Rams offensive line! Why constantly underwhelming?

[BriansRams]

Honestly! What do other NFL teams know about managing offensive lines, that we don't?
I'll start this out with a couple questions that will make us all think about why our line is bad, every year.


Why is the Dallas Cowboy o-line so good?

Why is nearly every other NFL team's o-line better than ours?


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Can my granddaughter try out for the O-Line? (She owns equipment)

 

[FaulkSF]

Very cute Brian, she's going to be a heart breaker when she grows up!

I think it has more to do with the scheme. Power/Zone blocking scheme. If we resort to a power run game only, it'll help our refrigerators with legs block downhill.

When it gets to zone, there's too many blown assignments/ unblocked players running through. Keep it simple and stupid.

 

[Rambitious1]

Honestly! What do other NFL teams know about managing offensive lines, that we don't?
I'll start this out with a couple questions that will make us all think about why our line is bad, every year.


Why is the Dallas Cowboy o-line so good?

Why is nearly every other NFL team's o-line better than ours?


.
Can my granddaughter try out for the O-Line? (She owns equipment)
View attachment 18247

Bad.....that's why.

Bad........Scheme
Bad........Talent
Bad........play calling
Bad........Coaching
Bad........Depth
Bad........Drafting (also see Talent and Depth)

Basically our O line is a..................

 

[bubbaramfan]

Fact is, most NFL teams are having OL trouble. Vikings, Saints, Seahawks, Chargers, Jaguars, Cardinals all have had trouble with thier O lines.

There are two glaring reasons why OL is getting harder and harder for NFL teams to line up 5 competent guys. The first being most top colleges don't play NFL style offense, they use simplistic plays, with a playbook of only 25 or 30 pages, where the NFL terminology is as huge as the playbooks are as big as a dictionary. The don't see NFL style defenses with disguised blitzes. O linemen coming out of college to the NFL take the longest to develop (beside QB).

The other reason is the latest Collective Bargaining agreement. It placed limits on time of practice and amount of contact players can have with coaches. Used to be players could come in to team facility any time during the offseason to work out, study game film and work with coaches. Not any more. When the next CBA comes up I expect that's an item that will be amended.

Look at the crop of OL coming out this year and you can see the list is short on OL, especially one ready to play LT day one in the NFL.

 

[Merlin]

Lack of accountability. Guys who don't play well don't fear the failure because they keep their jobs, or have, under Fish. GRob sitting was a big deal for that reason IMO, but it came too little too late.

Also I am not sure Fish gave them enough physical practices. This was alluded to and/or rumored from the Rams front office when things went south, and I think there's some truth to it. Young, second and third year guys need those full pad practices and reps.

IMO there is talent on our line. LT is the big question and they need to draft a center for the love of god, but I suspect a new coach is going to be able to turn them around pretty quick.

 

[hotanez]

Fact is, most NFL teams are having OL trouble. Vikings, Saints, Seahawks, Chargers, Jaguars, Cardinals all have had trouble with thier O lines.

There are two glaring reasons why OL is getting harder and harder for NFL teams to line up 5 competent guys. The first being most top colleges don't play NFL style offense, they use simplistic plays, with a playbook of only 25 or 30 pages, where the NFL terminology is as huge as the playbooks are as big as a dictionary. The don't see NFL style defenses with disguised blitzes. O linemen coming out of college to the NFL take the longest to develop (beside QB).

The other reason is the latest Collective Bargaining agreement. It placed limits on time of practice and amount of contact players can have with coaches. Used to be players could come in to team facility any time during the offseason to work out, study game film and work with coaches. Not any more. When the next CBA comes up I expect that's an item that will be amended.

Look at the crop of OL coming out this year and you can see the list is short on OL, especially one ready to play LT day one in the NFL.

I think you make very valid points but I don't think they apply to our players. We have 3 main starter with plenty of NFL experience. The rest are 2 year players and no rookies. I think it's a combination of bad coaching and a very bad offensive system which brings it right back to our awful coaching.

 

[gabriel18]

Total failure to draft or find a left tackle in free agency . Too many to list but a total whiff since Pace .

 

[sjm1582002]

The Oline has be the focus of free agency this year.

I'd be really relieved if the Rams can sign a couple of competent young players who are coming off their rookie contracts.

The more current starters that are relegated to backup roles the better.

 

[12intheBox]

Scheme

And a dash of crappy coaching

 

[LesBaker]

Honestly! What do other NFL teams know about managing offensive lines, that we don't?
I'll start this out with a couple questions that will make us all think about why our line is bad, every year.


Why is the Dallas Cowboy o-line so good?

Why is nearly every other NFL team's o-line better than ours?


.
Can my granddaughter try out for the O-Line? (She owns equipment)
View attachment 18247

OK fine..........she can try out. But 2017 is right around the corner so we need to get her some cheeseburgers. And donuts like the Donut Bros.

Her hands are bigger than Goff's. Can she throw an out with a tight spiral?

 

[BriansRams]

I think it has more to do with the scheme. Power/Zone blocking scheme. If we resort to a power run game only, it'll help our refrigerators with legs block downhill. When it gets to zone, there's too many blown assignments/ unblocked players running through. Keep it simple and stupid.

I'm pretty sure you're correct. I agree that a scheme change is much needed.

But, as far as you know, have we been running a zone blocking scheme every year? Going back how many years?
@FaulkSF

 

[TexasRam]

The Cowboys go from laughing stock to unstoppable. How?

Drafting first round Center Travis Fredrick 31st overall in the 2103 draft when everyone in every draft room laughed at them. Then turned around by adding Zack Martin 16th overall in the 2014 Draft. To add to pro bowl LT Tyronn Smith 9th overall in 2011.

You have to have a commitment to prioritize oline through free agency or the draft.

The Falcons biggest turnaround is arguably due to signing free agent C Mack from Cleveland. He combines with Jake Matthews and Andy Levitre (free agent) to lead the top offense in the NFL.

The Rams have tried to build their oline by adding Bust Greg Robinson to often injured Saffold and plug in some mid and late round picks.

The Rams are doing two things wrong:

1. Failing to prioritize Oline by not spending the right amount of draft or free agency Capitol on Oline. Example drafting Donald over Zack Martin.

2. Missing on draft picks. Grob was a complete miss. The teams scouting well will always rule the NFL.

With no first round draft pick the Rams must hit free agency hard in year 1 of the new regime to start building the oline.

 

[Dieter the Brock]

The Cowboys go from laughing stock to unstoppable. How?

Drafting first round Center Travis Fredrick 31st overall in the 2103 draft when everyone in every draft room laughed at them. Then turned around by adding Zack Martin 16th overall in the 2014 Draft. To add to pro bowl LT Tyronn Smith 9th overall in 2011.

You have to have a commitment to prioritize oline through free agency or the draft.

The Falcons biggest turnaround is arguably due to signing free agent C Mack from Cleveland. He combines with Jake Matthews and Andy Levitre (free agent) to lead the top offense in the NFL.

The Rams have tried to build their oline by adding Bust Greg Robinson to often injured Saffold and plug in some mid and late round picks.

The Rams are doing two things wrong:

1. Failing to prioritize Oline by not spending the right amount of draft or free agency Capitol on Oline. Example drafting Donald over Zack Martin.

2. Missing on draft picks. Grob was a complete miss. The teams scouting well will always rule the NFL.


With no first round draft pick the Rams must hit free agency hard in year 1 of the new regime to start building the oline.

The Rams have addressed and prioritized the Oline position again and again. Where have you been?

GRob #2, to the 2015 draft with Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnel, Cody Wichman, and Isaiah Battle, etc.... Are you telling me we missed on all those players? Maybe there is a reason why Snead still has a job and Fisher doesn't. The accumulation of talent wasn't the issue, it was the development of the players we drafted that's the issue.

Cowboys laughing stock to unstoppable? And you think the reason is the Offensive line?

Well last year the Cowboys sucked, or "laughing stock" as you say, but dude, the Cowboys had the same exact Oline they have this year that they had last year.....What is the difference?

Well this year they have a QB that isn't injured.

And with Zeke they have a RB who can run like DeMarco Murray did behind the same line to great affect in 2014

@Rynie maybe you can shed more light on this?

 

[tempests]

They need a steadying presence. (Haven't had one since Pace). And they need an identity.

 

[BriansRams]

OK fine..........she can try out. But 2017 is right around the corner so we need to get her some cheeseburgers. And donuts like the Donut Bros.

Her hands are bigger than Goff's. Can she throw an out with a tight spiral?

No she can't. And she's already 4 years old! She's no rookie anymore. She might be a bust regarding throwing tight spirals.

I've coached her up. I've run the routes myself countless times, making her practice hours each day in the cold, but she can't get it right. The spirals are not tight. They are always on a rope and hit me right in the chest, but not with a tight spiral. I could yell at her some more but she'd just start crying again and wanting mommy.

 

[Debacled]

The Cowboys for whatever reason have the refs help on their side. Smith is a fantastic left tackle, but hooks guys left and right and hardly gets called for it. One the Elliots TD runs last night for example was another one. # 70 turned the corner, hooked a guy, and tackled him and nobody batted an eye.

Perception of talent sure does give them quite a bit of leeway. They have guys that fit in their system rather than trying to force guys to fit their system.

The scheme here is far from good, and the guys they have aren't progressing like you would like. The threat of the passing game is still nowhere near large enough to make running easier as we've seen all year. Its a collision of a bunch of issues, and its much more complex than just dumping the OC/O-line coach. The line itself is still quite young as well, and can still get better. There isn't enough seasoning/talent around them to hide them though.

 

[LumberTubs]

The scheme as far as the O line is concerned has been mentioned a few times but good coaches work around their team's deficiencies.

The Seahawks haven't had a decent O line for ages but it doesn't seem to stop them succeeding. They game plan/scheme around it to minimise the problem.

Seahawks might not be the best example to use cus they've got a mobile QB which makes a huge difference but the overall point stands.

 

[Faceplant]

GRob #2, to the 2015 draft with Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnel, Cody Wichman, and Isaiah Battle, etc.... Are you telling me we missed on all those players?

Unfortunately....it is a very real possibility.

 

[TexasRam]

The Rams have addressed and prioritized the Oline position again and again. Where have you been?

GRob #2, to the 2015 draft with Rob Havenstein, Jamon Brown, Andrew Donnel, Cody Wichman, and Isaiah Battle, etc.... Are you telling me we missed on all those players? Maybe there is a reason why Snead still has a job and Fisher doesn't. The accumulation of talent wasn't the issue, it was the development of the players we drafted that's the issue.

Cowboys laughing stock to unstoppable? And you think the reason is the Offensive line?

Well last year the Cowboys sucked, or "laughing stock" as you say, but dude, the Cowboys had the same exact Oline they have this year that they had last year.....What is the difference?

Well this year they have a QB that isn't injured.

And with Zeke they have a RB who can run like DeMarco Murray did behind the same line to great affect in 2014

@Rynie maybe you can shed more light on this?

The Cowboys have invested 3 1st round picks in oline. The Rams have invested 1 first round pick. That's why we see what we see on the field. Zeek has massive massive holes to run through. Compare that to Gurley who has guys in his face the moment he gets the ball.

Mid to late round picks statistically don't often make the team or start for that matter.

The Cowboys made a commitment to drafting oline man with their 1st round picks and then scouted well.

The Rams used 1 first round pick and scouted him horribly then reached for lineman in later rounds that most scouts viewed as non impact players or non starters.

Again, the Rams could have Matthews and Zack Martin right now if they scouted well and prioritized Oline.

We have made our bed and now we have to lay in it.

Building an oline can be done rather quickly if you have a commitment to it. That's the good news.