This is not our year because we don't have the tools (MET)

[Rypien1191]

It's simple. We don't have the tools.

The NFL is simple. You win by running and stopping the run, and getting after and protecting the QB. The game is won in the trenches. This is evidenced by the Giants and Titans, who are dominating the league because they own the trenches and control the run game - and they also manage to get after AND protect the QB.

Giants - 1st in league in rushing, 8th in rushing defense. 4th in the league with 31 sacks, 7th in the league with only 12 sacks allowed.

Titans - 7th in rushing, 8th in rushing defense. 6th in the league with 28 sacks, FIRST with only SIX sacks allowed in 10 games.

To be fair, our rushing stats are comparable - 5th in the league in both rushing and rush defense. But those numbers have clearly dropped over the last couple games. But where we're really getting hurt is the sack department - 23rd in the league with 26 sacks allowed; 27th in the league with only 15 sacks of our own.

We have a good defense. But we don't have a front four that can get after the QB. We haven't had a dominant rusher since........ Dexter?

Our offensive line is aging and on the downturn. We were able to move the ball on the ground early this year, but our lack of offensive weapons are killing us. Teams have us figured out. We don't have the personnel in our 2-5 WRs to scare anyone. Our 2nd round picks have done nothing, so teams are stuffing the box and doubling Moss, and thats pretty much it. Jason doesn't have the time to get through his progressions, and when he does its underneath stuff cause we don't have the big bodies downfield a la a team like the Cardinals.

We have a solid team; good talents at the skill positions, a good defense, guys who play hard and want to win (mostly.... ahem, Springs). I think JC is the answer at QB... if he has time to throw and weapons to throw to, he can get the job done. (You think he can't do as well as Eli if he had that O-line and big WRs?) CP is a franchise back.

But we aren't and can't win the wars in the trenches. Like the Hogs. Like Manley and Mann. I don't know if that is something that is correctable over the span of one offseason, or even two, but until we can dominate the line on both sides again, we are just going to be an average to slightly above average team. We are kidding ourselves if we think we can hang with a team like the Giants come playoff time with the lines we have now.

[skinsfan07]

Agreed. We need to go OL and DL hardcore in this upcoming draft. Get some young talent on both sides of the line and we should improve dramatically. Because although our run blocking is solid, our pass blocking is terrible. JC has shown that he is a great qb when he has time but our OL never gives him any time to make things happen. It pisses me off.

[SkinsHokieFan]

Unfortunately everything you said is right on the money

The o-line is simply aging now and wearing down. Kendall's knees aren't great, Samuels is probably 80 percent, and Jansen is done. This will need to be fixed in the offseason, lets just hope JC doesn't get killed in the last 6 games

Along with that, we have no pass rushing threat at all. No D-Ware type player that draws attention and makes plays one on one

[Passizle]

Make that two.... our "Oldfensive line got beat badly again lastnight... Jansen looked better, but Ratliff made Rabach his ***** all night. It was tough to watch... The past few weeks have benn bringing me back to the Patrick Ramsey days.

Pretty talented kid back there with NO protection whatsoever. Stuff like will shake JC' confidence in his line. That trickles down to everything else from there.

We NEED to replensih our lines this offseason through FA and the draft. Enough with the skill positions already!

[DieHard86]

we're just not that good afterall. after beating the eagles, we thought we could do some unexpectedly big things. but really we are who we thought we were. a pretty average/good team that can fight for a playoff spot but nothing more without a competent defensive line.

[sydshobob]

Agree with all of this. Expectations were raised by the early wins over Dallas and Philly. They were great wins. But the truth is the talent just isn't there to compete on an elite level. They are what they are - an offense that can barely score and a defense that really needs the offense to play well to be effective.

[fire3fighter4]

we still have at least 3 years until we will be an elite team. It will be even longer if we start bringing in a bunch of FA's, and keep firing coaches.

[Rhodus333]

I agree that both our lines have looked subpar in the past few games, but i put this more on the O line. Keeping drives alive and giving the quarterback a chance to make plays ensures that your defense doesn't spend three quarters of the game on the field and are too exhausted by the end to get any sort of pressure on the other team

[KDawg]

I've said it all season, our offensive line is good... But they aren't what we need to beat good teams. We have an OLine/DLine that will get the job done against most teams, but the teams we need to beat are the ones that manhandle our line. We're getting long in the tooth and it's becoming painfully obvious.

[Rypien1191]

I've always wondered what MET stands for... someone enlighten me upon the minds behind the mods....

[[[ghost]]]

Have to agree with you. We did the right thing last draft by drafting WRs who'll need time to develop. Now is the time to beef up the the the middle of our lines.

[nightbird]

We haven't drafted a DL on day one since Kenard Lang.

Haven't drafted OL on day one since Chris Samuels.

There's a fine line between "veteran" and just plain "old" and the last two weeks our offensive line has seemed to cross it.

Sky ain't fallin, but work must be done.

[Beauty is Only]

Stands for "Moderator Edited Title." In some instances, the mods make unclear thread titles more clear by rewriting them.

[Dick Edds]

completely agree ... we'll be "ok" ... but we'll never be great till we can make average skill players great. Skill players are only as good as the OL that blocks for them, and likewise with the defense, period.

Last night was "BORING" football, we looked completely out of synch.

[endzone_dave]

We're going to start feeling the pain of pissing away our 2nd, 3rd, 4th round draft picks on guys like Duckett and Lloyd instead of drafting good linemen. We have no good young players to develop in these spots and going the free agency route will be expensive.

[Thirtyfive2seven]

But we aren't and can't win the wars in the trenches. Like the Hogs. Like Manley and Mann. I don't know if that is something that is correctable over the span of one offseason, or even two, but until we can dominate the line on both sides again, we are just going to be an average to slightly above average team. We are kidding ourselves if we think we can hang with a team like the Giants come playoff time with the lines we have now.

I agree with everything except this statement. I believe that pass rushing defensive ends can be found in the draft. Isn't that how Dallas drafted a few years ago under Parcells? The skins REALLY need GOOD pass rushing DEs. Carter isn't bad but ... something is just wrong. The pass rush is awful.

[Morneblade]

I've said it all season, our offensive line is good... But they aren't what we need to beat good teams. We have an OLine/DLine that will get the job done against most teams, but the teams we need to beat are the ones that manhandle our line. We're getting long in the tooth and it's becoming painfully obvious.

Ok, you say that the OLine is good, but the teams we need to beat manhandle our line?

I would say that that is the definition of a bad line, not a good one. And yes, our O-line is not very good.

[Voice_of_Reason]

Completely agree. It's going to take 2 off seasons to get this fixed.

Hopefully they have a start with Heyer and whatshisbucket who they drafted this year, who looked pretty good in camp.

With the D-Line, they are missing that pass rushing D-Tackle. The ends are ok, the tackles get no push.

[Benkeiofthehillpeople]

We haven't drafted a DL on day one since Kenard Lang.

Haven't drafted OL on day one since Chris Samuels.

Correct about the DL, but Dockery in the 3rd in 2003 and Rinehart in the 3rd this past year. Using the traditional definition of first day being rounds 1-3, even though round 3 is now day 2.

[Rypien1191]

I agree with everything except this statement. I believe that pass rushing defensive ends can be found in the draft. Isn't that how Dallas drafted a few years ago under Parcells? The skins REALLY need GOOD pass rushing DEs. Carter isn't bad but ... something is just wrong. The pass rush is awful.

Yes they can be... but we have such a lack on both sides of the line, I doubt that we can find enough NFL caliber starters to shore up our lines in the span of one or two drafts.

[pastha40]

We don't have the tools.

Astute analysis. The last two games support this theory 100%.

[Veretax]

the play of our Offensive LIne was Offensive last night, particularly in the Second half. Secondly. Having needs, and finding the players to fill them is another.

[nightbird]

Correct about the DL, but Dockery in the 3rd in 2003 and Rinehart in the 3rd this past year. Using the traditional definition of first day being rounds 1-3, even though round 3 is now day 2.

I stand corrected...Dock was a good pick. I'll say Rinehart is "half" of a first day pick because the 3rd is now on day two and he was a comp. pick all the way at the end.

That said, I think the point still remains.

If DeAngelo Hall works out and we can replace Marcus in FA or with Blades, we may be able to dedicate the 2009 draft to our lines (without our 2nd round pick of course:doh:).

[gca61087]

if we were as good on the lines as the titans or giants, we would be far and away the best team in the league. probably undefeated at this point.

unfortunately, its going to take us 3-4 years to develop a good line. even then, thats only if we get lucky with the players we select. by then, where will portis be? fletcher? moss?

it seems like we are going to be a borderline rebuilding team over the next few years. either that, or we will keep plugging holes in free agency and remain in this mediocre muck.

[Redskin Rush]

We're going to start feeling the pain of pissing away our 2nd, 3rd, 4th round draft picks on guys like Duckett and Lloyd instead of drafting good linemen. We have no good young players to develop in these spots and going the free agency route will be expensive.

This fact is why we will be average for at least another year depending on the development of our current backup OL. Rabach gets handled consistently because he is undersized and aged along with Jansen who cant move laterally. Mainly, if your center gets blown up every play your QB cant step up and make accurate throws. If just one of those picks we gave away were a solid OL we have plenty more opportunities to go downfield.

You have to watch these games a little emotionally detached but we aren't that far away from being a team like the giants. Even without a dominate pass rush like them we still hold teams to about two touchdowns a game. But our offense has been stagnant for years and its not the skilled players. If I don't see the effort in the draft this year then all the hate for Vinny will be deserved because he is solely responsible now.