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My impression: We're going to sneak up on a lot of teams this year...We are noticeably more talented
that the Texans are more talented is not a question. I agree. Can we go 8-8 this year, or better?
I can't see the game
who suprised you?
how was the OL blocking?
from what i read, D-line didn't get much pressure
how was the secondary looking?
Biggest Positive - Offensive line play. The starters protected well and did a decent job on running plays. Of course having a competent QB back there goes a long way in making this happen. Considering this was against the best defense in the NFL last season I am impressed.
Biggest Negative - Defensive line play. Considering how many high draft picks we have spent (wasted), it's beyond ridiculous that our D line can't pressure anyone or make a decent stop. I don't know if it's just me, but I haven't even seen a flash out of Mario.
Biggest Negative - Defensive line play. Considering how many high draft picks we have spent (wasted), it's beyond ridiculous that our D line can't pressure anyone or make a decent stop. I don't know if it's just me, but I haven't even seen a flash out of Mario.
I dunno. He looked pretty solid on that waggle play. Now. Will he be asked to play RB from the QB position? Definitely not. But he has enough. IMOSchaub appears to have a better arm and a better head under preasure than Carr.
But, I did notice how much slower Schaub was than Carr (or Sage). I figure we won't see as many bootlegs this year.
The Defense looked very passive to me. We need more blitzing.
The special teams play was very impressive. 4/4 on FG's. Good kickoffs. Strong coverage on punts and kickoffs. Very good punting. (By both punters, what a battle!) And can you believe the return yardage? If the ST's play like that this team will be very solid this year.
Orr and Babin were the most disruptive DL. (did I just say that out loud?)
Shaub and Rosenfels both looked pretty poised and in command of the offense. Van Pelt completely changed the tone of play with his inability to even get the ball cleanly to a WR cutting across the field ten yards out. I wish we could have seen Zambriski.(sp?)
LB's are solid, safeties were hitting. Still weak at the other corner.
Jacoby Jones really played well. Hopefully he continues to build on that performance.
The tight ends played very well.
I'm concerned about a lack of speed at the RB position. Is it just me or did our tailbacks lose a step?
I don't know if its just me but doesnt Mario kinda of remind you of a 3-4 OLB in the mold of a Shawn Merriman or DeMarcus Ware? I wonder if this scheme is the right fit for him or not, what a horrible thought
My first post so i'll jump in with both feet
First i will note the positives i saw , The replacement guards used (both hogden and brissel and then studdard ) played well , The receivers j jones , mathas and davis were excellent , and the tight ends all played well to . But to me the best thing i saw was that the plays did not look telegraphed or predictable so the chicago defense never could load up . Special teams were great except for stanly .
Now the bad , the left tackle (black) we played did not do well . The quarterbacks including schaub were not on target with any passes thrown to receivers going east-west (crossing patterns) . Williams is clearly not happy about moving to the hot side of the defensive line . He allowed himself to be caught out of position on a benson rush and the result was a train wreck when demeco stopped him from going all the way . Walters is not a number 2 receiver as far as im concerned , now i understand Kubs wanting him there for his size but come on he not only dropped one (thrown high on a crossing pattern) but when he found himself wide open he hesitated and failed to reach the appointed corner route .
I wanted to drop by the blue crew but the rain stopped me , sorry .
I don't know if its just me but doesnt Mario kinda of remind you of a 3-4 OLB in the mold of a Shawn Merriman or DeMarcus Ware? I wonder if this scheme is the right fit for him or not, what a horrible thought
I don't know if its just me but doesnt Mario kinda of remind you of a 3-4 OLB in the mold of a Shawn Merriman or DeMarcus Ware? I wonder if this scheme is the right fit for him or not, what a horrible thought
I was watching the game at BW3 because I wanted to watch another game at the same time, so I didn't get to concentrate as much as I would have liked.
As far as the o-line goes, the up the middle pressure on Schaub the first series (Walter drop) was disappointing in that it appeared to be more of the same. I know Schaub "made the line look better", but I'd prefer he not have to throw a lot of passes with defenders hanging on him.
However, in the second series I think there were three "U" shaped pockets in a row. That looked pretty good.
Not a good ratio, but then they didn't play very long and it was the first pre-season game. If they can get that ratio up a little - OK, a lot - the offense might pick up a little.
I was watching the game at BW3 because I wanted to watch another game at the same time, so I didn't get to concentrate as much as I would have liked.
As far as the o-line goes, the up the middle pressure on Schaub the first series (Walter drop) was disappointing in that it appeared to be more of the same. I know Schaub "made the line look better", but I'd prefer he not have to throw a lot of passes with defenders hanging on him.
However, in the second series I think there were three "U" shaped pockets in a row. That looked pretty good.
Not a good ratio, but then they didn't play very long and it was the first pre-season game. If they can get that ratio up a little - OK, a lot - the offense might pick up a little.
Well. The Bears were bringing everything including the kitchen sink on that play. They blitzed 3 from the right side.
What encouraged me was Schaub made them pay for it (if only Walter could have held on). They didn't bring that crap again on the next possession.
Exactly...Sometimes teams bring more than you can block...
The key is having a QB who can make pre-snap reads, recognize defenses and then have the composure to make 'em pay for it....
We have one of those now...
Well. The Bears were bringing everything including the kitchen sink on that play. They blitzed 3 from the right side.
What encouraged me was Schaub made them pay for it (if only Walter could have held on). They didn't bring that crap again on the next possession.
lord no on the Merriman or Ware comparison...he's fast but not that quick. While Mario is very fast, he doesn't have an explosive first step like those guys (the reason he really doesn't look like an elite edge rusher). Frankly Mario reminds me of a 3-4 Tackle or a two gap 4-3 tackle. Long term, the best player to play tackle right beside the undersized Okoye at the end of the day may be Mario. It sucks to think we may have taken a DT with our first overall in a year of superstuds.
I stand corrected. I just reviewed the play again. They brought 2 from the right. The one that got in Schaub's face came in on a delayed blitz from the middle after all of the blockers were already committed. Still the result was the same.
They did overload our leftside on a blitz. The one thing that stood out to me was that McKinney blocked down and doubled with Flanigan, Green picked up one blitzer which left the blitzing DB a wide open shot. I'm not going to point fingers due to not knowing what the call was on the Oline, but why would McKinney double with the center on that play? Here's a pic courtesy by BullPenPhotos.
They did overload our leftside on a blitz. The one thing that stood out to me was that McKinney blocked down and doubled with Flanigan, Green picked up one blitzer which left the blitzing DB a wide open shot. I'm not going to point fingers due to not knowing what the call was on the Oline, but why would McKinney double with the center on that play? Here's a pic courtesy by BullPenPhotos.
They did overload our leftside on a blitz. The one thing that stood out to me was that McKinney blocked down and doubled with Flanigan, Green picked up one blitzer which left the blitzing DB a wide open shot. I'm not going to point fingers due to not knowing what the call was on the Oline, but why would McKinney double with the center on that play? Here's a pic courtesy by BullPenPhotos.
looked like a bit of a delay...McKinney locked in on one guy, the defender steamrolled in and McKinney never saw him....looked like a McKinney mistake to meWas not a missed assignment by anyone....
There is a MLB sitting right in the middle...
If that MLB blitzes, McKinney would come off of him and pick him up...If McKinney assumed that the MLB wasn't going to blitz and picked up the LB and let Green get the DB, that MLB could have run right up the middle untouched....Heck, he may not have even been on a called blitz, but saw that he was going to have a free shot right up the middle, and he may have come...
Most successful blocking schemes are designed to take care of the first threat first...That's why McKinney is helping on the down linemen with his eyes on the Mike...The MLB has a shorter path to the QB than that DB...So in otherwords you want to focus on the guys who will get to the QB first...
Sometimes guys are going to come in untouched, but it's the QB's job to recognize what defender is capable of coming in untouched...For instane...He knew that Mckinney and Flannagan had the down lineman and the MLB...He knew Green was going to pick up first inside threat....Pre-snap he needs to know that if that DB comes he will need to go to his hot route or whatever route he thinks will be open...
Don't know if what I wrote is understandable, but the bottom line is that it doesn't look like they made a mistake on that play to me...Guys are going to come in unblocked sometimes, but the key is to try and have that guy be the further of the blitzers from the QB...It's the QB's job to realize guys may come free and get the ball out quickly and make the defense pay for briniging the extra heat...When the QB does that the defense will have no choice but to lay off ....
looked like a bit of a delay...McKinney locked in on one guy, the defender steamrolled in and McKinney never saw him....looked like a McKinney mistake to me
I don't remember...I just remember commenting on it in the game thread...it was a clear untouched sprint to the QB from the gap between McKinney and the LT. McKinney locked into the tackle that was being blocked already by the center....and the LT was engaged. Looked like a McKinney issue to me.If that were the case Green would have picked up the DB.
I can't see that being the case...
But who are you saying came on a delated blitz ? Are you saying McKinney should have looped around to get that DB ?
I don't remember...I just remember commenting on it in the game thread...it was a clear untouched sprint to the QB from the gap between McKinney and the LT. McKinney locked into the tackle that was being blocked already by the center....and the LT was engaged. Looked like a McKinney issue to me.
I don't have it taped...and it's not that big a deal, but I read your post and I just don't see it as you explained it at all....I've been wrong before though.
I can't see an NFL vet like McKinney fully commiting to a totally opposite direction than where his responsibilities lie...
McKinney seems (especially at LG) to have periodic cranial flatulence 0-2 times per game. Maybe it is all assignments we just don't know, but over the years there seems to have been a pattern of plays like this.
I've noted this recently in other posts but McKinney's fatal flaw is pass blocking. He is a decent run blocker but he is exactly as you stated imo also.McKinney seems (especially at LG) to have periodic cranial flatulence 0-2 times per game. Maybe it is all assignments we just don't know, but over the years there seems to have been a pattern of plays like this.
Maybe we don't have rock solid blocking schemes.
I've noted this recently in other posts but McKinney's fatal flaw is pass blocking. He is a decent run blocker but he is exactly as you stated imo also.
Sometimes the defense just brings more than you can block...
.
well, the mlb wasn't coming in so its a moot point. The guy that came in...came in over McKinneys gap, and that's just the reality of the deal...and McKinney was helping a guy who was already being blocked. Sure, the QB has to pick up the unblocked guy....and he did it....but he didn't have to be unblocked if McKinney was awake.Going to pretty much guarantee that McKinney didn't make a mistake on that one...
It's not the blocking schemes either...
Sometimes the defense just brings more than you can block...
If Mckinney fans out to the left and that MLB comes it's going to be a disaster...as where the DB is left to come freely and Schaub still has time to make a quick throw...
But I'm one with this....carry on...