The Problem with the Offense

[Heatmiser]

[Coachmarkos]

I do think Ekeler's performance motivated Gordon today.
That's good. He still gets tripped up too often for my taste. But he had some nice runs where he turned it on a bit.

[Formula 21]

I think Ekeler shows you can gain decent yardage behind this o-line. It's just that he's not built to sustain that for very long throughout a season...or maybe even one game. The other fuck at RB just doesn't want it bad enough.

[Fleet]

I think Gordons been playing hurt. I think hes banged up. He takes a ton of hits behind the line. Hes looked tentative and spooked at times. I still think this team needs a legit #2. Ekeler is our Woody. Hes young and his IQ isnt there yet. But it will be. Imagine if we had a Kamara type. Ive been wanting a stud 2nd RB for a while now. I think every year i mention one or two.

[Bearded14YourPleasure]

Hence my passion for getting Freeman in the draft (the fact that he’s also a Duck is gravy).

[WindsorUK]

Sami Perrine had a decent game for the Redskins yesterday. How did our 4th round pick do?

[Heatmiser]

Re: offense -- this game looked more like the typical Whiz game plan/play calling we have been used to prior to Lynn. Whiz used the pass to set up the run well as opposed to forcing the run just to force the run. Rivers checked out of runs into 8-9 man fronts where in prior games he just ran what they called and got frustrated after. And on 3rd and short they actually called pass plays that worked well. Here's hoping Lynn lets Whiz call the game.

......

I was watching Ekeler on his pass pro. The Bills blitzed A LOT. Ekeler made some nice plays. I think he is a real find and will just get better and better and be a fixture for years on this team.

Gordon does look hurt to me and also I think his confidence is blown. Lynn is trying the Parcells treatment and just maybe Gordon is not strong enough to react to it the way Lynn wants him to.

Mike Williams looks painfully slow to me. Maybe just because he is so big?

TG

[vinabolt]

On the confrontation between Rivers and Lynn, it could be that Lynn didn't like that Rivers checked out of the run or it could be that Rivers too locked in on Allen and missing wide open other guys downfield. Rivers always has tendency to locked in to some of the veterans he trust most, Floyd, Gates, and now Allen.

One thing clear is that Lynn will confront everyone and chew everyone out, big name veterans are no exception. Lynn was hired to do that, to be different from former soft coaches like Norv and McCoy. He called people out, even using the press conference to do that. I don't know if this badass practice is a good thing. It can be a double edge knife. It can rebuild a team's toughness and players' responsibility or it can hurt a locker room chemistry.

[whookimane]

The problem with the offense is they are terribly predictable, take no shots down field, and are stubborn to a fault. I get you want to run the ball but wen you continue to run into a wall for 1-2 yards on every 1st down you arent doing yourself any favors. Do what you do well and the stubbornness on trying to establish the run is taking away from what we do well which is throw the ball. With Mike Williams, Keenan Allen, Travis Benjamin, Tyrell Williams, and Hunter Henry this should be a passing attack and this whole idea of trying to stay balanced is a joke. Sure being balanced is great when you can do both but if you cant run the ball there is nothing wrong with being a 70/30 pass attack. Do what works and the stubbornness in the run game goes hand in hand with the predictability of the offense. Throw in the fact that rivers has 0 mobility to make something happen out of nothing is the other problem. Watching games today a great number of touchdowns and 3rd down conversions come from qbs improvising and that is something we never have happen for us

[Steve]

THere is nothing wrong with the offense that having an OL block won't fix. Rivers had enough time early on, then had a really clean pocket and we took over the game. You cannot throw the ball downfield if you cannot give the receivers time to get downfield and the QB time to stand and deliver it. You can't block it,you can't throw it. THere is nothing wrong with our O now that the OL is doing a good job. THey need work in the running game, but the pass blocking has been good.

[Fleet]

THere is nothing wrong with the offense that having an OL block won't fix. Rivers had enough time early on, then had a really clean pocket and we took over the game. You cannot throw the ball downfield if you cannot give the receivers time to get downfield and the QB time to stand and deliver it. You can't block it,you can't throw it. THere is nothing wrong with our O now that the OL is doing a good job. THey need work in the running game, but the pass blocking has been good.

Yeah i think it has as well. We have given up 12 sacks this year. Ranked 3rd. We are 13th in QB hits. And this is with a QB that can barely move around. I keep seeing Okung make some nice blocks out there. I think the issue is interior run blocking. We need a stud C. Rivers was hit 3 times today. Zero sacks. What im seeing now is similar to what we say in the Chiefs game last year. And throughout the season last year. Rivers making good calls at the LOS. I just cant help but think that Rivers exploding on the coach last week was the turning point. I think Lynn was throwing his own ingredients in the cake and it wasnt tasting good. It was right after that argument that things completely changed. It was as if a magic wand was waived over the offense and things really opened up. Lampo will be back. Pulley can back up Center and play OG. Id probably just move Slausson back to Center if we are not going to upgrade him.

I just think we have a really good offense that only needs a couple players. Id like to get the DL a stud. An absolute inside pocket killer. And i also wouldn't mind a Myles Jack type at SAM. Id probably go DL/LB/S in the first few rounds. Then thing long and hard about drafting a solid RB that can push Gordon. Lots of players in this league step it up when they think they are potentially being replaced.

If Rivers keeps killing it ill go into the offseason likely thinking Lynn tried to change the O just enough to ground our game. And that replacing Rivers wont be needed right away. We can take a guy next year and it doesnt have to be in the 1st round. Not if Rivers says he still wants to play. If we take a QB in round 1 and he sits for a year we can still look at the D in the next few rounds. But that stud backup RB is someting i want. I want another RB that isnt just a compliment. We could always go with the hit hand.

If we could run the ball at will....this offense would be ridiculous.

[RTPbolt]

Agreed on getting a running game. To me i still like gordon and until we srart run blocking well i dont think Gurley would do any better here. Yes Gordon can make better decisions but get him past the dl and hes pretty impressive in my book. Needs to be coached up and get the line gelling. Lamp would be a nice addition about now.

[Steve]

Yeah i think it has as well. We have given up 12 sacks this year. Ranked 3rd. We are 13th in QB hits. And this is with a QB that can barely move around. I keep seeing Okung make some nice blocks out there. I think the issue is interior run blocking. We need a stud C. Rivers was hit 3 times today. Zero sacks. What im seeing now is similar to what we say in the Chiefs game last year. And throughout the season last year. Rivers making good calls at the LOS. I just cant help but think that Rivers exploding on the coach last week was the turning point. I think Lynn was throwing his own ingredients in the cake and it wasnt tasting good. It was right after that argument that things completely changed. It was as if a magic wand was waived over the offense and things really opened up. Lampo will be back. Pulley can back up Center and play OG. Id probably just move Slausson back to Center if we are not going to upgrade him.

I just think we have a really good offense that only needs a couple players. Id like to get the DL a stud. An absolute inside pocket killer. And i also wouldn't mind a Myles Jack type at SAM. Id probably go DL/LB/S in the first few rounds. Then thing long and hard about drafting a solid RB that can push Gordon. Lots of players in this league step it up when they think they are potentially being replaced.

If Rivers keeps killing it ill go into the offseason likely thinking Lynn tried to change the O just enough to ground our game. And that replacing Rivers wont be needed right away. We can take a guy next year and it doesnt have to be in the 1st round. Not if Rivers says he still wants to play. If we take a QB in round 1 and he sits for a year we can still look at the D in the next few rounds. But that stud backup RB is someting i want. I want another RB that isnt just a compliment. We could always go with the hit hand.

If we could run the ball at will....this offense would be ridiculous.

Part of the sacks is the fact that Rivers is doing a great job of not taking too many negative plays. People knock him on his play early, but if he holds the ball in the 1st half of the season, we start to lose a ton of negative yards. HE had the time to hold the ball yesterday (and vs NE and the Giants) and then he was able to go downfield.

Lynn did say when he was hired that there were things he could do to tweak the scheme some. Not sure what he did, or even if they stuck with those things and they are finally paying off, or if we got rid of what he was trying and Whiz is back to doing his thing. Or maybe the guys are finally coming together.

As far as a C goes, a stud would be great, but right now even an average C would be a big improvement. Pulley is a great athlete at C. He can pull and lead, he is solid inline, he can make all the blocks. But he is horrible at working with the guys around him. I am pretty sure Rivers is making most, if not all of the line calls, which is traditionally the C job. So, somewhere, many of the problem in both run blocking and pass protection seem to fall on him. That being said, he seems to have been a lot better the last couple of games. IF he can master the mental side of things down the stretch, great. But we still need another C, so at worst, I see us taking one in the 3rd round or so. If he doesn't continue to play well, then much higher or a FA. I do think Pulley can be an OK OG, but with Feeney and Lamp that probably makes him a backup.

I am still OK taking Rivers replacement next year fairly high, if it is the right guy. Rivers benefited a lot from learning behind Brees. But I agree no hurry, and a lot of good younger QB seem to be drafted in 2nd or 3rd rounds.

As far as a RB, I think another RB would be outstanding. First, Gordon has had a lot of dings, so we need to be prepared some and lighten his load even if he does work out. Since he hasn't worked out to date, then a Samje Perrine type of RB (Redskins current starter), who can push Gordon would make a ton of sense. I would just like to add a different style of runner than Gordon, to better compliment the running game.

The knocks I have with going out and getting a new starter at SAM/OTTO :
1). Between Toomer, the rookies, Brown ... I am not convinced we might not have the guys on the roster now. Toomer is a former college DE, so I wouldn't mind him getting some snaps there. An alternative is to draft another LB for one of the other spots and shift people around. The LB spots are not satisfying at any position, SAM is just the worst one. A faster MLB makes sense to me, although Toomer might be that guy, if he steps his play up vs the run.
2). I would hate to spend too high a pick, since a SAM LB is a sub down player. Desmond King is the 11th starter on D as the nickel DB. SAM LB is the heavy formation equivalent. With holes at FS and DT, those positions would be on the field much more. If we had a really good SAM LB, I don't think anyone would let him get on the field. Teams would just go 3 wide and prevent him from ever playing.

We really need help at a couple of spots (DT, FS, C) then there are several spots where we would like to add help (LB, RB, OT).

[Heatmiser]

Steve, Pulley has had a knee issue for about 5-6 games. And he is playing with a rookie on one side and a street FA on the other. And this is his first year really playing and getting any meaningful time. He has a QB that is extremely smart, but also one that uses all the clock, changes the play and line calls at the very last minute. All in all, I think he is actually doing BETTER than expected. I never felt he would be an all pro this year. I think as he gains experience and health he will be solid.

Chargers need to draft an OT and Hope Lamp fully recovers. And they need to look for a RB in the later rounds. On defense they need a safety. I agree with you that drafting anyone in the first three rounds to play SAM is a waste.

I am curious why Toomer continues to get subbed out. Too inconsistent? He makes plays and seems to be around the ball a lot. And he has the size/speed that Bradley covets.

TG