Why LT is not any more important than RT

[fitnbills]

For any or all of the five reasons I stated above? Because perhaps that ability is being under-utilized as many or more plays than it is being utilized? If you're crushing people on running plays, and 35-40%% of your running plays are to the left, wouldnt you be wasting a large portion of that tackle's run blocking ability?

 

The Bills mistake was that he was an overweight, low-motivated player who wouldnt or couldnt play hurt, not that he was an RT. The NFL pays cornerbacks insane amounts of money, too, does that make it right? They pay tackles twice as much as guards but I'm sure you would argue they are not twice as important on your line. The way the league pays its players and positions is out of whack all over the place, but that is a terrible and almost embarrassing excuse to dispute the thesis of the post. The NFL pays rookies 30-40 million before they play a down? Does that make that rookie more important than your veterans?

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Personally, I agree with you. To piggy back on what you said too often we believe the hype. We as fans get soooo engulfed at what everyone else is saying that we fail to make or own judgements. Much like the one guy said depending on what hand the QB is I believe is what should dictate the LOT and ROT compensation. I agree the margin is minimal between the two. I do believe whomever is protecting the blind side should be compensated more though. Only b/c they are on an Island with the DE and the expectation is Greater.

[Bill from NYC]

Well then, I guess that settles that.

 

RTs are just as (if not more) important than LTs. It is a mere coincidence that coaches at all levels put their best athletes at LT, owners pay them more, and GMs with their jobs on the line draft LTs FAR earlier.

 

Yeah, that makes sense.

[Kelly the Dog]

Well then, I guess that settles that.

 

RTs are just as (if not more) important than LTs. It is a mere coincidence that coaches at all levels put their best athletes at LT, owners pay them more, and GMs with their jobs on the line draft LTs FAR earlier.

 

Yeah, that makes sense. 

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Why don't you try actually arguing the point, for or against. Any point. Like for example, I know this may sound foreign to you, but have an original thought, and express it. Or refute someone else's original thought with, god forbid, a specific reason or explanation or fact. I think there have been approximately ten minor and major reasons why the evolution of the game has made the RT as important as LT provided in this thread by several posters, and approximately zero to disprove it or even argue against except "just 'cuz". The only legitimate reason provided is that you MAY want your more athletic guy there but I believe even that is no longer true.

[Bill from NYC]

Why don't you try actually arguing the point, for or against. Any point. Like for example, I know this may sound foreign to you, but have an original thought, and express it. Or refute someone else's original thought with, god forbid, a specific reason or explanation or fact. I think there have been approximately ten minor and major reasons why the evolution of the game has made the RT as important as LT provided in this thread by several posters, and approximately zero to disprove it or even argue against except "just 'cuz". The only legitimate reason provided is that you MAY want your more athletic guy there but I believe even that is no longer true.

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How about Jeremy Trueblood? Remember him, the RT from Boston College? Tampa Bay grabbed him in round 2. I saw him play a little, and he is as strong as an ox! Thuthfully, I wish that the Bills drafted him, along with the rest of the TB draft.

 

In any event, why do you think he lasted until the 27th pick of round 2? Because scouts and GMs are stupid? How about because he was not said to have the agility required to play LT. Does this make any sense to you?

 

Otoh, Ferguson went 4th, despite having questions about his size. Do you think that agility gets factored into this equation?

 

In other words, the most agile blocker is going to protect the qb's blindside. Running plays require less agility and more brute strength. You know this.

[Kelly the Dog]

How about Jeremy Trueblood? Remember him, the RT from Boston College? Tampa Bay grabbed him in round 2. I saw him play a little, and he is as strong as an ox! Thuthfully, I wish that the Bills drafted him, along with the rest of the TB draft.

 

In any event, why do you think he lasted until the 27th pick of round 2? Because scouts and GMs are stupid? How about because he was not said to have the agility required to play LT. Does this make any sense to you?

 

Otoh, Ferguson went 4th, despite having questions about his size. Do you think that agility gets factored into this equation?

 

In other words, the most agile blocker is going to protect the qb's blindside. Running plays require less agility and more brute strength. You know this. 

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The thread doesnt have much if anything to do with agility of the player. The title and thesis and foundation of the thread is that the position is just as important. And I believe that LT used to be a far more important position than it is now. But with the changes in the game, and the way the quarterbacks play, and the way the defenses attack, the importance of LT has diminished so that now RTs are just as important. You may not agree, and you don't have to, and you may even be right. But if you're going to denigrate a post or refute it, have a reason. You still have yet to provide one. In fact, you just argued my point by saying that LTs need to be more agile and RTs need to be stronger. That would seem to say they may require different skills but aren't much different in value.

[stuckincincy]

The complication of the offenses have also now put RT's on an island, where in the past, most the game the RT was covered up by a TE.

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Listen to the snap count and then hit a defender.

 

Jeeze, why do folks need to complicate this?

[BB2004]

Personally, I think they are of equal importance, and the logic behind LT being more important is faulty, out-dated, and just plain not true. At least in my observations.

 

1] Half of all plays are running plays. Most teams and running backs are right handed and prefer running to the right. Therefore, on half of all plays, the RT is probably slightly more important to a team than the LT. Everyone will argue running is at least if not more important to winning than passing. So even if LT was more important in the passing game, it would be a wash overall as far as their total importance to a team. One could argue the RT gets help more often from the TE than the LT because teams more often put the TE to the right, but I don't believe that's true. That means there is less space, and there are probably two extra defenders and not one in that area or leaning/looking to that area. The TE doesnt really help the tackle any more than he hurts him.

 

2] The argument goes, that the LT is more important because it protects the blindside of the mostly right-handed QBs, who face the right side of the field. This, in my experience, is theoretically true but the results on the field don't support it. I don't have stats for this but I rarely see QBs getting seriously hurt when blindsided in the back. It looks horrible, you think they are dead, and then they are out for a play, if that, and right back in the game. I see just as many if not more injuries to players that are hit from right in front, rib injuries, hand injuries from hitting helmets, straight on blows to the knees, etc, that knock players out of the game(s) for longer lengths of time from in front.

 

3] I also see almost as many, or just as many fumbles from in front as I do from behind. I guess if I had to bet, there may be a slightly larger number from behind, but quarterbacks have gotten a LOT better over time expecting the blindside rush and protecting the ball. Losman, in fact, is very good at it already. The ball does get knocked out of the QBs throwing hand a lot more from behind by clever RDE's, which makes the LT a wee bit more important, but watching RJ and Drew and Holcomb the last few years, they fumbled being hit straight on easily as much as they did from behind. The same goes for interceptions. It seems as if as many a are caused by the QB hit from in front as he is throwing as behind.

 

4] Teams with mobile QBs and scrambling QBs far more often roll to the right or scramble to the right, which by definition makes the RT more important than the LT on the vast  majority of those pass plays. Especially rolling pockets.

 

5] It USED to be that the better DEs on teams played the RDE position whom obviously faced the LT, so you would want your best blocker against the best rusher. That is no longer the case. There are just as many good LDEs as there are RDEs. The best of the bunch the last several years overall has likely been Michael Strahan, a LDE. The top sack artists are just as likely to be LDEs as RDEs in the last 5-10 years. I know after looking it up a few different times that Mike Williams faced a higher quality of opponent than his Bills counterpart at LT. So that negates another former "LT is more important" argument.

 

I think it's pretty obvious that RT is just as important as LT, if not more. There are a couple reasons that LT is a little more important, but they are diminishing. And there are just as many or more reasons that RT is more important.

 

Support or dispute.

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I think what you wrote on #2 is right on. Because a lot of quarterbacks are right handed they have to have someone on the left side that can pass block effectively enough so that the quarterback doesn't have to look over his shoulder and worry about who's going to get him. Also, the LT is usually the position that has to block most of the top pass rushers on the opposing team.

[Hardy Pyle]

I'm not saying I agree, or disagree, because I haven't given it enough thought.

 

But I do appreciate you taking the time to post an original post that will actually make me think about this.

 

My initial comment is supply and demand. While both maybe of equal value, it's just harder to find the big "athletic" LT than big "strong" RT. Therefore, their value goes up to due to simple supply and demand.

[fitnbills]

I'm not saying I agree, or disagree, because I haven't given it enough thought.

 

But I do appreciate you taking the time to post an original post that will actually make me think about this.

 

My initial comment is supply and demand. While both maybe of equal value, it's just harder to find the big "athletic" LT than big "strong" RT. Therefore, their value goes up to due to simple supply and demand.

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Hmmm....you may be on to something.

[Kelly the Dog]

I'm not saying I agree, or disagree, because I haven't given it enough thought.

 

But I do appreciate you taking the time to post an original post that will actually make me think about this.

 

My initial comment is supply and demand. While both maybe of equal value, it's just harder to find the big "athletic" LT than big "strong" RT. Therefore, their value goes up to due to simple supply and demand.

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Value doesn't always equate to importance. My argument is that both are of equal importance. I would also argue that both have to be both, meaning agile and strong. And perhaps it helps more to be agile on the left and stronger on the right. But that, to me at least, supports the argument that both are of equal importance, and probably should be valued a lot more equally than they are now.

[Kelly the Dog]

It's not easy to find a big, strong guy that has the speed and athletism to play LT.  That's why the truly good ones get paid all that money.  And, yes, you want the guy that grades the highest (makes damn few mistakes) there as well.  Most NFL teams understand that it isn't a good thing to have their QB carried off the field in a body bag.  Not all.  Most.

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Think about it. Seriously. In theory you sound right. But name all the quarterbacks you know or recently remember that were seriously injured by a shot in the back? There have been some, surely, but I remember more quarterbacks being knocked out with serious injuries when they had straight on shots to the knees, broke their hand or thumb or finger on a helmet right in front of them, or had cracked ribs or an arm or dislocated shoulder or rotator cuff from a shot right in front. I don't have any data on it but if I HAD to bet, I would bet there are more serious injuries from hits in front than from behind.

[obie_wan]

While the both the LT and RT need to be able to do there job, there is one that's more important on each and every team. That would be whichever Tackle is protecting the QB's blindside. In Tampa and Washington, it's the RT. In Buffalo it's the left. The QB can see the DE or LB coming from one side, but the other is protected by a man who needs to be on top of his game. If he is not it could spell injuries, fumbles, and interceptions for the respective QB. Whomever that may be.

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Right- so the RT becomes more important simply because the QB throws with his left hand.

 

 

The blind side argument is pure non-sense, made up by some talking heads looking for filler.

 

The more athletic OT usually plays LT in order to match up against the other teams quicker, faster pass rushers (both DE and LB). Teams "settle" for slower bigger guys at RT because premier OTs are impossible to find. They make the best out of the hand dealt them and run to the RTs strentgh- unless Mularkey is calling the plays.

[obie_wan]

Personally, I agree with you. To piggy back on what you said too often we believe the hype. We as fans get soooo engulfed at what everyone else is saying that we fail to make or own judgements. Much like the one guy said depending on what hand the QB is I believe is what should dictate the LOT and ROT compensation. I agree the margin is minimal between the two. I do believe whomever is protecting the blind side should be compensated more though. Only b/c they are on an Island with the DE and the expectation is Greater.

724248[/snapback]

 

I guess that high paid LT should take a big pay cut when a lefty comes in to play QB

[Hardy Pyle]

Value doesn't always equate to importance. My argument is that both are of equal importance. I would also argue that both have to be both, meaning agile and strong. And perhaps it helps more to be agile on the left and stronger on the right. But that, to me at least, supports the argument that both are of equal importance, and probably should be valued a lot more equally than they are now.

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Well, I think importance is dictated on a game by game situation and match up on any given day. In some games, the LT may be more important, in others, the RT, depending on where the defence speed rusher is and whether you intend on passing, running, keeping the running back in to help, etc.

 

I always thought the LT was of more importance because he was more isolated one vs one on the weakside and there is more help on the strong side. That is why your most athletic lineman plays LT.

 

I think you could also make an arguement that your center is more important than either LT or RT. Because without a good center, it doesn't matter how good the LT is because the protection will fall apart ( as we know all too well!) Again, it just comes down to the fact that big athletic men that you want as LT are hard to find, where as LT are difficult to find hence the value goes up.

[Pyrite Gal]

 

Another thing you are seeing less of is the typical I formation with a TE lined up next to the RT.  You see more and more 3 or 4 WR sets or TE's split out or in motion.

 

The complication of the offenses have also now put RT's on an island, where in the past, most the game the RT was covered up by a TE.

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Bingo! It really amazed me to read through this whole thread before I finally found someone noting one of the fundamental differences between how things are usually set up in an O that differentiates an LT and RT. The LT usually has no on the outside of the OL and they are on an island and can be more easily beaten by speed rushes around the outside.

 

Teams often put their best rusher to that side because he is harder to double there and he has the shortest route possible to the QB. The blindside is an extra benefit of coming from this side against right-habded QBs but is not the primary reason why that rusher is there.

[obie_wan]

Boomer Esiason has some extremely interesting thoughts about blind side protection and having a so-so LT who like to trash talk NFL pass rushers.

 

"Bruce Smith still scares the crap out of me."

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He probably got creamed by Bruce from the left side because the Bengals must have invested heavily in a good RT to protect Boomer's blind side.

 

Too bad he threw left handed or the Bengals would have gotten a good LT to stop Bruce.

[Kelly the Dog]

He probably got creamed by Bruce from the left side because the Bengals must have invested heavily in a good RT to protect Boomer's blind side.

 

Too bad he threw left handed or the Bengals would have gotten a good LT to stop Bruce.

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Nice argument by him, huh?

[34-78-83]

He probably got creamed by Bruce from the left side because the Bengals must have invested heavily in a good RT to protect Boomer's blind side.

 

Too bad he threw left handed or the Bengals would have gotten a good LT to stop Bruce.

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Marv will NOT make draft day trades!!!

[obie_wan]

Marv will NOT make draft day trades!!!

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What I said is Marv would not trade down while on the clock without a pre-negotiated deal and basically a guarantee that he would get the player he had targeted at #8. This is precisely what he did in round 1.

[34-78-83]

What I said is Marv would not trade down while on the clock without a pre-negotiated deal and basically a guarantee that he would get the player he had targeted at #8. This is precisely what he did in round 1.

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Back Pedaller!