O-line Grades: Week 11 HOU

[Tour2ma]

O-line Grades: Week 11 HOU

 

12 series including a one-play, kneel-down to end the 1st half with 37 1st-half plays and 37 2nd-half plays... 74 total.

 

1st Half: S1 - 13:49; S2 - 7:09; S3 - 0:30; (Q2) S4 - 11:36; S5 - 6:27; S6 - 0:18

2nd Half: S7 - 15:00; S8 - 9:16; S9 - 1:24; (Q4) S10 - 9:47; S11 - 5:04; S12 - 2:40

 

Revelation(s) of the week: Hats off to Coach Crennel.

 

In the 2nd half I began to notice a pattern in HOU's pass-rush attack that I had not seen before. You'd think that Romeo would focus on our weakest links which are in order McD and Schwartz. This has pretty much been our opponents' plan since McD unveiled his limitations in his first start. However, in the 2nd half Romeo seemed to go the other way, and attack everywhere else. How does this make any sense at all?

 

The answer came in watching McD do absolutely nothing play after play after play... nothing except stand and look around. Often he stood alone with no one within 3 yards of him. In place of my normal McD notes like "bull(ed)" and "Pen(etration)", this week appeared " No p/u", "Too Slow", "Look but no Rxn (Reaction)", "Chased"and "Hey!" (The last was when Bito had to release from an initial Dbl-team with McD to address an X-stunt coming from outside... the result was a QB pressure right in BH's face.)

 

Effectively Romeo's attack plan was based upon McD's inability to react and either help others or respond to delayed blitzes in space. Romeo effectively reduced us to a 4-man O-line. It was in a word brilliant. It allowed a five-man rush to generate great pressure much of the game and 6-man rush, with a 2nd blitzer delaying a beat, to be near lethal.

 

 

Rant of the week: Promised in a thread not to mention a certain, departed RB anymore... so I won't. But I will address what is lacking in our new, favorite model... completeness. I love to watch Crow run as much as anyone, but the number of errors he made against HOU means he should be our #2 at best.

 

First, let me get the fumble out of the way. Play long enough and sooner or later every RB will fumble, but some fumbles are worse than others. And Crow's fumble against the Texans was a every bad one because it was invited by Crow. I never played RB, but as far back as HS ball I can remember coaches raking our RBs over the coals for "changing ball position in the hole". Before? Fine. After? Fine. But never in the hole... and that is what Crow was doing when Cushing reached behind our blocker and knocked out the ball.

 

On a bright note Crow showed he could catch the ball. Not that he was really tested here, but he handled the easy stuff. I'd mention he needs to work on presenting himself to the QB better when ad libbing , but since I'm being positive here...

 

Other issues include:

• Eye Discipline: For the second week in a row a pre-snap, end-zone shot caught Crow glancing to the side and only to the side the play was going to go. If I see it, you can be damn sure the opponent sees it. He gained one yard on the play. As I said last week, "Kid needs a tinted visor if he's going to do that."
• Blitz Pick Up (P/U): This week Crow went 1 for 3. His two misses nearly got his QB killed.
• Playbook: He went the wrong way on a screen pass late. Went in motion meant for the FB early necessitating a time out. Not going to go crazy on Crow for these transgressions though since the screen was going to suck and we left TOs on the board in the first half. But someday both will matter. Hit the book, Kid!

General Notes:

• Shanny is still still still adding plays... at least I do not remember seeing the following before: a 2WR stack on a couple occasions; a Full house look out of the shotgun with a TE H-back joining an RB. The latter was followed later by the RB motioning out of the same look.
• Line discipline waned a tad this week... but at least we managed to minimize the damage by doubling up a pair of holding calls.
• By Series 10 I noted that the HOU D was "Pinning ears back".
• This week saw more swing passes as I thought it would... but they were to Crow.
• Posted a couple Ryan Taylor sightings this week in our 3TE sets.
• I can't remember the last time I watched us run a Wide Zone and thought, "The line is like a ballet." Man... do I miss the ballet...

Weekly Box Count... Now Sponsored by "someone"...

1st : 8+ - 6; 7 - 22; 6 - 7; 5 or less - 2

2nd: 8+ - 2; 7 - 11; 6 - 14; 5 or less - 8

Ttl : 8+ - 8; 7 - 33; 6 - 21; 5 or less - 10

 

 

Weekly Special Request:N/A

 

 

The Grades

 

Joe Thomas: 1st +8-3 net +5 w/ 1D+; 2nd +13-3 net +10 w/ 1D+&1D- ; Game Totals: +21-6 net +15

 

Unlike Cinci, HOU did test Joe in Week 11. He passed with flying colors. He stoned Clowney at every turn. And Watt spent almost the entire game on the other end of the line.

 

Joe's first D+'s came on a classic, 2nd level seal (S5P5). The second on one of his best efforts of the year when he picked up a blitzing Cushing while already engaged by a DE (S10P4). Joe's lone D- came in a manner I'd not seen before. The NT absolutely stoned Joe not budging an inch and then shed him and solo tackled a passing Crow (S10P1).

 

My weekly hold patrol only detected one this week, but given it's a run block trick of Joe's, the low count is not surprising. I saw none of the looking back that re-emerged last week.

 

 

Joel Bitonio: 1st +13-4 net +9 w/ 2D+&1D-; 2nd +11-4 net +7; Game Totals: +24-8 net +14

 

Much more consistent week for Joel whose total actually surprised me to the high side this week. It was not that I thought he did not play well, just did not think he was playing as well as his score indicated.

 

Bito busted a new move in posting his first D+. He literally jumped outside of the NT to set up a seal (S3P3). His second could not be further from his first on the finesse scale; he blew back a DT on Hoyer's QB sneak (S5P7). Sandwiched by the +'s was his lone D- when an inside swim move beat him to pressure BH.

 

Other work of note included some nice 2nd level blocks in the early run game including a nice "Chip+2nd" ability that he flashed (S3P1).... Have I mentioned that we could use a Center who can do this? Maybe his most fun came in blasting JJ Watt to the turf as part of a delayed double team with Joe... Joe then laid on JJ the rest of the play (S5P4).

 

 

Nick McDonald: 1st +3-13 net -10 w/ 5D-; 2nd +6-13 net -7 w/ 2D+ & 1D-; Game Totals: +9-20 net -11

 

Nick's numbers, all his numbers, both positive and negative, are way down this week. I think that reflects Romeo's plan on which I speculated in the Revelation section. Last week his net was a similar -18, but on +18 -36 effort. Upward of 40 graded plays last week vs. this week's 28.... a significant drop off.

 

Still he managed to post a couple D+'s. First, he started the second half with a nice Chip+2nd (S7P1). Later he picked up a delayed Safety blitz (S10P9). His D-'s came early and often: "No Control" (S1P1), No 2nd (S2P5), Whiff (S3P3), Opened Blitz Lane (S3P5), No P/U (of an X stunt) (S4P4), No Sustain (S10P1), Def(lected) (S10P6). S10P1 was our Flea-Flicker.

 

 

John Greco: 1st +13-5 net +8 w/ 2D+&1D-; 2nd +4-8 net-4 w/ 2D-; Game Totals: +17-9 net +8

 

What a difference a week makes. John followed up his valedictorian debut with a lackluster effort. John seemed to struggle with the speed of the HOU Front 7. And John saw a lot of speed... primarily that wearing #99. Watt pretty much had his way with Greco delivering Greco got in none of the big shot blocks I noted in his CIN effort.

 

John go his first D- for his Holding penalty (S4P1). His second came on a hard Watt rush across John's face (S8P2). His third came when a swim move beat him resulting in a QB pressure (S8P4). His D+'s came for a nice blitz pick up (S3P5) and his fine drive block on the QB Sneak (S5P7).

 

 

Mitchell Schwartz: 1st +12-9 net +3 w/ 2D+ & 4D-; 2nd +8-5 net +3; Game Totals: +19-14 net +5

 

Mitch posted his second consecutive positive week. He had a roller coaster ride of a first half posting D+'s for a great 2nd level block (S2P2) and blasting out a DE (S4P6). He earned D-'s for Watt beating his backside cutoff block (S1P3), Watt speed rushing his way to a strip sack (S2P7), Holding (S4P1) and his False start (S4P3). Safe to say that Watt got in Mitch's head a bit in the first half.

 

To say Mitch settled down in the second half is an understatement. No glaring errors or victories, just fairly steady play under occasional heat from Watt. He actually seemed to get the better of Watt much of the half. Then as if to say, "This is so you'll remember who I am," Watt ripped off an inside rush and got pressure in Hoyer's face on our last Offensive play.

 

 

Other Blockers:

 

TEs: Not a lot from these guys this week.

• Dray: +6-3 net +3 w/ 1D+&1D- D+ for nice seal block on Crow's big run (S2P1). The D- came when an LB cast him aside at the point of attack (S4P1).
• Barn: +6-2 net +4 w/ 1D+ for a pull that ended in a pretty cut block of Watt (S2P1).
• Taylor: +2-0 net +2 w/ 1D+ for nice pull cut of an LB (S3P1). Welcome to the D+ Club...

RBs:

• Agnew III: +3-4 net -1 w/ 1D- Maybe "III" is a better edition. Did bounce nicely off an LB once to earn a D- (S3P3). And he only tripped Hoyer once. At least we know he will never hold... because he has no hands...
• Tate: +7-6 net +1 w/ 1D+ for a nice, blitz pick up... Farewell, Ben...
• West: +0-0... nada...
• Crow: +1-3 net -2 w/ 1D- Turned out missing a second blitzer up the middle allowing 2nd sack (S3P2).

WRs: Really not a lot here...

• Gabe: +2-0 net +2 w/ 1D+ Actually drove a DB away from Crow's path on one run.
• Benji: zilch..
• Austin: nope...

[bbedward]

Man I like that you do this.

 

It's too crazy how much of a better place we'd be with Mack. One of our strongest turned into by far and away our biggest weakness.

[Mudfly]

Really good stuff. Also saw the Crowell miss on that sack. Rookie mistake, but he'll learn.

 

And Mack? Wow. I sure think he's better than I did a year ago. Honestly didn't want to pay him either. Im learning tho

[ColumbusKing]

Even with everyone else with positive numbers, we won't be very successful with the "QB" of the Oline having a -11

[Tour2ma]

Even with everyone else with positive numbers, we won't be very successful with the "QB" of the Oline having a -11

I'm not sure McD is the "QB".

[The Gipper]

Tour: I don't know if this is something that can be done, but is there a site where all OL in the league are graded the way you grade the Browns OL?

 

The reason I ask is because our favorite female genitalia of a Steeler fan claims that Joe Thomas is not among the best LOTs in the game now. Is there somewhere that grades all linemen?

[Tour2ma]

Tour: I don't know if this is something that can be done, but is there a site where all OL in the league are graded the way you grade the Browns OL?

 

The reason I ask is because our favorite female genitalia of a Steeler fan claims that Joe Thomas is not among the best LOTs in the game now. Is there somewhere that grades all linemen?

I know there are pay sites, Gip... ProFootballFocus is one that comes to mind.

 

For free, I know you know ProFootballReference does rank pros, but I think they consider body of work as well as excellence. Joe's Career Weighted Avg is 59.

[The Gipper]

I know there are pay sites, Gip... ProFootballFocus is one that comes to mind.

 

For free, I know you know ProFootballReference does rank pros, but I think they consider body of work as well as excellence. Joe's Career Weighted Avg is 59.

PFR does a career average for each season as well.....but it wouldn't list the grades of all offensive tackles. (plus I don't know that they assign a "grade" until the conclusion of a season). To get all the data you would have to researech each and every LOT in the league. Too time consuming. Maybe that Football Focus has it....but no, I am not willing to pay for it.