WoodMan
12-27-2006, 03:52 PM
A nice article by Phil Simms here.
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9891584
Time to recognize the importance of the O-line
By Phil Simms
Special to NFL.com
(Dec. 26, 2006) -- As I watched the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day, putting themselves in the improbable position of perhaps winning the NFC East, I was reminded of the one thing that stood out the most to me during last year's Super Bowl.
The one thing that jumped out at me while watching Pittsburgh beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL was that it was clear these were the two best offensive lines in football. So while we always focus on the franchise quarterbacks and the skill players, and we debate whether a team possesses a "championship caliber" defense, maybe it's time to recognize the offensive line as perhaps the most important unit for a football team.
What would I do if I were an NFL general manager in charge of building a football team? First of all, that's never going to happen. But if it did, the first thing I would do is make sure I had one of the best offensive line coaches in football. Then I'd draft a premier offensive lineman to anchor the line, and then I'd get a top-notch quarterback.
The Jets O-line has been solid all season with rookie center Nick Mangold leading the unit.
In watching the Eagles go from a 5-6 team with no shot at the playoffs, to a 9-6 team on the verge of winning their division, it's clearly the offensive line play that jumps out at me. The offensive line can cover so many ills on a team, and that's what has happened here. They are protecting quarterback Jeff Garcia, opening holes for Brian Westbrook and controlling the ball so that the defense isn't on the field too much. We've heard for years about how Philadelphia doesn't have that elite wide receiver, but they seem to get players open. I guess those guys are not "elite" because they don't open their mouths all the time and act like "elite" receivers in the NFL. But you always see Donte Stallworth and tight end L.J. Smith catching big passes. The line is giving them time to get open.
Maybe it's because Eagles head coach Andy Reid was the offensive line coach back in Green Bay. For whatever reason, Reid has never neglected that part of his football team, and it has really paid off this season.
The other Christmas Day game provided yet another example of the importance of offensive line play. The Miami Dolphins can rush the passer as good as any team in the league, yet the young New York Jets line handled them pretty well. The Jets have two first-round linemen, tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold, who have started the entire season and done solid jobs. They have the making of a solid line for many, many years to come. And that's part of the reason why Chad Pennington has re-established himself as the quarterback of the New York Jets.
People still ask me, "Is Chad Pennington the future for the Jets?" Well, they sure seem to be building around him, don't they? The offensive design, the play-calling, it fits everything that he's about perfectly.
So go ahead and let everyone else be blinded by skill players or fall back on the old adage that "defense wins championships." But the truth is that there are a lot of ways to get it done.
Maybe it's the offensive line that wins championships.
Nobody's perfect
As we approach the postseason, there is really no single team that you can point to and say there are no weaknesses, no cause for concern.
Case in point: The Chicago Bears. They know injuries on the defense have taken a toll. They have given up more big plays than a so-called "dominant" defense should. More importantly, you have to wonder why a team that is 13-2 gives its backup quarterback a few reps in Week 16 just in case he's needed in the playoffs to salvage something.
Rex Grossman is still trying to prove he's capable of leading the Bears offense.
That has to be very tough for starting QB Rex Grossman. I know you have to deal with the adversity and overcome tough spots and all that. But by playing Brian Griese last week to get him ready in case he's needed, that has to play on the mind of the quarterback. Now there are questions. Players in the locker room are always talking, and this is just another little issue for Grossman to deal with. There is only one way for him to counter it: Stand tall, look straight ahead and be confident in what he's doing.
But we'll hear about this for the next two-and-a-half weeks before the Bears play their first postseason game. It will be an issue, and it will have the fans on the edge of their seats. If the Bears struggle at all in the playoffs, the scenario has been set for a potential quarterback switch.
Under the radar
Meanwhile, two teams that are just under the radar are the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. It's amazing how far under the radar they are when you consider they have won their divisions.
When you look at the Ravens, they probably are one team for which you can say it's hard to find a weakness in what they're doing. The defense is playing consistently well. They know who they are and how they're going to play. Steve McNair is an experienced quarterback who understands how this team operates. He knows when to take a chance and when not to. And he also has the luxury of knowing that with the defense they have in Baltimore, he can lead an offense that knows it is going to run the football no matter what. Whatever you want to say about the Ravens, this is a team that is not searching for an identity on either side of the ball.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have had a tough go of it at times this season, but they've withstood the blows. And you can't say they don't have the ability to go far, because they've certainly done it before. Somebody asked me if they will get a big lift from the return of safety Rodney Harrison. Well, all I can say is that when you get a really, really good player like that coming back, it's always a big deal
http://www.nfl.com/news/story/9891584
Time to recognize the importance of the O-line
By Phil Simms
Special to NFL.com
(Dec. 26, 2006) -- As I watched the Philadelphia Eagles defeat the Dallas Cowboys on Christmas Day, putting themselves in the improbable position of perhaps winning the NFC East, I was reminded of the one thing that stood out the most to me during last year's Super Bowl.
The one thing that jumped out at me while watching Pittsburgh beat Seattle in Super Bowl XL was that it was clear these were the two best offensive lines in football. So while we always focus on the franchise quarterbacks and the skill players, and we debate whether a team possesses a "championship caliber" defense, maybe it's time to recognize the offensive line as perhaps the most important unit for a football team.
What would I do if I were an NFL general manager in charge of building a football team? First of all, that's never going to happen. But if it did, the first thing I would do is make sure I had one of the best offensive line coaches in football. Then I'd draft a premier offensive lineman to anchor the line, and then I'd get a top-notch quarterback.
The Jets O-line has been solid all season with rookie center Nick Mangold leading the unit.
In watching the Eagles go from a 5-6 team with no shot at the playoffs, to a 9-6 team on the verge of winning their division, it's clearly the offensive line play that jumps out at me. The offensive line can cover so many ills on a team, and that's what has happened here. They are protecting quarterback Jeff Garcia, opening holes for Brian Westbrook and controlling the ball so that the defense isn't on the field too much. We've heard for years about how Philadelphia doesn't have that elite wide receiver, but they seem to get players open. I guess those guys are not "elite" because they don't open their mouths all the time and act like "elite" receivers in the NFL. But you always see Donte Stallworth and tight end L.J. Smith catching big passes. The line is giving them time to get open.
Maybe it's because Eagles head coach Andy Reid was the offensive line coach back in Green Bay. For whatever reason, Reid has never neglected that part of his football team, and it has really paid off this season.
The other Christmas Day game provided yet another example of the importance of offensive line play. The Miami Dolphins can rush the passer as good as any team in the league, yet the young New York Jets line handled them pretty well. The Jets have two first-round linemen, tackle D'Brickashaw Ferguson and center Nick Mangold, who have started the entire season and done solid jobs. They have the making of a solid line for many, many years to come. And that's part of the reason why Chad Pennington has re-established himself as the quarterback of the New York Jets.
People still ask me, "Is Chad Pennington the future for the Jets?" Well, they sure seem to be building around him, don't they? The offensive design, the play-calling, it fits everything that he's about perfectly.
So go ahead and let everyone else be blinded by skill players or fall back on the old adage that "defense wins championships." But the truth is that there are a lot of ways to get it done.
Maybe it's the offensive line that wins championships.
Nobody's perfect
As we approach the postseason, there is really no single team that you can point to and say there are no weaknesses, no cause for concern.
Case in point: The Chicago Bears. They know injuries on the defense have taken a toll. They have given up more big plays than a so-called "dominant" defense should. More importantly, you have to wonder why a team that is 13-2 gives its backup quarterback a few reps in Week 16 just in case he's needed in the playoffs to salvage something.
Rex Grossman is still trying to prove he's capable of leading the Bears offense.
That has to be very tough for starting QB Rex Grossman. I know you have to deal with the adversity and overcome tough spots and all that. But by playing Brian Griese last week to get him ready in case he's needed, that has to play on the mind of the quarterback. Now there are questions. Players in the locker room are always talking, and this is just another little issue for Grossman to deal with. There is only one way for him to counter it: Stand tall, look straight ahead and be confident in what he's doing.
But we'll hear about this for the next two-and-a-half weeks before the Bears play their first postseason game. It will be an issue, and it will have the fans on the edge of their seats. If the Bears struggle at all in the playoffs, the scenario has been set for a potential quarterback switch.
Under the radar
Meanwhile, two teams that are just under the radar are the New England Patriots and the Baltimore Ravens. It's amazing how far under the radar they are when you consider they have won their divisions.
When you look at the Ravens, they probably are one team for which you can say it's hard to find a weakness in what they're doing. The defense is playing consistently well. They know who they are and how they're going to play. Steve McNair is an experienced quarterback who understands how this team operates. He knows when to take a chance and when not to. And he also has the luxury of knowing that with the defense they have in Baltimore, he can lead an offense that knows it is going to run the football no matter what. Whatever you want to say about the Ravens, this is a team that is not searching for an identity on either side of the ball.
The Patriots, meanwhile, have had a tough go of it at times this season, but they've withstood the blows. And you can't say they don't have the ability to go far, because they've certainly done it before. Somebody asked me if they will get a big lift from the return of safety Rodney Harrison. Well, all I can say is that when you get a really, really good player like that coming back, it's always a big deal