Falcon's O line

[DrReality]

Given that they are saying we are going to be a run oriented team and that we will likely have a new QB, the O line seems to hold out future in their hands. Curious what you guys think lies ahead. The press I've read sounds surprisingly upbeat, and I guess we'll find out more after the next two games. Here's a bit from the AJC:

While upstart guard Harvey Dahl and tackle Tyson Clabo make up a nasty right side of the offensive line, the coaching staff is eager to see the veteran tandem of guard Kynan Forney and tackle Todd Weiner in action. Weiner is nearly fully recovered from major knee surgery but might not play much this preseason. Forney has been bothered by knee tendinitis this week. Forney needs to get going because he’s in the last year of his contract and it will be hard to justify retaining a backup guard at $2.95 million

[Gray Mule]

Still a long way to go. Cuts coming after tonight's game. Some players still not ready to play,

as the AJC noted.

Should be a great, interesting game tonight as many players face the fight of their NFL life.

:thumbsdownsmileyanim:

[mattlanta]

I won't be able to watch the game tonight, so... like the last preseason game, I won't be able to watch it until a couple days later. From what I can tell from the preseason sessions and preseason games, our offensive line is doing much better than anyone hoped. I'm sure the coaches are even more impressed. I didn't think they'd play that well in their first preseason game. Sam Baker had a pancake on that one guy, and he brought him down hard! That's hard-nosed football... if we can stay healthy up front, we will be a team that wins at least five or six games.

[EazyRoc]

Sam Baker has been good tonight. I'm starting to understand why we traded up to get him.

[DrReality]

had a scare for a moment when the kid from Syracuse went down for a minute. Diidn't look too bad.

[PlayaPat420]

our line (offensive and defensive) will be the death of us...

[frosgrim]

The O-line really doesn't look bad at all. In fact, at times, they look really good. Weiner will play Friday night's game, but I like what Clabo is providing. I don't Weiner is nearly as good in the running game as Clabo, but Wiener is a better pass blocker.

In terms of Forney, looks like its time to cut bait. Guy was really good until the last year and a half or so. Not sure what happened but he's not the same player that he was.

Somewhere, someone mentioned moving Forney to center, and I wouldn't mind seeing that at all.

In terms of the D-line, it is attrocious. Next season the front office will have to do a tremendous amount of work fixing it. Jamaal Anderson looks pretty much like a bust now. He just doesn't get it. Did anyone see Coach Smith pulling Jam98 over after one searies and giving him an earful? The coaches seem to have given up on Jam and that is a BAD sign. The DT are horrible as well. What really sucks about having a bad D-line is that the young corners the Falcons have are going to be torched due to the lack of a pass rush and not due to the CBs and S' inability to cover. No one can cover for 6 seconds like opposing qbs are going to have with this line.

[coachx]

our line (offensive and defensive) will be the death of us...

Forney is just not "nasty" enough and too undersized to play guard in a straight ahead run blocking scheme where you need size and strength. He excelled in the old zone blocking scheme where smarts and quick feet were essential. He is just the wrong player for the new blocking scheme with Turner at RB.

Fornery probably would make a better center if he has the smart to play it. However, we already have McClure who is a sold center though undersized at 285 lbs and battling an injury. I agree that crosstrainig Forney to play center barring injury would be wise.

Sam Baker is looking real impressive for a rookie. His weakness was reported to be blocking into the 2nd tier of defenders but I have seen him do that quite well. His hands in pass blocking are as good as advertised.

Hopefully Blaylock will be a bulldozer at guard. He looks the part. Hopefully he is condition to sustain it through the season.

I love what Clabo is doing with run blocking at RT. He held the point of attack on both of Michael Turner's runs last week that were 40-60 yards. Weiner has his work cut out of for him if the starting position has to be earned and not given away.

Edited August 21, 2008 by coachx

[mattlanta]

I'm very disappointed in Jamaal Anderson as well. However, I wouldn't even mention the word 'bust' yet. Every one was saying how much they wanted to get rid of Roddy White before his third year (when an offensive minded coach came into Atlanta), and he broke out, and now, he's one of our best players. I think Mike Smith can help him improve a lot, and it looks like we'll have to grind our teeth while we wait for him to mature.

The defensive line is also disappointing. John Abraham didn't play week two, and most of our pass rush comes from him. However, they didn't do as bad as it seemed week two because Sorgi is a pretty mobile quarterback, so it's not like we couldn't even get to a quarterback as immobile as Bledsoe or whatever.

Offensive line is tremendous so far. Baker looks like a great pick. We look very good in run blocking, and we definitely get a good push in the LOS with Mughelli as our FB.

So it looks like our rookie class is actually pretty good this year regardless of how many fans bitched and whined about our draft last year. I knew it was just a matter of trust. We need to trust in Dimitroff and Smith for them to do the right things to bring this team towards the playoffs in the future. Just takes patience IMO. We'll definitely experience the 'growing' pains of this very, very young team.

[LOL_Hawks]

The offensive line is on its way to being decent. For once, they're healthy and may not be as bad as most people think they will be (as is the case with the team, IMO.). If they can be decent and make some holes, Mughelli will help to bust some holes open, and with our RBs, they only need the slightest of a hole to break through and gash a defense. So our O-Line basically just has to be decent, not great.

On the other hand...the defensive line, especially at DT, is ATROCIOUSLY bad. Grady Jackson and John Abraham are the only guys keeping our d-line from being mistaken for an XFL d-line. So that's what I'm really worried about: Our pass rush is going to be terrible, so the secondary and LB will have to step their game up in pass coverage.

[DrReality]

Considering the O line has changed schemes and is expected to play nasty, they've done great. I don't expect Turner to break runs like he did last week all the time, but it definately shows his potential. If they can get him some yards and Ryan can read defenses for short passes, the offense could be OK. We need to run the ball to keep the defense off the field.

[frosgrim]

I'm very disappointed in Jamaal Anderson as well. However, I wouldn't even mention the word 'bust' yet. Every one was saying how much they wanted to get rid of Roddy White before his third year (when an offensive minded coach came into Atlanta), and he broke out, and now, he's one of our best players. I think Mike Smith can help him improve a lot, and it looks like we'll have to grind our teeth while we wait for him to mature.

I was really hoping that Anderson would show me something with all the extra work that he's had one-on-one with coaches and Chuck Smith, but so far he's still increadibly slow off the line, has no understanding of how to use his arms to disengage from blocks and overall he just looks overmatched. Maybe he's thinking too much instead of just pinning his ears back and going in, but I see nothing in the kid right now that makes me believe he'll amount to much.

Bierman, on the other hand, looks like a pure motor guy. Anderson really needs to watch Kroy and copy what he does. Just go, don't think, don't try silly hand games, just go and use leverage to get around the slower tackles. I would like to see Kroy get a significant number of snaps in tonight's game. He's been very good in creating pressure against the #2 guys, I want to see what he can do against a starting calibre RT.

[DrReality]

The first half of tonight's game should give us a preview of what is to come. Andersen needs to suck it up or hit the pines.

[DrReality]

there were some things to cheer about tonight. For one Finneran tore them up. Loved it.

And Norwood broke on that was beautiful. he's capable of that on any play.

And the O line is playing with a chip on their shoulder, love that too.

Ryan looked sharp on his drive in the third quarter. What is good to see is that they are getting better game by game. It's amazing what coaching will do for the team.

[EazyRoc]

Thanks for the brief summary! Man, I hate that I could watch the Cowboys game (even though I didn't), but couldn't watch the home team. How'd you get the game ?

[mattlanta]

How'd Beer-Man do, DrReality? I liked how he looked the first few preseason games, and I think he should be given a shot to start over Anderson - even Davis should be given a shot. Anderson needs to feel what it's like to ride the bench... he needs to step it up.

I saw the highlights of the game on AF.com, and I really like how quick Ryan's releases are. He reads defenses very well as a rookie, and he does a good job getting the ball out there. I won't be able to get this game and evaluate it further, so bummer on that. I'm not so sure I can catch the replay on NFL Network at 10AM tomorrow either.

[Dexmethylphenidate]

Game was moved back couple of hours... instead of 7:30 on watl it was 10:00pm. Looks like fans aren't really excited this year based on the people attending a Friday game.

Edited August 23, 2008 by SignJoshOrGetOUT

[LOL_Hawks]

Game was moved back couple of hours... instead of 7:30 on watl it was 10:00pm. Looks like fans aren't really excited this year based on the people attending a Friday game.

It's a Friday night AND a preseason game...of course that's not gonna be a sellout, especially in this city.

[DrReality]

Heard Smith after the game and he was bragging on his defense not having given up a touchdown in several quarters. That did not occur to me. I was really impressed with the second year DB, number 20, forget his name. Really looks like a dark horse. made a bunch of plays and all of the young guys that are getting time are contributing. Such a huge difference from last year.

For one the guys on the field are just jacked up to be there. Clabo and a couple other O linemen were just giving them hell, nasty attitude. Love it. The attitude just couldn't be different from last year. If they just get better game by game we'll do OK. And you have to like how Ryan is making his reads and checking off receivers. Great job for a rookie. Showed him while they were on the bench and he was over there talking to his linemen like he had been in the league for years.

[frosgrim]

Good game by the first unit, not great, but solid. O-line looks solid. My worries about it seem to be overblown.

Defense lucked out in the that Vince Young is just a bad passing QB. There were several throws that a competent QB makes, but Young didn't. On the other hand, Ryan made several of those throws.

Bierman is relentless dude was in on Young all night. Guy should be starting over Jam98.

Overall, you have to say that Dimitroff seems to have done a very good job at rebuilding the roster in a very short period of time. Of course its still preseason, but I like the way the team is playing and the moxie that several of the rookies are bringing to the table.