OL Injury Problems

[KNSD]

What was the chance of the OL staying healthy for the year?
1. Chris Watt - Undersized, injury prone last year. I'd say he has a greater than 50% chance of missing more than 8 games every year. He'll be out of the league like Olivea sooner rather than later.
2. King Dunlap - Apparently he has a history of injury problems (?). http://www.nfl.com/player/kingdunlap/2507498/profile
Has started one complete season. On average he's not starting 2-4 games a year.
3. Troutman - http://www.nfl.com/player/johnnietro...532983/profile Hard to say. Missed rookie season. So there's a risk here.
4. DJ Fluker - http://www.nfl.com/player/d.j.fluker/2540166/profile Pretty solid guy, but we know he played with injuries last year too.
5. Chris Hairson - http://www.nfl.com/player/chrishairston/2495157/profile Unsure on this guy.
6. Orlando Franklin - http://www.nfl.com/player/orlandofra...495151/profile Pretty solid
7. Barksdale - http://www.nfl.com/player/joebarksdale/2508117/profile Pretty solid

So bottom line, we pretty much knew Chris Watt was 50/50 going into this year due to all the different nagging injuries he had last year. This one is on the team. With Dunlap you should probably expect he misses 4 games a year. DJ Fluker has played as advertised. He'll get banged up, but he's a tough S.O.B and will go in there even if he's not ready. Troutman... he was out his rookie year. Should expect him to miss time every now and then.

The unexpected injury is the Orlando Franklin injury. Team paid good money on a fairly solid guy. Same with Barksdale, except the team paid less for him.

So yeah, the team is playing with no "injury buffer." You can't have multiple injury-prone OL and not expect at least two, maybe 3 starters out at some point during the season.

[Lightningwill_420]

What was the chance of the OL staying healthy for the year?
1. Chris Watt - Undersized, injury prone last year. I'd say he has a greater than 50% chance of missing more than 8 games every year. He'll be out of the league like Olivea sooner rather than later.
2. King Dunlap - Apparently he has a history of injury problems (?). http://www.nfl.com/player/kingdunlap/2507498/profile
Has started one complete season. On average he's not starting 2-4 games a year.
3. Troutman - http://www.nfl.com/player/johnnietro...532983/profile Hard to say. Missed rookie season. So there's a risk here.
4. DJ Fluker - http://www.nfl.com/player/d.j.fluker/2540166/profile Pretty solid guy, but we know he played with injuries last year too.
5. Chris Hairson - http://www.nfl.com/player/chrishairston/2495157/profile Unsure on this guy.
6. Orlando Franklin - http://www.nfl.com/player/orlandofra...495151/profile Pretty solid
7. Barksdale - http://www.nfl.com/player/joebarksdale/2508117/profile Pretty solid

So bottom line, we pretty much knew Chris Watt was 50/50 going into this year due to all the different nagging injuries he had last year. This one is on the team. With Dunlap you should probably expect he misses 4 games a year. DJ Fluker has played as advertised. He'll get banged up, but he's a tough S.O.B and will go in there even if he's not ready. Troutman... he was out his rookie year. Should expect him to miss time every now and then.

The unexpected injury is the Orlando Franklin injury. Team paid good money on a fairly solid guy. Same with Barksdale, except the team paid less for him.

So yeah, the team is playing with no "injury buffer." You can't have multiple injury-prone OL and not expect at least two, maybe 3 starters out at some point during the season.

I thought somebody said this multiple times during the off season.

Same issues exist at wide receiver, cornerback, every safety who isn't Weddle (who we want to drive out of town), and all the linebackers. Oh yea, I forgot punter.

And, now, thanks to Reich's resurrection of Norv's million-throws-per-game-behind-a-shitty-O'line-chuck-and-suck strategy, we also have injury concerns at quarterback. Rivers doesn't miss games, but sometimes he probably should.

[Geezbolt]

I have nothing to back this up, but will just throw it out there. All teams have to deal with injuries. Some seem to get more than others, but it just seems like the numbers have gone up overall since the new CBA went into effect a few years ago. Off season workouts have been limited as have training camp practices. The players are human and many of them are not going to work as hard as they could without being pushed. I would think it's not the easiest thing in the world to motivate yourself to work hard when you're carrying over 300 lbs.

[Lightningwill_420]

I have nothing to back this up, but will just throw it out there. All teams have to deal with injuries. Some seem to get more than others, but it just seems like the numbers have gone up overall since the new CBA went into effect a few years ago. Off season workouts have been limited as have training camp practices. The players are human and many of them are not going to work as hard as they could without being pushed. I would think it's not the easiest thing in the world to motivate yourself to work hard when you're carrying over 300 lbs.

That's probably true.

[Faded blues]

G b and 420

Your theory proves the point of finding guys who are tough as nails both on and off
The field.

Telesco seems ok with gambling on players who can't stay on the field and calls it luck.

----------------

We need to put rivers under center and start handing the ball
Off to Gordon 30 times a game.

[Geezbolt]

G b and 420

Your theory proves the point of finding guys who are tough as nails both on and off
The field.

I'm with you there. Is it better to have a guy who is not as athletically gifted, but is able to stay on the field? Or is it better to have someone who may be more skilled, but misses games or frequently plays at only 75- 85%? I'm inclined to think it's the former, especially with offensive linemen where working as a cohesive unit is so important.

[Boltx]

Can anyone chime in on whether this zone blocking scheme has anything to do with the injuries? Our OL is big...but certainly not nimble. Wouldn't they benefit from running a power blocking scheme instead? I wonder if it's as simple as these guys are in the wrong scheme and getting physically BEATEN by the guy in front of them, not some underlying predisposition to injury. They're simply getting physically broken.

[OhioBolt]

Dam just Bad Luck period when we have a good LT we end up having to get another one

Remember Marcus McNeill LT (back injury ended his career) now King Dunlap LT (multiple concussions sustain in last two years) future?

Crazy both Auburn standouts, and possibly short careers

The bad in this is the transistion from McNeil, to Gaither (Big Lazy) played good for 5 games when we signed him next season he tanked then we went to Mike Harris then we got King Dunlap.

Hope for the best with Dunlap because we aren't really prepared to handle the worst outcome.

[Lightningwill_420]

G b and 420

Your theory proves the point of finding guys who are tough as nails both on and off
The field.

Telesco seems ok with gambling on players who can't stay on the field and calls it luck.

----------------

We need to put rivers under center and start handing the ball
Off to Gordon 30 times a game.

GB and 420 sounds like a combination of a porno and some warmup bands for Phish.

[Lightningwill_420]

I'm with you there. Is it better to have a guy who is not as athletically gifted, but is able to stay on the field? Or is it better to have someone who may be more skilled, but misses games or frequently plays at only 75- 85%? I'm inclined to think it's the former, especially with offensive linemen where working as a cohesive unit is so important.

Yep.
Blame it on Tele
Tele
Tele
scoSpanos.

[Stinky Wizzleteats+]

Reminds me of an old alblum by Negative Land called 180 and the letter G.

[Lightningwill_420]

Reminds me of an old alblum by Negative Land called 180 and the letter G.

I'm pretty sure Grover and the two headed monster from Sesame Street covered that song.