Why is Step starting at center, he is by far our weakest link!

[cardsunsfan]

Have many of you watched any tape of Step? He is by far the worst starting olineman on our team and may be the worst starting center in the league! Why do they keep playing him?!

Lecky has looked a hell of a lot better than him, and I would take Wells or any alternative to Step. He is bringing the whole line down with his play. He can't protect, he can't run block, he gets no push, and whiffs on his guy continually.

Is Green staying with him because he picked him before Lecky or what? Please someone give me a logical explanation!

 

[BACH]

Have many of you watched any tape of Step? He is by far the worst starting olineman on our team and may be the worst starting center in the league! Why do they keep playing him?!

Lecky has looked a hell of a lot better than him, and I would take Wells or any alternative to Step. He is bringing the whole line down with his play. He can't protect, he can't run block, he gets no push, and whiffs on his guy continually.

Is Green staying with him because he picked him before Lecky or what? Please someone give me a logical explanation!

Step vs. Leckey - Step has a bigger potential, because Leckey is limited by his size. Leckey will never be a long term answer at C, Step couldbe that eventhough Leckey looks better than Step right now.

 

[Duckjake]

Have many of you watched any tape of Step? He is by far the worst starting olineman on our team and may be the worst starting center in the league! Why do they keep playing him?!

Because they couldn't make a deal for Hank Fraley?

Speaking of tape. Watching today brought up a rules question. If a pass is thrown behind the line of scrimmage can the Offensive Linemen be downfield, past the LOS, when the pass is thrown?

49ers had a big gain on a pass to Gore where 2 of their OLine were 3 yards past the los when the pass was thrown.

 

[Goldfield]

I have been saying this for over a year. It is a no brainer move he is VERY weak on run blocking. His guy either makes the tackle or disrupts the play 90% of the time. Unless we completely run away from him.

Get him OFF the field .

My next move which will never happen would be to switch Big & Wells. They would still be playing together not much of a learning curve. But Big would improve the running game as a guard and Wells is a better tackle then he is a guard.

 

[Goldfield]

IMO the goal is to improve the running game. That should be number 1.

 

[cardsunsfan]

Step vs. Leckey - Step has a bigger potential, because Leckey is limited by his size. Leckey will never be a long term answer at C, Step couldbe that eventhough Leckey looks better than Step right now.

How is Step more powerful?! Where do you see this? I see that he is bigger, but there are a lot of big olineman out there. Where is Step's potential you see? Please enlighten me because I don't see it. He has slow feet, he makes poor blocking decision and it seems like he has very little strength for a starting center.

 

[Goldfield]

Step vs. Leckey - Step has a bigger potential, because Leckey is limited by his size. Leckey will never be a long term answer at C, Step couldbe that eventhough Leckey looks better than Step right now.

OMG Step sucks, there is NO POTENTIAL.

Size is not the answer to this question. I have broke down tape of every game for the last few years. STEP is AWFULL. Ask Zack Thomas or Dwight Freeny about size. Size might add to a players game but the player has to have game to begin with. Lecky has a good punch & he neutralizes his guy more often then not. Lecky is ALOT better than Step. Why the coaches have a blind eye to this is beyond me. There is no secret when you watch the tape who is KILLING us on that line...

 

[Goldfield]

How is Step more powerful?! Where do you see this? I see that he is bigger, but there are a lot of big olineman out there. Where is Step's potential you see? Please enlighten me because I don't see it. He has slow feet, he makes poor blocking decision and it seems like he has very little strength for a starting center.

He has no power & he is very slow when it comes to his pulling & getting to his block. Again he is very bad.

 

[cardsunsfan]

Yes he is, and I wouldn't mind Big being a guard again either, it should be all about what gives us the most yards, not who is getting payed the most or who should be good where. I want the most production! We were considered having the worst oline in the league last year, what do we have to lose?

 

[Goldfield]

Thats exactly the point. They have NOTHING to lose. There is only one way to go and it is up form the production they had last year.

Wells, Big, Lecky (or Gorin), Brown, Lewinski

Big is a good OT but he dominates at G. Wells can play OT better than he can at guard. I will be happy as long as we put ANYONE at center over STEP. Be it Lecky, Gorin, The other Brown, even Wakefield!

 

[DeAnna]

I thought I heard (or read) somewhere that Denny is flip-flopping Wells and Lewinsky this week. Oh boy..more o-line experiments.

 

[cardsunsfan]

I thought I heard (or read) somewhere that Denny is flip-flopping Wells and Lewinsky this week. Oh boy..more o-line experiments.

I'm fine with "experiments" but why don't they do the ones that make the most sense?!

 

[ajcardfan]

Thats exactly the point. They have NOTHING to lose. There is only one way to go and it is up form the production they had last year.

Wells, Big, Lecky (or Gorin), Brown, Lewinski

Big is a good OT but he dominates at G. Wells can play OT better than he can at guard. I will be happy as long as we put ANYONE at center over STEP. Be it Lecky, Gorin, The other Brown, even Wakefield!

This week Wells starts at RT and Lewinski is starting at LG.

I don't like all of this juggling. Don't like it one bit. I have no confidence in Wells as a T. He's started two games there, and one of them was one of the all time worst performances I've ever seen a Cards lineman have and that is really saying something.

As for Step, at least he seems to be playing a little bit better from week to week. I think Wells has been the most disappointing player on the line this year by a mile. We gave him a heck of a deal for a G and he's not playing up to it.

 

[ajcardfan]

I'm fine with "experiments" but why don't they do the ones that make the most sense?!

I'd rather see some continuity. I know the coaches have a ton more experience and information than we do. But, when you have a unit that's struggled as much as our oline has it's natural to second guess what they are doing.

 

[cardsunsfan]

Ok I guess by experiment I mean, get Step out there! I admit Wells didn't look like a world beater on tape, but Step is just obvious bad...hard to miss him doing poorly...

 

[daytripper]

My next move which will never happen would be to switch Big & Wells. They would still be playing together not much of a learning curve. But Big would improve the running game as a guard and Wells is a better tackle then he is a guard.[/QUOTE]

HAving Big inside would imo also help whatever center was playing.
It may also reduce or eliminate Bigs false starts.

Problem is we have no LT capable of filling his shoes right now.

I'm still hoping for a blockbuster trade for a LT prior to the trade dealine in Oct.

Gotta go my meds are wearing off

 

[Duckjake]

HAving Big inside would imo also help whatever center was playing.
It may also reduce or eliminate Bigs false starts.

Problem is we have no LT capable of filling his shoes right now.

After watching tons of pressure coming at Warner from outside the right tackle and none at all from the left side tackle position I'd say moving BIGG to Guard would be insane.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

After watching tons of pressure coming at Warner from outside the right tackle and none at all from the left side tackle position I'd say moving BIGG to Guard would be insane.

.... further; anyone claiming they've watched all the tape on Step. over the past two years, would have to include last week. And he actually had quite a good game, in all aspects.

 

[cardsunsfan]

.... further; anyone claiming they've watched all the tape on Step. over the past two years, would have to include last week. And he actually had quite a good game, in all aspects.

So you think he did well in run blocking?

 

[Goldfield]

.... further; anyone claiming they've watched all the tape on Step. over the past two years, would have to include last week. And he actually had quite a good game, in all aspects.

Then you better watch it again... Step wiffed on the first 2 runs of the game then again on the fourth. He is BAD.

 

[Goldfield]

HAving Big inside would imo also help whatever center was playing.
It may also reduce or eliminate Bigs false starts.

Problem is we have no LT capable of filling his shoes right now.

I'm still hoping for a blockbuster trade for a LT prior to the trade dealine in Oct.

Gotta go my meds are wearing off

Wells can play OT. He has the best footwork of the group. He has done solid there b4. He really plays better there because he isnt a roadgrader that you need to be at guard.

 

[Goldfield]

I thought I heard (or read) somewhere that Denny is flip-flopping Wells and Lewinsky this week. Oh boy..more o-line experiments.

I like this idea, as I think Wells makes a better OT then a guard.

But they still need to fix that center position...(Step)

 

[Goldfield]

If they are putting Wells at RT then I wonder what is gunna happen with Ross...

Atleast we have some options with Ross/Gorin/Lutui/Lewinski/Lecky

You would think we should beable to get a descent lineup out of them.

 

[Crazy Canuck]

Then you better watch it again... Step wiffed on the first 2 runs of the game then again on the fourth. He is BAD.

So you keep repeating. And obviously, to your chagrin, Green, the O-coordinator and the O-line coach believe he's their best choice at centre.