Here's why people doubt our OL...Titans' youth on offensive line could hold them back

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Orchid

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Jul 28, 2014
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Obert
You can make the same case against the Rams OL. Relatively the same ages & experience levels. Not saying it will play out as a negative but this is the basis for the skepticism as opposed to our unbridled optimism. This is particularly true when you consider that highly successful DL (front 7s) have the ability to bring the rush from the front side as well as the blind side and up the middle. From my perspective we have to do so much better on 1st & 2nd downs. This will come down to our OL either in run or pass blocking. Behind the chains in 3rd down situations is a bad situations with a rookie QB, or any QB.
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http://espn.go.com/blog/tennessee-t...-youth-on-offensive-line-could-hold-them-back

Titans' youth on offensive line could hold them back
Jun 2, 2016
  • i

    Paul KuharskyESPN Staff Writer

NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Could the Titans' offensive line be too young and inexperienced to have big-time success?

Anything can happen, of course.

In the system put together by coach Mike Mularkey, coordinator Terry Robiskie and offensive line coach Russ Grimm, maybe the group fares far better protecting Marcus Mariota and making room for the running backs, now headlined by DeMarco Murray and Derrick Henry.

But it’s going to be a young group without much experience. Vincent Masi of ESPN Stats and Info broke down the 30 most productive offensive lines of the last three seasons.

For 2013, 2014 and 2015, he pulled the five best run-blocking units and the five best pass-protecting units.

He measured the run blocking based on rushing efficiency: the rushing offense's contribution to scoring margin on per-play basis, adjusted for strength of opposing defenses faced.

He measured the pass protection based on ESPN’s metric outlined here.

Those 30 lines started the season in question with an average of 4.1 years of NFL experience, an average of 53.4 games played, an average of 44.8 games started and an average of 0.6 Pro Bowl appearances.

Let’s presume the Titans start left tackle Taylor Lewan, center Ben Jones, right guard Chance Warmack and right tackle Jack Conklin. The left guard will be second-year man Quinton Spain, second-year man Jeremiah Poutasi or rookie Sebastian Tretola.

The most experience the Titans could have with that unit would be an average of two years experience on opening day, 29.4 games, 20.4 starts and zero Pro Bowls.

With those numbers, the Titans would have lower averages in years, starts and games than any of the top 30 lines of the last three seasons.

“We’ve got a lot of talent here, we’ve got a lot of first-round picks,” said Jones, who’s the old man of the group with four years of experience. “It’s great to have that opportunity with these guys that we can build on. To have such a young group who is willing to work and to grind every day, I think it’s a blessing to have that.”

Mularkey said the Titans can’t worry about the composition of the line.

“It is what it is, we’re in that position right now,” he said. “We’ve got a number of high picks up there working, competing for jobs. I don’t know if it’s a negative. I think the negative is if you don’t have the same five over time.

“I see that as more of a negative than the five that are up there. If it’s five young guys and they are there all the time and they’re getting to work together and communicate together, then I think they should be all right.”
 

Elmgrovegnome

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Jan 23, 2013
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And yet, when the Seahawks drafted some Olinemen early in the draft and they performed well enough it was a genius move to build the trenches first.
 

LACHAMP46

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Jul 21, 2013
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Let’s presume the Titans start left tackle Taylor Lewan, center Ben Jones, right guard Chance Warmack and right tackle Jack Conklin. The left guard will be second-year man Quinton Spain, second-year man Jeremiah Poutasi or rookie Sebastian Tretola.

The most experience the Titans could have with that unit would be an average of two years experience on opening day, 29.4 games, 20.4 starts and zero Pro Bowls.
It's not the age of the players...it's the talent level....Chance & Lewan can play....Don't know about Jones and Spain....And I like Poutasi...but ONLY for a OG position...
Consequencly....I like G-Rob_Brown_ errr....barnes_Saffold_Havenstein
and I really like Wichman, Battle, Reynolds, and Williams as backups....Speaking of the Titans...where is that center? forgot his name....I liked him a lot after the combine