Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Do we have a guy skilled enough to effectively block the OLB or SS (8 in the box) and also athletic enough to be the 'hot' receiver or a threat in the middle seam? Nuefeld's a better receiver than blocker. Trafford's a better blocker than receiver. Banta's bounced around the league for 11 years, so I'm thinking he must have decent skills, but I've never seen him. Peters is only used in unbalanced, T eligible formations. Denney is not (and may never be) ready for primetime. Our running game took off due to MacGahee's ability to successfully bounce it outside (good combo of speed/strength) when the hole's closed and no interior cut-back presents itself (props to Henry for hitting the hole hard, but WM's skills have served us better). Unless we can remove the outside defenders by a combination of formation/motion, our TEs have to get a body on them to seal the corner. Our passing game has improved each week Evans suits up. But if I'm facing an O with three threats at wideout/slot, and a traditional dropback QB, I'm gonna try to force the ball out quicker than planned. That's why our TEs have to be able to release quickly to space and catch the ball. If DB sees the blitz coming, that TE seal on the corner of the line, can free up the sideline for the pitch or stretch handoff. When the D plays it straight (caused you burned them!) the TE running the middle seam is a very effective way to bring the safeties back between the hashmarks, freeing up LE, EM. Bottom line, looking at our O personnel, what we've been doing best hinges on the play of our TEs. Here's hoping Clements can gameplan around who's left to strap 'em on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MadBuffaloDisease Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 What about Shelton? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TigerJ Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I disagree. First, I think running back is a more critical position. If you don't have a decent running back, opposing teams can shut down your ryunning game. Then everything else goes to pot. Second, Neufeld is not that bad a blocker, nor is Trafford that bad a receiver. Banta? Well Banta's a long snapper. He probably has some blockng skills, but he's caught the same number of passes in his career that Takeo Spikes has caught this season alone. Of course, it was the other team's passes that Spikes has caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 What about Shelton? 175109[/snapback] Doing a great job as a blocking FB, but the only advantage he would have over Denney is knowing the O formations. No time to bring him up to speed with what an every down TE needs to know. Nuefeld is actually a good receiver, which means his blocking skills (and football smarts ) kept him at #3. But at least he should know what's expected of him. TC should come up with something to open things up regardless of how effective WM can be (if at all). Look at the bright side, at least he has the 49ers to expiriment on. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ganesh Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Nuefeld is actually a good receiver, which means his blocking skills (and football smarts ) kept him at #3. But at least he should know what's expected of him. 175147[/snapback] He need to hold on to the ball a little better.....The weather in SF should be more conducive for him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Banta? Well Banta's a long snapper. He probably has some blockng skills, but he's caught the same number of passes in his career that Takeo Spikes has caught this season alone. Of course, it was the other team's passes that Spikes has caught. 175135[/snapback] Yeah I know he was brought in for Dorenbos, but he has been a TE in several NFL systems, and I'm hoping he at least attended meetings and practices. I agree that whether you have a large physical line, an athletic line with excellent skills and sound blocking schemes, or a combo of both, a more talented RB can hide a world of deficiencies. But right now, our O seems to work from the outside in. At least that's how I would gameplan my D around it. From 5 yds out from the LOS I'd ask my DEs and outside LBs to keep everything inside the tackles. From 5 yards out, I'd ask my OLBs and DBs to take away the outside pass routes and my MLB to take away the inside 'hot' routes when I blitz. My point is, I would have a problem accomplishing this against the Bills when they have a TE with enough blocking skills to help seal the corner for MacGahee/Williams/Burns, enough savvy to recognize the blitz and give DB an option, and enough receiving skills to draw my secondary away from Evans/Moulds/Reed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Oneida Lake Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 The TE issue is a big one for all the reasons in the initial post. Campbell and Euhus were rounding into a pretty formidable pair. With them both gone and Neufeld with 2 drops last week (one in the numbers, the other requiring some effort) I'm officially concerned about that dump off option. As far as running back goes, I agree it's a lesser issue THIS WEEK. I would rest McGahee the first half and if we don't need him I don't want him on the field. Shaud impressed me with good field vision, I say he would be an adequate sub against this team. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 Shaud impressed me with good field vision175203[/snapback] Absolutely God bless TH, like a good soldier he runs full speed at the hole, looking for a crease and will try to burrow back to the LOS if there isn't one. But just as McNally did for the Giants, his line is taking what they're giving. For the last couple years it was Barbers ability to get outside which later gave him the inside. Heisman Trophy winner Dayne couldn't adjust his north/south college game to this. How many times has WM taked a deep handoff, head to the line, and like every talented kid - from Pop Warner to HS to Division I - run to daylight. The better that end of the line is sealed inside, the better he does. When the DEs start taking wider splits and the OLBs cheat outside - bang - he sees the hole off-Tackle. We have to get the D to commit to the outside. IMHO everything all our O success begins there, and the TE has a large reponsibilty in making it happen. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
respk Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 It appears that the TE on the roster can block. That's all that matters. The TE's have only been an afterthought all year except for one game. The far bigger concern is McGahee's knee. If he is out beyond this week, the slim chance of making the playoffs just got much, much smaller. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 It appears that the TE on the roster can block. That's all that matters. The TE's have only been an afterthought all year except for one game. The far bigger concern is McGahee's knee. If he is out beyond this week, the slim chance of making the playoffs just got much, much smaller. 175630[/snapback] There are no O 'afterthoughts' to a D coordinator. The more O packages, formations, and the personnel used in each, that you can account for, the better chance you have at creating a successful D gameplan. Campbell and the rookie Euhus were successfully being integrated into our O's passing attack. They both had already shown their ability to engage a defender in space and seal the corner. This accounts for a good portion of our improvement in running the ball. By not having to swap out one 'specialist' TE for another (receiving/blocking), Clements was less limited to what play he could run, out of which formation, with who. As far as our chances without WM, he has helped open a window to how this O can operate efficiently. That includes not only a talented RB, but a TE that can control the end of the line, read his blitz keys, run the middle and catch balls. I'll concede that Trafford may see more playing time than Nuefeld, only because he's a better blocker that could pull down a couple passes. Frankly I don't think Nuefeld is an every down guy, but I'd love him to prove me wrong. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rat-boy Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 I disagree. First, I think running back is a more critical position. If you don't have a decent running back, opposing teams can shut down your ryunning game. Then everything else goes to pot. Second, Neufeld is not that bad a blocker, nor is Trafford that bad a receiver. Banta? Well Banta's a long snapper. He probably has some blockng skills, but he's caught the same number of passes in his career that Takeo Spikes has caught this season alone. Of course, it was the other team's passes that Spikes has caught. 175135[/snapback] I disagree with you. There are several teams in the league (e.g. Denver, Kansas City) who have repeatedly shown that average runners can succeed behind a well-designed and executed blocking scheme. It all begins up front, and in MM's offense the blocking tight end is crucial cog. WM has had more runs for negative yardage and less success against supposedly poor rush defenses in the weeks since our starting TEs went out. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BillsGuyInMalta Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 In the offseason, our "first day" signing should be Bubba Franks if he makes it to free agency. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest BackInDaDay Posted December 23, 2004 Share Posted December 23, 2004 In the offseason, our "first day" signing should be Bubba Franks if he makes it to free agency. 175934[/snapback] Bubba's skills would translate nicely to this O, but I think we've found a good one in Euhus. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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