According to Some, Our Oline is the Rams Achilles Heel.

[Loyal]

Yesterday, I saw Eric Dickerson on with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe's show, Undisputed. ED said the Rams had an 8 in 10 chance to reach the Super Bowl. Both Skip and Shannon said 4 in 10 and 3 in 10 chance, respectively.

Why?

They didn't trust the old men on our Oline, Whittworth, Saffold, and Sullivan to protect Jared Goff. I've heard one of you say that Whitt's performance tailed off and was a factor in the WC loss to the Falcons (thanks for joining ROD, Pharoh). Do they have a point?

1. Saffold : Just GTFO. He should have been a Pro Bowl guy with his play last year, and was probably the best Rodger Saffold I have ever seen. I see no reason why his play will drop off this year.

2. Sullivan: Old veteran with a lot of wisdom about the position. He calls protections, if memory serves. McVay carefully monitors him and all the veterans for needed rest. Possibly a problem late in the season.

3. Whittworth: his "want to" and his technique are superior, and is also monitored like Sullivan. His value is also in mentoring the young guys and relieving Saffold of that responsibility. Can he tire? Yes. I noticed that he was tired in that Wild Card Game loss. I wonder if there might be a benefit for Noteboom to replace Whitt when the Rams are way ahead in the 4th quarter? I think this might be an answer to the wear and tear of the season on Whit and Sully.

Shannon and Skip didn't mention our rookies and Blythe when discussing the old guys, which is a bad job by them. It was remarked that Austin Blythe's professional growth has been considerable with Whit's help. Jamon Brown will be back in Week 3, and Noteboom could probably start right now if he had to at Guard or Tackle. Demby is probably not as ready, but will be (I think). Brian Allen seems more of a Center and has been described as a mauler. The draft has been exceptional for our Oline, and I think Noteboom will play and be a better LT than most of the guys taken above him in the draft.

The future is bright.

 

[OldSchool]

Let them hate, we can’t change that. It’ll happen again next year when one or two of them are replaced by this years rookies too.

 

[Jacobarch]

Our starting Oline is just as good as anyone in the league. Our backups are questionable yes, but that's every team. So if someone goes down it will hurt but that's on every team. I think Noteboom will get his chances this year and I think he will be a pleasant surprise.

 

[badnews]

Im just saying you cant beat father time with "want to".

No doubt Whit and Sully are badasses who outperformed their age last season. Expecting them to do it again without preparing a contingency plan would be foolish.

By all accounts, both Kromer and Whitworth have been giving constant attention to Noteboom because in the misquoted words of DeMarco Farr, "they knew they needed him to be ready to go early".

 

[JRobinson]

Our starting Oline is just as good as anyone in the league. Our backups are questionable yes, but that's every team. So if someone goes down it will hurt but that's on every team. I think Noteboom will get his chances this year and I think he will be a pleasant surprise.

Agreed here. However, Noteboom won’t be a pleasant surprise, he will be exactly what he displayed in preseason, a starter.

 

[Jacobarch]

Agreed here. However, Noteboom won’t be a pleasant surprise, he will be exactly what he displayed in preseason, a starter.

Agreed.

 

[RamFan503]

Yesterday, I saw Eric Dickerson on with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe's show, Undisputed.

Yeah.... I stopped here.

 

[Loyal]

Yeah.... I stopped here.

Am I chopped liver? ~ ED

 

[RamFan503]

Am I chopped liver? ~ ED

I wouldn’t ignore what ED has to say even though I don’t always agree or like it. But I can’t hit the clicker fast enough when those two appear on my screen.

 

[Ram65]

@LoyalRam "According to Some, Our Oline is the Rams Achilles Heel."


Rams have to be smart about giving them some rest. Whit needs to take it easy when he can. Hopefully, they get some big leads and can rest these guys late in games. Sully isn't that old just turning 33 and Saffold just turned 30. Most teams can't take hits on the O Line. Rams O Line is a strength.

 

[Loyal]

@LoyalRam "According to Some, Our Oline is the Rams Achilles Heel."


Rams have to be smart about giving them some rest. Whit needs to take it easy when he can. Hopefully, they get some big leads and can rest these guys late in games. Sully isn't that old just turning 33 and Saffold just turned 30. Most teams can't take hits on the O Line. Rams O Line is a strength.

Yep. I'm not part of the "Some."

 

[BonifayRam]

Our Ram starting OL only averages 30 yrs old

I'll say this about the Old Guys on our OL??? I see only one OL'er by NFL standards that our LT Andrew Whitworth who is now 36 but will be 37 before the regular season ends. Yes our old warhorse was not as sharp & strong in the last quarter of the 2017 season but even in his slight demished condition he was better than utilizing a Williams or Lucas in his position. This year the Rams drafted two left OT's in Noteboom & Demby. Both these rookies have played well & beat out both of last years reserve OT's. This season the Rams OL will have played worked & produced a excellent blocking OL.

Rams second well seasoned OL is John Sullivan, as pointed out by @Ram65, he is not old for a starting NFL center @ 33 yrs old. Our last outstanding well seasoned Andy McCollum started @center until he was 37 yrs old with 14 seasons, Doug Smith started till he was 36 yrs old & 14 seasons. IMO Sullivan was playing stronger as the season went on & had a outstanding season. Our 3rd oldest OL Rodger Saffold played @ pro bowl level all season.

Last night I watched the 2nd oldest starting LT Jason Peters play an outstanding game. Peters is about 1 1/2 months younger than Whitworth. Peters has played more NFL seasns than Whitworth too. I have not heard any of these sports talking head talking about Peter's demise & that he is ready to be put out to pasture or being weak.

 

[Farr Be It]

Also, I didn’t hear the tone of Bayless and Shannon (Skeeeeeeip) Sharpe, but even 3/10 chance of going to the Super Bowl leaves only 7/10 to split between the Vikings, Eagles, Saints, Panthers, Falcons, Packers, Niners...

Do I have that right?

Not bad. I’d say.

 

[ReekofRams]

Rams second well seasoned OL is John Sullivan, as pointed out by @Ram65, he is not old for a starting NFL center @ 33 yrs old.

Don't forget that Sullivan basically had about two years off because of a back issues, which seems to be in the past. So he's got less wear and tear on his body than someone normally would have from playing football.

 

[tomas]

Our Ram starting OL only averages 30 yrs old

I'll say this about the Old Guys on our OL??? I see only one OL'er by NFL standards that our LT Andrew Whitworth who is now 36 but will be 37 before the regular season ends. Yes our old warhorse was not as sharp & strong in the last quarter of the 2017 season but even in his slight demished condition he was better than utilizing a Williams or Lucas in his position. This year the Rams drafted two left OT's in Noteboom & Demby. Both these rookies have played well & beat out both of last years reserve OT's. This season the Rams OL will have played worked & produced a excellent blocking OL.

Rams second well seasoned OL is John Sullivan, as pointed out by @Ram65, he is not old for a starting NFL center @ 33 yrs old. Our last outstanding well seasoned Andy McCollum started @center until he was 37 yrs old with 14 seasons, Doug Smith started till he was 36 yrs old & 14 seasons. IMO Sullivan was playing stronger as the season went on & had a outstanding season. Our 3rd oldest OL Rodger Saffold played @ pro bowl level all season.

Last night I watched the 2nd oldest starting LT Jason Peters play an outstanding game. Peters is about 1 1/2 months younger than Whitworth. Peters has played more NFL seasns than Whitworth too. I have not heard any of these sports talking head talking about Peter's demise & that he is ready to be put out to pasture or being weak.

Offensive tackle Jackie Slater played his entire 20-year career with the Rams organization.And performed at a high level at the age of 41.

 

[Akrasian]

Offensive tackle Jackie Slater played his entire 20-year career with the Rams organization.And performed at a high level at the age of 41.

Slater was great - but an extreme outlier for longevity. Can't really use him for a standard. Especially since the playing weights during his career were so much lighter than now, which makes it easier on his joints and which means that on average the players he was going up against weren't smashing him quite as hard as players do now. Age 37 at Whitworth's weight listed at 330 vs 277 for Slater and with the size of his competition is extremely impressive.

 

[den-the-coach]

I never care what others say or communicate....One game at a time and as to the offensive line, well, if they stay healthy, I will take my chances and BTW the Los Angeles Rams are coached by the best Offensive Line Coach in the NFL, I bet Bayless & Sharpe did not mention that.

 

[Mojo Ram]

Yesterday, I saw Eric Dickerson on with Skip Bayless and Shannon Sharpe's show, Undisputed. ED said the Rams had an 8 in 10 chance to reach the Super Bowl. Both Skip and Shannon said 4 in 10 and 3 in 10 chance, respectively.

I watched it. It's a dumb angle. Continuity is probably the biggest reason to like this Rams OLine. It's the same line that anchored an elite offense last season.

 

[Akrasian]

I watched it. It's a dumb angle. Continuity is probably the biggest reason to like this Rams OLine. It's the same line that anchored an elite offense last season.

And depth has been improved. Got rid of the weaker backups, kept the better ones, drafted 3 rookies, one of whom looks ready to help now at least.

 

[bubbaramfan]

Whitworth is in great shape and has never had a serious injury. No knee or ankle sprains. He still get to the next level. Sullivans showed no signs of his back bothering him last season. he's still one of the best centers in the league, if not the smartest. Saffold just turned 30, in his prime for 4 or 5 more years. havenstien and Brown going into their 3rd years.
Rams OL is set for a couple more years with these guys.