12-17-2021, 06:42 PM
(12-16-2021, 09:04 AM)WychesWarrior Wrote: Again guys, go back and look at the grades the last two seasons. If I remember correctly, we graded as the 32nd ranked unit one year, and 30th another. Now the unit has been as high as 15th, but typically settles in somewhere in the 20s. That's at least a ten point swing. That's improvement.
The deep ball didn't even have time to develop last year, and I don't think Mixon would've sniffed 1000 yards behind what we trotted out there. Fred makes a good point that people are ignoring on that one. Yes, Ja'Marr, but what have defenses been doing lately? Is Joe not finding Tee Higgins deep? Yes, he is, and he's getting a bit more time. He's holding the ball some which leads to a few sacks, and early on, the RBs and TEs were struggling with their assignments causing a few on their own. The last couple of weeks the line has struggled more than most of the season for sure.
This year we're averaging 27.2 ppg, last year was 19.2, 2019 was 17.4. So no Essex, we weren't scoring nearly as much the last two years.
In summation, the oline is the weak link of the team still, but it isn't as bad as it's been. Hopefully it's a work in progress. I recall a lot of people talking about if the line was just around average, we'd be set. Well, it shows that you need it to be a bit better than average for sustained success, and how important it is to everything, no matter how good your skill guys are.
Tbh I don't think we disagree all that much. I'm just less pleased with the progress we've seen this year and don't think we've even sniffed "average". Believe it or not, Mixon was on pace for 1141 yards and 8 TDs last year prior to injury. Just saying bulk yards isn't the best indicator for success.
Our yards per carry improved, but we're still only ranked 25th. In the 6 games Burrow and Mixon were healthy last year, we averaged 21.5 ppg, and that's with one game where the Ravens held us to 3.
We're better this year, but I'd attribute 90% of that to Jamarr and the natural progression of Burrow. We can't just ignore that QBs progress with experience. The line isn't getting smoked as badly as last year. They've even had some decent games and moments.
It's still bad though. Tbh it feels like we're saying very similar things, but one of us is happy with the progress we've seen and the other (me) wanted much better this year and is still kinda ticked that people shamed me all offseason for doubting the line, and claimed it'd be fine/average, and now I'm being shamed for not being happy about a little progress.
This isn't aimed at you specifically. Just venting here.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
