Guest BackInDaDay Posted October 13, 2004 Posted October 13, 2004 Coming out of camp, our best chance at success was to strive for a ball-control offense, a strong D that can take the ball away, and big play special teams. Although the D has not been able to shut opponents down totally, they are strong and are getting some timely take-aways. Although our place-kicker is weak, the STs have done an above average job on returns, and are sound in coverage. So the D and STs are on course, but the ball-control O never materialized. Frankly, at this point it probably can't. The lack of production from this O-line has shut down the offense. McNally has been trying to stabilize his group since the summer. Every week he watches his men fail more than they succeed. This means that each work week he has to boil their blocking schemes down further, to the most elementary of common denominators - which man can execute which blocking assignment effectively against this week's opponent. It's reaching the point where Clements cannot apply a ball-control gameplan that suits the O-line's inconsistent strengths, or lack of them. It's time to open things up. Start employing more QB roll-outs (he's not that mobile, but he can execute this) and screens (middle would work well). Get your skill players like Evans, Moulds, Henry and McGahee out in space, where they can make plays. Get our TEs involved more. Rush the ends hard, then bring the off-tackles, counters and isosolations. After Williams' and Gilbride's voyage ran aground (Gilbride and 'ran' in the same sentence ), Mularkey and Clements set sail with visions of 10-play scoring drives and 40 minute time-of-possesion games. Their ship is taking on water, and it's time to change course before the players (like the fans) mutiny.
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