pass blocking, but I would like to think that in one's third year playing the position the light would come on and there would be some improvement, but there hasn't.

The Leonard Davis comparison falters for one reason - Davis was a guard and we forced him into a tackle. Levi was drafted as a tackle prospect and has floundered so far, but the problem is that he hasn't shown the consistency that would allow me to have the faith in him to succeed on the left side or at guard. If he can't handle team's second best defensive end on a regular basis, what makes you all think he can handle a defense's best pass rusher if he's put back at his natural position considering pass blocking still isn't his strong point?

add to that he seems to get worse every year

 

[Shogun]

I will be the first to acknowlege that our tackles have some of the worst stats in the league, but Levi as drafted to cover Leinart's blindside, and be a road grader,-----NOT to cover KW's blind side and constantly pass block on an island. Leonard Davis was put in the position of playing out of position the entire time he was here, and was hated too. He became a pro-bowler though when he moved to a new team and his natural position on the line.

I don't understand this argument. Levi Brown is not covering Warner's blindside, nor has he ever been.

 

[Catfish]

Catfish, I don't hate Levi because of Peterson, I hate Levi because he's mediocre AT BEST, hasn't shown much of improvement since he was drafted despite being our OL Guru's pet project. We all knew that Brown wasn't drafted for his pass blocking, but I would like to think that in one's third year playing the position the light would come on and there would be some improvement, but there hasn't.

The Leonard Davis comparison falters for one reason - Davis was a guard and we forced him into a tackle. Levi was drafted as a tackle prospect and has floundered so far, but the problem is that he hasn't shown the consistency that would allow me to have the faith in him to succeed on the left side or at guard. If he can't handle team's second best defensive end on a regular basis, what makes you all think he can handle a defense's best pass rusher if he's put back at his natural position considering pass blocking still isn't his strong point?

I'm not saying you hate him because of Peterson, but there ARE some on this board who do. I have no sympathy for them. They are just HATERS.

You have produced reasons for your stand, and thus in my mind you are justified in your position. You are entitled to your opinion, just as I am in mine. As for consistancy, some would say that he has been consistantly been bad. I don't agree with that, but I would not be one who would dispute your claim about not playing or performing consistantly well. I agree with that-----just saying that there are some reasons for that in my opinion. MAYBE HE WILL NEVER GET IT IN THIS LEAGUE, but I believe that at this point in his career, we can't yet conclude that. He has NOT YET been put into a position to where he can excell. (Look at Alan Branch by comparison-----he was ALWAYS asked to play NT). Look what he has done since they asked him about playing DE, and how he has performed. Levi has NOT YET been put in the position of playing on the Left Side, nor has he been asked primarily, (or at least equally), to be a road-grading run blocker. Those two moves JUST MIGHT be the ones that trip his lever. WE don't yet know that, so I will hold judgement on him until we give him that chance, (which should come when Leinart takes over this team). Till then I won't call bust.

Hey Doug,----- I know you read these posts. I also know that you are an old O-Lineman. I would really like to hear what you have to say about this topic. With leverage and angles being such a big part of a lineman's advantage, how much does it hurt a guy to play him out of position or on the wrong side of the line.
WE all respect your opinion and would like to hear it----------

 

[Shogun]

Bringing up Alan Branch is a good point.

This could end up an unfortunate situation for Brown seeing as he's just a bad fit for our pass-heavy offense and I don't see that philosophy changing in the immediate future, regardless of all their 'Steelers West' talk.

 

[Catfish]

Bringing up Alan Branch is a good point.

This could end up an unfortunate situation for Brown seeing as he's just a bad fit for our pass-heavy offense and I don't see that philosophy changing in the immediate future, regardless of all their 'Steelers West' talk.

I don't either, but O-linemen are long-time career people generally. This team is not just being built for KW. It is also being readied for Leinart, AND when that happens, Levi will most likely still be very servicable. Meanwhile, if they just give both our tackles SOME help along the way, both can take us where we want to go. We did not lose the SB last year because of our OT play--------we lost it because we gave up a TD/Pick-6 on the last play of the first half, and because we didn't keep the pedal to the metal on the late drive by the Stillers. Clancy's choice of D, (the prevent), only prevented us from stopping their late drive for a score. You notice he is not here anymore. For some reason, Levi and Gandy are.

 

[Catfish]

I don't understand this argument. Levi Brown is not covering Warner's blindside, nor has he ever been.

Sorry about that Shogun------I misspoke. I meant Leinart's front side and Warner's front side. The rest is accurrate though.

As far as pass blocking is concerned with Leinart at the helm, Levi is a natural----- moving to his left, not to his right. That is his natural position, and he has help to the inside when playing LT. When played on the right, he has help inside, which is already his strength. He has virtually none to his right, (or outside) which is his weakness, and is where he gets beat most of the time with speed rushers. That would change with Leinart at the helm.