fiestavike wrote:The run blocking this preseason has been concerning, however I found Turner's comments about spreading the field a little bit for Adrian to be a reason for optimism. Peterson gets from the handoff to the line so quickly that draws and dives against a spread out defense are really exciting propositions. They may not require dominant run blocking. It also creates a threat from spread formations that might force defenders to respect the run and allow more weapons more time to get open in the pass game.
It should be interesting to see how it works out. Barry Sanders spent a lot of his career running out of spread formations and he gained a few yards.
The downside on passing plays is that a spread formation puts more pressure on the pass protectors.
mansquatch wrote:The early signs are pointing towards us grabbing OL talent in the upcomign draft. That position group is currently the one with the biggest holes. Of course, no games have been played, thus come December the view on that topic could be quite different.
There's a lot to be determined between now and then but I would agree that it's an...unsettled position group for the future. How Phil recovers, potential contract restructuring and how TJ Clemmings performs this season are big considerations for the future of our starting right tackle. How Kalil performs this season will ultimately make the decision at the left tackle going forward. Is Harris the long-term answer at right guard? I'm skeptical. He seems more like a misfit stopgap but I hope to be proven wrong. Sullivan has had several injury issues and is 30. It may not be a bad idea to start grooming his replacement. Fusco might be the only guy that I have confidence in at this point in the short and long-term.
I'm also not sold on the secondary (yet) and wouldn't be surprised if corner and safety were two other positional groups to look at hard/early in next year's draft.
“Some people think football is a matter of life and death. I assure you, it's much more serious than that.” --- Bill Shankly
As I said, no games have been played so things most likely WILL change.
My guess is that one of the unknowns will shine and one of the others will lose luster. (Early candidate for the latter is Sullivan, but hope that ends up being wrong) Spielman has tended to address position groups in bursts of players vs. just one here, one there. I think back to where the team was at with LB and WR a few years ago vs. where we are today. It took a few cycles but now both groups look to be on the rise.
Winning is not a sometime thing it is an all of the time thing - Vince Lombardi
Mothman wrote:
It should be interesting to see how it works out. Barry Sanders spent a lot of his career running out of spread formations and he gained a few yards.
The downside on passing plays is that a spread formation puts more pressure on the pass protectors.
That's not a bad comparison. As I recall the Lions offensive line were often compared to basketball players during those days. They more or less just got in the way a little bit. I don't know how fair or accurate that was, but I do remember it kind of became conventional wisdom. Its easy to run block as a T if all you have to do is go into a pass set and let the guy run himself out of the play.
I am not convinced that we have addressed any of the outstanding problems from last year. The OL is NOT improved. Our secondary is still very suspect, and now our kicker is having a crisis.....I think its a bit of delusional thinking to just say that the return of AP will fix everything.....I feel like they tried to tune up the secondary but really have done nothing about our OL.
The only way they can go is up!
Clemmings not much experience. A right guard playing left guard. A right tackle playing right guard.
Clemmings standing back there and running into Teddy.
There are going to be some growing pains.
