O-Line Packages?

[leoram]

My favorite Ram offenses have always featured dominant OLines. They lined up five guys that worked well together as a unit and somehow sustained few injuries. That hasn't been the case in over a dozen years. It will likely not be the case again this year. This has led me to an unorthodox solution.

Defenses regularly rotate linemen to keep them fresh. They change-up DB's based on scheme, down, and distance. A defense is a coordinated effort with defined responsibilities that fluctuate depending on what the offense runs.

Offenses mix running backs, TEs, and receivers based on personnel groupings designed to attack defenses. The one positional group that rarely changes is the OLine due to a need for consistency. Please know I understand these principles as I propose why the 2015 Rams should consider OLine packages this year. The following are the potential benefits.

1. With so many young players on this line, giving them breaks allows the coaches to teach them adjustments during the game.

2. With an emphasis on the run, fresh Bulls can wear down the defense faster.

3. With positional groups, certain plays can be coached to enhance the strengths of the players (say one guard is better at pulling, another executes screens better, one group best at zone blocking while another is a power group).

4. More of the youngsters will get game reps enhancing the overall depth.

While I realize the ideal would be to stick with the best five studs and allow them to grow in the traditional manner, the notion of OLine packages seems almost appropriate with this particular squad.

 

[WestCoastRam]

Hey Leo,

It's creative thinking but I think you highlighted the reason it won't happen. There's so much communication and need to practice in concert together that having different personnel groupings on the oline is pretty prohibitive. That being said, I'll be curious who the 6th guy off the bench is, who we bring in in jumbo packages.

In fact, I was really impressed with our jumbo packages in 2013 and was kinda shocked that we didn't use them more in 2014.

 

[JonRam99]

I love me a good Jumbo package! Watching the Razorbacks go with 1 QB, 1 RB, and 9 OL is a thing of beauty!!! Would love to see Gurley run behind a line like that. Or maybe 6 OL, 2 TE's, 1 QB, a FB, & Gurley.

 

[snackdaddy]

The thing about being a run first team is that run blocking is probably easier for an inexperienced player than pass blocking. It also sets up play action better. The downside is when there are negative plays such as penalties, tackles behind the LOS, ect., it makes it harder to stick with the run. If you get a false start on first down, do you still try and run on first down? A one yard games makes it 2nd and 14. Kinda makes it hard to sell the play action.

 

[GabesHorn]

As an ORT for my full 8 year playing career during the years of running the ball in the Wishbone where you say we are running the ball and we dare you to stop us. I hated we did'nt use our giant recievers to back the defense up at some point in any game.

The top 5 coming out of this awesome camp competition will NEED to play every snap they can get together under every circumstance to become a group that has seen and learned how to deal with all of the defensive attacks thrown at an OL. So many new inside twist qb blitzes that come from everywhere and anyone to get in our QB's face as quick as a "D" can. Middle blitzes are so popular over the outside pass rush and even blitzes between our guard and tackles.

We need our OL to learn how to play zone and Power schemes that allow our OL to pass players off to other players inside out to protect Nick Foles so he can play a full season. Glad Nick is best when he gets rid of the ball the quickest and is more accurate so far stat wise when he gets it out quickest.

Escaping camp without a major OL injury would be a miracle for our Rams as we normally have imploded in this one area. GOD help us this year please. Yes we look like we are setting up to be best by next year but we here are tired of waitin decades and hope the doom and gloom prediction can be upgraded with health and great coaching and going against such great "D" Line players from rep to rep. We need tons of communication so our rookies will not give away as many TELLS that other teams players will exploit. Communication please guys. Not much went on in OTA's from our rookies articles that were very informative afterwards. Boudreau and his Asst. can't teach it all nor see it all.

Building this OL will not be easy to make it as dominant as we here expect it to be with the high draft picks made specifically for size,power,smarts and long uninterrupted playing careers. lets see how it works with two or 3 stud RB's looking for just a crease. Myself I can't wait for camp reports like tomorrow. Plus NO slow starts to this season.

 

[Selassie I]

When I saw this thread's title... I had concern about opening it.

 

[DaveFan'51]

Not a Bad idea, I just don't think it will work. The front 5 need to learn to work together!

 

[ReddingRam]

Hey Leo,

It's creative thinking but I think you highlighted the reason it won't happen. There's so much communication and need to practice in concert together that having different personnel groupings on the oline is pretty prohibitive. That being said, I'll be curious who the 6th guy off the bench is, who we bring in in jumbo packages.

In fact, I was really impressed with our jumbo packages in 2013 and was kinda shocked that we didn't use them more in 2014.

Right ... I mean it might work as in some previous replies have said ... Special circumstances, but working as a unit and familiarity within hte group is key to those units becoming good. The OL is the most like a dance team as you can get ... they have to not only know ... but anticipate each other's next move and response to situations.

 

[leoram]

Again, it's obvious that 5 strong learning together is ideal as long as you know the 5 and that they will stay healthy.

But what if we don't know the best 5? What if ten need game experience to know for sure? Isn't it easier to learn 35 plays a game than 75? Hey, I'm spitballing, i guess we can wait for injuries to integrate guys like Donnal, Wichmann, and Rhaney.

 

[MauiRam]

My favorite Ram offenses have always featured dominant OLines. They lined up five guys that worked well together as a unit and somehow sustained few injuries. That hasn't been the case in over a dozen years. It will likely not be the case again this year. This has led me to an unorthodox solution.

Defenses regularly rotate linemen to keep them fresh. They change-up DB's based on scheme, down, and distance. A defense is a coordinated effort with defined responsibilities that fluctuate depending on what the offense runs.

Offenses mix running backs, TEs, and receivers based on personnel groupings designed to attack defenses. The one positional group that rarely changes is the OLine due to a need for consistency. Please know I understand these principles as I propose why the 2015 Rams should consider OLine packages this year. The following are the potential benefits.

With so little full contact practice time allotted in pads via the latest CBA, the odds of bringing in various O-line packages are pretty much null and void. The ones practice with the ones, the twos with the twos, etc. Coaches across the league lament the lack of practice time allowed to teach on the field of play in full pads with just the starters, let alone the backups.

1. With so many young players on this line, giving them breaks allows the coaches to teach them adjustments during the game.

This year it appears as if we will start the season with at least two and a half rookies. (The half going to Barrett Jones, then Brown and Havenstein.) Add to that the fact that Robinson has only half a season at best starting at LT, and we’ve got a very green line. We will likely have “consistency” issues from the get go.

2. With an emphasis on the run, fresh Bulls can wear down the defense faster.

There is an old adage that pass blocking can be taught, lots of techniques to be mastered etc. Run blocking can be coached technique wise, but the innate ability to simply maul/road grade defenders is something O-linemen are either born with ... or not.

3. With positional groups, certain plays can be coached to enhance the strengths of the players (say one guard is better at pulling, another executes screens better, one group best at zone blocking while another is a power group).

In short yardage/goal line situations, many teams do make substitutions a la jumbo packages etc., but that’s more often than not the exception. Coaches must always decide who the best 5 linemen are, and consistently play them.

4. More of the youngsters will get game reps enhancing the overall depth.

Other than in an obvious blowout, if a game is close/still undecided, the goal is getting the W. Again, coaches are responsible for keeping the best five O-linemen on the field.

While I realize the ideal would be to stick with the best five studs and allow them to grow in the traditional manner, the notion of OLine packages seems almost appropriate with this particular squad.

Every rep taken away from the chosen starters is a break in continuity - particularly with an extremly young group such as ours. There just aren’t enough to go around. As it is, the likely scenario for our very young and green O-line is that they will probably not hit stride/gel until midway through the season - and that’s if they remain healthy.

Lastly, I doubt there are very few NFL teams that have enough O-line depth to make frequent substitutions, as most have enough trouble fielding five good starters.

Your post brings up some interesting points for debate, thanks for posting!