Willie Anderson says the Blind Side is keeping him out of the HOF

[Mike in Horseheads]

I bet he doesn't mind the royalties he gets for the movie.

[SoTier]

21 hours ago, Utah John said:

Back when the best pass rushers lined up on the right side of the defensive line, and teams almost always put the tight end on the right side of the offensive line, the standard thinking was running teams were right handed, generally exploiting the power of an extra TE blocker and a powerful road grader right tackle.  Left tackles were quicker and more athletic, not always as good at run blocking.  Blocking schemes were designed to utilize these different strengths.  Even right guards and left guards had different priorities.  

 

So teams started putting their best pass rusher on the left side of the defensive line (Reggie White).  These defenders had to account for a more massive tackle, but they could use speed, quickness, and deception, as well as power, to be effective.  This counter-trend changed the job description for right tackles.  Now they still need to be massive road graders (Spencer Brown) but also good pass blockers (Spencer Brown, last year, finally).  And defensive lines doing stunts and rotations can confuse a non-athletic tackle if he's not paying attention.  

 

This whole blind side thing is a little overdone.  Sure, if you have a right-handed pocket passer QB who doesn't move much, the blind side issue matters, but most QBs are pretty mobile (or very mobile) and they have their eyes everywhere.  Statues get broken, but moving targets survive.  And sacks come from everywhere.

 

Finally, the dominant shift in the NFL the past 15 years or so, is the ascendancy of the passing game.  Pass blocking is now the most important capability an O lineman can have.  Even right tackles.  

 

 

 

Nailed it!