Andre Smith liking it at Guard

[SunsetBengal]

(06-25-2017, 12:15 PM)HarleyDog Wrote: Oh crap. I think you uncovered an underlying issue. Didn't he struggle in the past with holding penalties?

He did struggle with holding penalties, in pass protection.  Fast edge rushers would beat him to the corner, get him off balance, and he was forced to grab.  However, in run blocking, when he could initiate the contact, he is very tough.  At Guard, there is no room for a DT to run the edge, so every play is in the proverbial "phone booth", giving Smith an advantage.

With Guards and DTs lined up a little closer to each other than Ends and Tackles, there is less shock impact on the shoulders, so his repaired shoulder has a better chance of holding up, as well.