Interesting, to take one play out of context of all the plays and claim it justifies your claim Blythe is better. You don't show the play where Blythe tries to pull and trips over his own feet and lands on his face. You don't show all the plays Merlin broke down showing Bythe's inability to make blocks on the second level. If indeed they move to a power gap scheme Blythe will be expected to make key blocks on the second level, often against the MLB. Considering Blythe's failure over the past couple of years I don't like that lack of consistency.
It was on Kromer because he stupidly thought Noteboom was ready. When it became clear Joe wasn't he didn't have an answer and left him in there the same as he left Blythe and Havenstein in to get outplayed on the right side. I made the statement that Allen's problem was he was trying to do too much a symptom of poor coaching of fundamentals. The clip shows exactly what I saw not just then but during the season. The entire o-line showed that clearly all year. Their blocking was inconsistent all year due to poor fundamentals in their technique.
Yes, that grade includes Blythe's horrendous play at OG and you think he would be better at Center? Sorry, I don't follow the logic. The center position is a much more difficult position to play. If he couldn't pull and couldn't block at RG how is he going to play center?
You are fine disagreeing with me. I actually don't have a problem with it. The bottom line is that McVay seems to agree with me also. He and Snead agree with what I've been seeing about Blythe as well. They already had Blythe yet the still went out and drafted Allen. When forced to play Blythe at center last year, they didn't re-sign him until Allen was diagnosed with Coronavirus. They re-signed Shelton while they allowed Blythe to walk. Which is why IMO it's not a given that Blythe would start over Shelton if Allen can't go.
You might not like it but it all points to Allen returning as the starting center. I think he will be fine once he returns to form. Just like they didn't draft a starting LT they simply signed Whitworth to a 2-year place holder contract. A contract that will pay him about $19M total if released after 2 years. That is far less per year than the over $16M he got just for 2019. The approximately $9.5M a year average is about what a good LT would receive.
All I'm saying is that all the moves made by the FO indicate they are going to stick with their original plan for the o-line. Which would is:
LT Noteboom
LG Corbett
C Allen
RG Evans
RT Edwards
I said when Edwards was drafted he looked like Havenstein's replacement in 2021 and I think that even more after the contract was rewritten. It still gives them an out after this year. His play at RG will help him when he slides outside. With Allen and Shelton they will have 2 centers mobile enough to get to the second level to execute blocks in the run game. What was significant about Merlin's frame by frame excellent breakdown was the consistent problems with the blocking on the second level. That is coaching. Either the player physically lacks the necessary mobility or the lack of execution comes down to poor coaching of fundamentals. If he lacks mobility why is he playing? Again it's a coaching decision, isn't it?
I'm saying that this o-line has suffered from poor execution and IMO the root cause is poor coaching of fundamental techniques. As well as poor coaching evaluations on the readiness and capabilities of his players.
