The Big 5 !!!

[fearsomefour]

I don't get the Donnal love. the only times I have seen him in real games, he looks like a puny guy by NFL Oline standards...He doesn't seem like a real NFL player to me.

He was ok last year.
Better than either Hav or Brown.
He hasn't been on the field for the new coaches and they kept him, so....

 

[Loyal]

He was ok last year.
Better than either Hav or Brown.
He hasn't been on the field for the new coaches and they kept him, so....

free beer goes a long way...

 

[UtahRam]

If the O-Line fails our season will tank and we will be back again this time next year wondering if Goff has what it takes to be our QB of the future.

 

[CanadaRam]

If the O-Line fails our season will tank and we will be back again this time next year wondering if Goff has what it takes to be our QB of the future.

I agree, if the Oline fails the season will tank.

Disagree though that we will still need to find out about Goff.
If he is not hurt, we will know either way.

 

[Loyal]

If the O-Line fails our season will tank and we will be back again this time next year wondering if Goff has what it takes to be our QB of the future.

I don't think so.. If Goff doesn't show massive improvement, McVay will take steps...this isn't Fisher ball.

 

[UtahRam]

I don't think so.. If Goff doesn't show massive improvement, McVay will take steps...this isn't Fisher ball.

If a QB isn't given any protection and is constantly harrased by the rush how in the world can he improve?

 

[Loyal]

If a QB isn't given any protection and is constantly harrased by the rush how in the world can he improve?

It's a show me league.....everyone outside of this forum and maybe the Rams, thinks Goff is a bust already. It's not fair, but life rarely is.

 

[Zero]

If the left side stays healthy I feel strongly everything will be okay as I have confidence in Havenstein and I'm hoping Brown evolves. I expect the Rams to make at the very minimum one waiver claim today for an offensive lineman, most likely Greco or perhaps Eric Winston if he has anything left.

I think Havenstein will be given a lot help with TE's and backs.

 

[So Ram]

I agree about pass protection, but run blocking is 40% of the game.

His run blocking has improved immensely and I said that right now .
I'll continue this thread until it does not imply anymore.

I know The Rams just signed 2 more offensive lineman Just don't think they are close Being starters.

 

[So Ram]

I thought Brown would be a road grader, meh, and he can't pass block worth crap. DCs are moving their best guys all over the board more than ever. Why bother with their shutdown OLT when your best DE can beat Havenstein at will. HIS FEET ARE TOO SLOW. Nothing's changed since he was drafted other than he's now a marked man.

The good news is they can only improve from your negative view. IMO the right side will be continue to prove Les Snead & The Kromers right.

 

[So Ram]

I'm going to purposefully misinterpret the thread title and name my big 5 in terms of players who must have a high performance 16 game season in order to turn this whole thing around in the win column. In order:

1. Goff
2. Whitworth
3. Gurley
4. Quinn
5. Watkins

1. Well I think you have number 1 right for sure . I think Mannion can handle the offense in case of an emergency .
2. Health plays a huge roll , but from the improvement of Williams, I think he has a real good future. FOR Sure though would be a huge loss. I think his leadership has so much value though.His talent showed as well with just running down Goff's INT .

3. Gurley- means so much because of all the elements he brings. As far as his backups go though. I really like the other 2 guys. Justin Davies vs Dunbar is a question mark ?? --Todd though needs to show what he did his rookie year.
4.Robert Quinn - Man he means so much to the defense. How many games has Donald & Quinn played together ?
Donald's rookie year Quinn was hurt , but made the pro bowl. What is The Rams record with both healthy for a full game ?? At least 3 games over .500.
5.Watkins -- I'd say The WR depth is unbelievable vs. last season . Sammy is just icing. Tavon will be the cherry on top !!

The Big 5 is a nice core of players in
Whit,Saffold,Sullivan,Brown, & Havenstein.
There are moving parts as far as depth , but I'm trusting this will help all the other pieces even work better. If they fall The Rams suffer big time.

 

[So Ram]

I don't get the Donnal love. the only times I have seen him in real games, he looks like a puny guy by NFL Oline standards...He doesn't seem like a real NFL player to me.

Talk to BONIFED he will fill you in. He loves to follow the Offensive Line .

 

[BonifayRam]

I am not ready to give too much positive remarks on this OL yet. I yet to see Gurley do much if anything behind these five yet. Justin Davis looked much better behind the 2nd & 3rd string OL cadre. Lets just see:notsure:. Rams dumped off 3 of of the 5 OL'ers who helped D get those nice runs. We then imported 2 new guys who were cut

 

[So Ram]

I am not ready to give too much positive remarks on this OL yet. I yet to see Gurley do much if anything behind these five yet. Justin Davis looked much better behind the 2nd & 3rd string OL cadre. Lets just see:notsure:. Rams dumped off 3 of of the 5 OL'ers who helped D get those nice runs. We then imported 2 new guys who were cut

 

[BonifayRam]

I don't get the Donnal love. the only times I have seen him in real games, he looks like a puny guy by NFL Oline standards...He doesn't seem like a real NFL player to me.

Over 6-6 & somewhere between 310 & 315 he is not puny with my old eyes. Andrew Donnal has been tasked with playing or starting in four OL positions in his first 2 seasons while dealing with some nagging injuries. AD is much more technician than bulldozer & more OT than OG even though he had played more OG in the NFL.

Last season many here & elsewhere had written off AD & considered him very lucky to make the MR. But his performance in pre season was good & he earned a MR spot. Most had him as the #9 or #10 Rams OL'er when the season opened up. By the bye AD had moved into the top game day relief OL'er. Wk 12 AD found himself starting @ LT early in the 2nd quarter. AD's performance @ LT helped Goff have his best passing game performance in his rookie season. AD held up much better than expected. His By wk @13 AD has beat out & replaced Cody Wichmann @ starting RG early in the game. By wk #14 AD was our starting RG.Wk #16 AD replaced Rob Havenstein @ RT. Wk #17 he started @ RT.

The big unknown to most was AD was battling a bad hip injury but due to ongoing issues with Havenstein, Robinson, Saffold, Wichmann & Brown AD continued to play injured, so bad in fact when the season concluded he had surgery. I really like the play of Andrew Donnal LoyalRam. I think he can be our future starting RT.

 

[Loyal]

Over 6-6 & somewhere between 310 & 315 he is not puny with my old eyes. Andrew Donnal has been tasked with playing or starting in four OL positions in his first 2 seasons while dealing with some nagging injuries. AD is much more technician than bulldozer & more OT than OG even though he had played more OG in the NFL.

Last season many here & elsewhere had written off AD & considered him very lucky to make the MR. But his performance in pre season was good & he earned a MR spot. Most had him as the #9 or #10 Rams OL'er when the season opened up. By the bye AD had moved into the top game day relief OL'er. Wk 12 AD found himself starting @ LT early in the 2nd quarter. AD's performance @ LT helped Goff have his best passing game performance in his rookie season. AD held up much better than expected. His By wk @13 AD has beat out & replaced Cody Wichmann @ starting RG early in the game. By wk #14 AD was our starting RG.Wk #16 AD replaced Rob Havenstein @ RT. Wk #17 he started @ RT.

The big unknown to most was AD was battling a bad hip injury but due to ongoing issues with Havenstein, Robinson, Saffold, Wichmann & Brown AD continued to play injured, so bad in fact when the season concluded he had surgery. I really like the play of Andrew Donnal LoyalRam. I think he can be our future starting RT.

Hey man, I hope you're right. You have watched him more than me, obviously.

 

[Fatbot]

Talk to BONIFED he will fill you in. He loves to follow the Offensive Line .

I am not ready to give too much positive remarks on this OL yet. I yet to see Gurley do much if anything behind these five yet.

This is my feeling as well and glad to see @BonifayRam 's better eye saying it. There just was not enough stage time to evaluate the "big 5", and what little we saw with Gurley was just not great.

My little two cents of what I saw:

- Whitworth: I know everyone loves him and I'm the last one hesitating to worship him. Agreed his pass blocking is pro bowl worthy, but I saw some weird hand placement issues on run blocks that might be flag risks come real games. He didn't do anything wrong per se, but after all the hype I didn't see the wow factor others are seeing.

- Sullivan: actually more impressed with him than Whitworth on pure blocking. He really locks on and seals second level. The only mind-boggling thing is he's constantly blocking down backside ILB, even when the rest of the team is supposedly running outside zone, so the playside MLB is unblocked and just stuffing play after play. I don't get why he's not flowing playside per outside zone theory, too, so I'm concerned that once again we're seeing the Rams try to hybrid around their weaknesses and not all on the same communication/philosophy page.

- Hav & Brown: their struggles have been pretty well rehashed, and I obviously agree they need to step it up now that it gets real.

Last (and in the past was least) is Saffold: he impressed me most in preseason with just overall good, solid play.

 

[So Ram]

This is my feeling as well and glad to see @BonifayRam 's better eye saying it. There just was not enough stage time to evaluate the "big 5", and what little we saw with Gurley was just not great.

My little two cents of what I saw:

- Whitworth: I know everyone loves him and I'm the last one hesitating to worship him. Agreed his pass blocking is pro bowl worthy, but I saw some weird hand placement issues on run blocks that might be flag risks come real games. He didn't do anything wrong per se, but after all the hype I didn't see the wow factor others are seeing.

- Sullivan: actually more impressed with him than Whitworth on pure blocking. He really locks on and seals second level. The only mind-boggling thing is he's constantly blocking down backside ILB, even when the rest of the team is supposedly running outside zone, so the playside MLB is unblocked and just stuffing play after play. I don't get why he's not flowing playside per outside zone theory, too, so I'm concerned that once again we're seeing the Rams try to hybrid around their weaknesses and not all on the same communication/philosophy page.

- Hav & Brown: their struggles have been pretty well rehashed, and I obviously agree they need to step it up now that it gets real.

Last (and in the past was least) is Saffold: he impressed me most in preseason with just overall good, solid play.

Your doubting a pro bowler ? I think he has a great feel for the game.

I'll just let the dust settle for now. Will see how things play out .Just hope they get out of game one in good shape health wise.

 

[Farr Be It]

I don't get the Donnal love. the only times I have seen him in real games, he looks like a puny guy by NFL Oline standards...He doesn't seem like a real NFL player to me.

Yeah but the HAIR. The strength is in his HAIR.

All kidding aside, it has been frustrating seeing the o-line struggles the past decade. As Ram fans we were pretty spoiled through the '70s and '80s with dominant walls, and for a time during the GSOT years. Whitworth fits in well with guys like Dennis Harrah, Tom Mack, Slater, Saul, Pace and Timmerman. Studs. We need to get that right side fixed boys.

 

[BonifayRam]

Yeah but the HAIR. The strength is in his HAIR.

All kidding aside, it has been frustrating seeing the o-line struggles the past decade. As Ram fans we were pretty spoiled through the '70s and '80s with dominant walls, and for a time during the GSOT years. Whitworth fits in well with guys like Dennis Harrah, Tom Mack, Slater, Saul, Pace and Timmerman. Studs. We need to get that right side fixed boys.

Maybe that's what caused him all his trouble with health since OTA's .....AD cut his hair its now right at the collar level.