The Offensive Line | Page 7 | Barking Hard

The Offensive Line

Greco's a solid RG, probably top half.

We ran the ball so much better over those last four games. What happened? I know Pasztor played well but I've also read several times that Erving improved. Were they both playing?
 
Shep said:
Greco's a solid RG, probably top half.

We ran the ball so much better over those last four games. What happened? I know Pasztor played well but I've also read several times that Erving improved. Were they both playing?
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The Browns moved to a power gap in the final 5 games of the season...effectively scrapping the ZBS. That is why Greco/Pasztor/Erving all suddenly looked much more competent. They were finally running a scheme that fit their strengths...and one the coaching staff had actually run before. Rumors are that Pettine liked what he saw with Shanny in the run game and wanted to run ZBS despite the fact nobody had experience coaching it before...and that most of the OL players hadn't either.
 
You had me at "power gap"

I read that too. Flip want vertical passing with power gap running, and Pett overruled him, leaving him to try to make it work, which it didn't.
 
http://www.dawgsbynature.com/2016/6...-thomas-ranked-no-23-on-the-nfls-top-100-list

Browns LT Joe Thomas Ranked No. 23 on the NFL's Top 100 List
By Chris Pokorny  @DawgsByNature on Jun 24, 2016, 11:58a

"Joe Thomas hasn't missed a snap or a Pro Bowl in his 9-year career with the Browns." -Narrator, NFL Top 100

Congratulations to Cleveland Browns left tackle Joe Thomas, who was ranked at No. 23 on the list of the NFL's Top 100 Players of 2016. If we’re keeping track of how Thomas’ ranking has fluctuated over the years, he was ranked No. 18 in 2014 and then No. 25 in 2015, so this year’s ranking has him rising two spots.

The NFL's Top 100 list features the top one hundred players in the NFL, as chosen by fellow NFL players. The Browns had three players featured in 2015 but will only have two featured for 2016 — Thomas, along with tight end Gary Barnidge, who was already highlighted last month at No. 94.

Thomas’ video package began with a series of players undoubtedly labeling him as the best offensive lineman in the NFL:

Rams DT Michael Brockers: "He's the best offensive lineman."

Steelers LB Arthur Moats: "Joe Thomas, every year, he's the No. 1 left tackle in the league. He can dance with the best of them.”

Falcons C Alex Mack: "I think Joe Thomas is the best tackle in the game right now."

Chargers WR Travis Benjamin: "The best. Hands down, the best."

"There's a lot of guys who probably question whether or not they want to do it [anymore] when they're sitting in that locker room after playing Joe Thomas,” said Bears OG Kyle Long. “Joe's probably at a press conference going, 'great job today, guys.' He's a super nice guy. "

The other people with testaments to Thomas’ abilities include OT Trent Williams (Bills), DE Carlos Dunlap (Bengals), TE Gary Barnidge, and OLB Tamba Hali.
 
Rewatching some of the Packers game with an eye on the O-line....

  • Cam is best when he only has to do the center shuffle with a mid play double team. He gets beat once a series, usually when he has to go 1-on-1. #NotNews
  • Joe Thomas and Joel Bitonio are unbelievable. They are damn near poetic to watch. It's like they share a brain when a stunt happens and they need let one defender go and pick up another. I hope they never move Joel to RT unless it's desperate times.
  • Greco is average. Rarely makes a mistake, but isn't fast.
  • Pasztor is very good as long as he locks up. He's susceptible to quick hands moves.
  • Drango looked good. Quicker feet than you'd think.
  • Coleman looks slow.
  • Barny can lay an egg sometimes when blocking. PFF ripped him last year for this.
  • Mike Mathews actually did decent, but it seems like he's a one-trick pony, where as other lineman can play 2 positions.

What did you all think? I didn't rewatch the whole game with an eye on lineman, so other may have flashed or stunk.
 
Concerned opposing DC's are going to throw everything up the middle at Cam.

Joel and Joe rarely screw up with Grecco and Pasztor being reliable vets.

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr"><a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Browns?src=hash">#Browns</a> Notes: Cameron Erving struggled with bull rushers as a G (undeveloped mechanics). Now playing more complicated C position.</p>— Andy Benoit (@Andy_Benoit) <a href="https://twitter.com/Andy_Benoit/status/765582665739231232">August 16, 2016</a></blockquote>
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Benoit articulating the going concern with Cam; that as a high first round interior OL selection he struggled with the most basic, bull rush. I'd love to know how he looked against higher end D1 DL talent when being bull rushed. It seems shocking to me that this would be a glaring gap in his resume. I'd rather believe its an adjustment thing. Hopefully, he'll bounce back from an uninspired, handful of snaps against the Packers. It ain't gonna get easier; that's for sure.
 
You can see whey the Browns thought he was worth it. There's everything to like about this kid, other than, well, his blocking. And sometimes his snaps. Nevertheless, hope he makes the turn.


 
Well, there is this:

http://cle.247sports.com/Bolt/Hue-Jackson-Browns-OL-Cam-Erving-did-some-good-things-46797053

Critics have followed Cleveland Browns offensive lineman Cameron Erving since his rocky debut at the offensive guard position. Erving was drafted with the intention of eventually being the team's starting center. He made his first start at the position on Friday night against the Green Bay Packers.

“I thought Cam did some good things," head coach Hue Jackson said.

"There was one opportunity where he had a chance to make a block and a guy kind of slipped around him while he was trying to get his hand placed under the guy’s chest, and I think that’s what you guys are referring to. Other than that, I thought Cam did some really good things.”

The second-year lineman has also achieved the undaunted support of his accomplished teammate, offensive tackle Joe Thomas.

“He’s doing a really good job right now. He has got to keep improving, keep getting better but I think people are feeling really comfortable with him in the middle. It’s really tough as a rookie to learn any position, much less try to learn five positions at once. He’s a really smart kid and has got a lot of ability, obviously. I think we’re going to see a lot of good things from him this year.”
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Those quotes by JT are something I have been harping on. Not only that, but he also had two schemes (Zone and Power Gap) and an OL coach get fired just before the season....oh, and actually playing at G which he had never done before. As for this year, I think both Hue and JT are expressing belief that he is not only improving but the rest of the OL believe in him as well.

For Erving, preseason is the time to make mistakes. It's better for him to learn now rather than in a few months when the games matter.

“We did pretty well as an offensive line and offensive unit all together. We just have to clean up the execution and finish drives," Erving continued.

“There wasn’t anything that really stood out for me. First game playing center in the NFL, just some technical things not to put myself in bad positions and just being cleaner on the operation.”s

What is next for the Florida State product?

“Continue to make improvements and do the things that I’ve been doing. What I’ve been doing is just leaning on guys like (OL John) Greco, (OL) Joe Thomas, (OL) Joel (Bitonio), and (OL) Austin (Pasztor) because all of those guys have had experience playing. Just continuing to lean on those guys and learn as much as I can and to be as positive and productive and bring the energy to games like I always do.”
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Good that he recognizes his inexperience and his need to improve....but I for one think he will.
 
Seems like Hue is doing the same with Cam that he's doing with RGIII and Gilbert. Creating a confident and supportive environment for him to develop.

He's prototypical O-line in every way. Cerebral, coachable, driven, and big. That'll buy a lot of patience. Everyone close to him says he'll get it. It'd be huge if he worked out - as we all know.

That'd be 3 highly drafted left tackles in JT, JB, and Cam starting on our O line, with two more college LT's in Coleman and Drango waiting in the wings.

Wonderful.
 
Looking like Cam is a lock at starter.

His fellow players are supportive and the coaches seem committed to making him better.

This is nice quick read on one of the plays he was being blamed for:

<blockquote class="twitter-tweet" data-partner="tweetdeck"><p lang="en" dir="ltr">The anatomy of a busted screen play: Cam Erving walks us through what happened on this play against Green Bay. <a href="https://t.co/xeMUewU64G">https://t.co/xeMUewU64G</a></p>— Dan Labbe (@dan_labbe) <a href="https://twitter.com/dan_labbe/status/765938095308943360">August 17, 2016</a></blockquote>
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I like Hue's approach: You really don't know what you have in a young player until you've thrown him out there for 10 or 12 games. You just don't. They need game experience to reach their peak performance level. Erving has now started one game at center in the NFL

Let's see where he is around game 8. Surprised about Shon Coleman. Is he still dinged?
 
OconRecon said:
This is nice quick read on one of the plays he was being blamed for:
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Interesting that this play was continually pointed out as his mistake...but turns out he did it perfect. Not saying he doesn't need to improve...but without knowing the plays it is really hard to tell who messes up...if anyone.
 
cammy is a waste of time and effort. His footwork sucks, his body position sucks, overall his blocking sucks, his snaps are unreliable.... a star in the making. Call the orthopedist tell him RG3 will be on the way soon.
 
Cam having to develop is death. Teams typically wait until round three or four for a plug and play center, and we took a fucking developmental project in the first round?

He needs to hurry his ass up. Fuck waiting forever on a guy who has already had an extensively long leash.
 
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