Step isnt the answer....

[LVCARDFREAK]

Like i tried to warn this board last week, Alex Steponavich is not, nor ever will be the savior for this oline. I read so many comments at how drastically improved this oline will be once Step gets back.

You were placing your entire oline hope on a guy who has been average at best the past two years and at times downright awful. Do I think he can be a decent center? Yes, but as of right now he is not. He missed block after block yesterday and held on the ones he didint miss.

I like Green a great deal and have never said a bad word about him. I agreed with his move of Anquan to the outside, I agreed with him cutting Kendal b/c he didnt buy into Greens philosophy. I turned a blind eye when Solomon and Hargrave were hired, when Wiley was fired, and when Lindsey was promoted from, what, 3rd string to the oline coach? I didnt balk at Clement or Shelton being cut or that we couldnt get Travis Henry pried away from a Buffalo team that didnt want him.

But honestly believeing that this team can be playoff caliber when you are starting a offensive guard who, up until the last week or so of camp, was being called by beat writers as "struggling", an average second year center, and a 6th round pick guard in Wells who has shown ability matching, well his 6th round pick status,

This oline is a disaster and has been created , in some part, due to Greens inability to see value in guys drafted OTHER than the ones he hand picked himself. IN hindsight I can still live with the Kendall cut as I know it was done for a lockerroom reason, but the cutting of Shelton is still beyond me. Especially with the little depth this team has right now.

This oline is a disaster and the whole mess has to be layed at the feet of Dennis Green.....

 

[duckfallas]

Yep. Denny is wallowing in his own creation right now.

 

[Rocco]

Anyone else here thinking that Wells looks like a natural center? He can already shotgun snap and he's smart and pretty quick. I'm tired of watching linebackers running around free because our centers can't get to the second level on time.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

What's the question?

If it's whether Step is better than the 4 guys who preceeded him over the past number of weeks; then the answer is "YES" Step is the only answer available to us.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

What's the question?

If it's whether Step is better than the 4 guys who preceeded him over the past number of weeks; then the answer is "YES" Step is the only answer available to us.

More of a comment that Step doesnt solidify this line like so many thought he would. The interior of this line is in shambles and some accountability needs to be placed at Greens feet!

 

[Pariah]

I'd really love to see a shakeup like this if we don't see improvement next week:

LT: Big
LG: Brown (or Ross)
C: Step
RG: Ross (or Brown)
RT: Wells

Or, better yet:

LT: Big
LG: Brown (or Ross)
C: Step
RG: Ross (or Brown)
RT: Verba

 

[40yearfan]

More of a comment that Step doesnt solidify this line like so many thought he would. The interior of this line is in shambles and some accountability needs to be placed at Greens feet!

The way I looked at it yesterday was that the pressure on Warner came exclusively from the right side of the line. It did not come up the middle like it did last week.

 

[duckfallas]

I'd really love to see a shakeup like this if we don't see improvement next week:

LT: Big
LG: Brown (or Ross)
C: Step
RG: Ross (or Brown)
RT: Wells

Or, better yet:

LT: Big
LG: Brown (or Ross)
C: Step
RG: Ross (or Brown)
RT: Verba

LT: Big
LG: Wells
C: Step
RG: Leckey
RT: Ross or Brown if Ross continues to play this poorly.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

The way I looked at it yesterday was that the pressure on Warner came exclusively from the right side of the line. It did not come up the middle like it did last week.

I saw it differently. Kennedy had a field day int he backfield and all those holding calls on Shipps run and in the 4th quarter were on Step, Wells, and Brown.

Brown was just awful yesterday missing block after block. I can almost forgive him b/c he shouldnt be starting but someone should be held accountable.

 

[clif]

The way I looked at it yesterday was that the pressure on Warner came exclusively from the right side of the line. It did not come up the middle like it did last week.

Realistically.. how much improvement could have been expected from a guy playing his first game of the year with a wrap on his hand? I thought Step played well enough to win.

from 31 to 82 yards rushing.

 

[duckfallas]

Or maybe it is time to give Wakefield a shot at RT? Could he be any worse than Ross?

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

LT: Big
LG: Wells
C: Step
RG: Leckey
RT: Ross or Brown if Ross continues to play this poorly.

Thats a scary combo moving Brown out to RT. Think he struggles at guard? wow! I am down with the rest of the line.

 

[ajcardfan]

I don't remember anyone calling him a "savior" and that the line would be drastically better. If they did, I agree that was foolhardy. Most people said the line should play a little better and that they did. Such as it was.

 

[duckfallas]

Brown was just awful yesterday missing block after block. I can almost forgive him b/c he shouldnt be starting but someone should be held accountable.

That is pretty much what I've been saying about Brown since the end of preseason. I like how Brown plays once he gets into a block. He's strong and physical. But he needs a year in practice and on the sideline to learn the mental part of the NFL game. Leckey has that.

 

[Pariah]

Or maybe it is time to give Wakefield a shot at RT? Could he be any worse than Ross?

Yeah, he could be. Wells is a natural T, IMO and Ross is a natural G. Switch 'em.

Brown isn't a T, so we shouldn't even think about that....and if it gets to the point that we have to start Wakefield, well, the guy is a real competitor but this is the NFL and 99% of the athletes can't switch positions on the same side of the ball much less switching from D to O, so I really don't hope we have to find out if Wakefield can (because as much as I like him, I don't think he can do it successfully).

 

[Russ Smith]

LT: Big
LG: Wells
C: Step
RG: Leckey
RT: Ross or Brown if Ross continues to play this poorly.

Brown has never played tackle since HS, I think it's a stretch that he can just move over and play RT better than Ross.

Now if we had a backup RT who had experience we'd be able to start him and move Ross to guard, but we don't, they got cut.

 

[conraddobler]

Realistically.. how much improvement could have been expected from a guy playing his first game of the year with a wrap on his hand? I thought Step played well enough to win.

from 31 to 82 yards rushing.

Clif, now I know how the Iraqi information minister felt...

LOL, it's a lost cause for now, they are rightfully pissed and we aren't going to change that, heck they might be right, it might be all screwed up but honestly I don't feel that way.

 

[duckfallas]

Thats a scary combo moving Brown out to RT. Think he struggles at guard? wow! I am down with the rest of the line.

If I had to choose between Brown or Ian Allen, I'd stick Brown at RT. Ian Allen hasn't shown me a thing. Brown has the physical tools to play RT but he'd continue to make mental mistakes just like he is at RG. I'd rather see Brown get some OTJT than see Allen in there.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

That is pretty much what I've been saying about Brown since the end of preseason. I like how Brown plays once he gets into a block. He's strong and physical. But he needs a year in practice and on the sideline to learn the mental part of the NFL game. Leckey has that.

You learn mental toughness by going through the ups and downs yourself, not by watching others do it.

Green toughens up his rookies by putting them in a position to either fail or succeeed early. He doesn't mother them... he demands commitment and maturity from the start.. and - I agree with his approach.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

I don't remember anyone calling him a "savior" and that the line would be drastically better. If they did, I agree that was foolhardy. Most people said the line should play a little better and that they did. Such as it was.

Savior , yes I repeat Savior!

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

If I had to choose between Brown or Ian Allen, I'd stick Brown at RT. Ian Allen hasn't shown me a thing. Brown has the physical tools to play RT but he'd continue to make mental mistakes just like he is at RG. I'd rather see Brown get some OTJT than see Allen in there.

I dunno, maybe, but Brown has never played Tackle has he? I mean that is quite a step from guard to tackle. I also am not of the notion that benching Ross at this point does anything for us. He has not played well but he has also gone up against a pretty good combo of DE's in Strahan and Little.

Honestly I am much more conerned with Brown and Wells.

 

[LVCARDFREAK]

You learn mental toughness by going through the ups and downs yourself, not by watching others do it.

Green toughens up his rookies by putting them in a position to either fail or succeeed early. He doesn't mother them... he demands commitment and maturity from the start.. and - I agree with his approach.

Why I generally agree with this approach Brown has just been awful. He has been slow coming out of his stance and been schooled by DT's that are average at best. If he continues to "learn mental toughness" this way, we are in for a long ass season"

 

[duckfallas]

You learn mental toughness by going through the ups and downs yourself, not by watching others do it.

Green toughens up his rookies by putting them in a position to either fail or succeeed early. He doesn't mother them... he demands commitment and maturity from the start.. and - I agree with his approach.

I agree with this approach too, if they are really ready to play. Last year, Dockett and Dansby were ready to play. Step was not ready to play and it hurt the offense. This year Green is doing the same thing with Brown.

Rolle is the only rookie drafted last spring who looks ready to start, IMO.

 

[SunCityCarl]

Hey our OL does look awful, but everytime the "experts" talk about O-Line play they bring up consistency. So I guess what I'm asking is when are they (Card's Staff) gonna say "OK you five guys are starting here for the season." and those 5 guys whomever they are work their butts off to "create" a unit? (better late than never) Also how well does this bode for Everett Lindsay as OL coach? Very depressing to be 2 games in & have 1 offensive TD from our "explosive" (Denny's word) offense.

 

[spanky1]

LT: Big
LG: Wells
C: Step
RG: Leckey
RT: Ross or Brown if Ross continues to play this poorly.

duckfallas,

Here you go again trying to turn Brown into a RT and Leckey into a OG. Give it up.......Brown is not a T and Leckey is not a G.