Chiefs O-Line analysis - Page 13

milkman · 03-20-2010, 08:34 AM

Saw this posted eleswhere.
Took a quick look around and didn't see it here.
If it's repost, then that's just too damn bad.

Frankie gets to give me shit, though, if it is.

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3...-line-analysis

With the addition of what should be two new starters, I thought I would give you a few facts that the public is not aware of, along with some personal reflection on my part.

The Chiefs have made some positive moves this past week, but the team knows a lot more has to be done. They need a right tackle and depth.

I thought I would expand a bit and give some statistics you will rarely see anywhere.

First of all, this OL was bad last year, but that's in the past.

Lets look at the starters at this point.

BRANDEN ALBERT

Albert did not have the greatest of seasons in this year's rankings. His overall ranking was in the bottom 20 percent among offensive tackles in the league. He gave up seven sacks and 18 QB pressures playing left tackle. He was also guilty of being called for 13 penalties—that was more than any tackle in football.

I think a lot of the problem with Albert was that he played hurt. He started the year injured but was still willing to play. One would have to wonder if that in any way hindered his performance. I believe it did.

Albert is too gifted to not succeed at that position. We have not seen Albert at his best.

As a straight-ahead run blocker, at the line, he has average strength. It's when he's on the move that he is most dangerous.

At Virginia, Albert pulled frequently from his left guard position. The longer he ran, the bigger the impact. He was a BEAST when it came to blocking on the move—I mean he exploded into guys on the second level and drove them into the ground. That was the big reason for his success—his explosion on the move.

I would think that with Charles and Jones, who are better in space, Albert should find more confidence that will help him from being measured only by his ability to pass block. If healthy, he'll get a lot better. He has the feet to protect the quarterback.

One more note about Albert: Many have said that he was a natural guard in college and that he didn't play tackle because Eugene Monroe was better. That is totally untrue. The reason he played guard is because Monroe refused to. Albert made that move inside because he was an unselfish player. So before people jump to conclusions, they shouldn't speak at all unless they know the whole story.

The people involved in this falsehood were fellow divisional "bashers" not Chief bloggers

BRIAN WATERS

Waters had a very poor season as well, mostly because of aging. He ranked 20th amongst players at his position, and most of the reason he was that high was because of his excellent pass protection. For the season, he was charged with only giving up one sack. In addition, when blocking straight ahead, he opened a few holes. But his mobility is the problem at this point in his career.

His other problems? Penalties.

Like Albert, he was the most penalized player at his position in the game.

Despite those figures he's still a very good player—just not one of the best anymore.

CASEY WEIGMANN

Weigmann ranked 23rd out of the 32 starting offensive centers last year. At his age, his better years are behind him, but that doesn't mean he can't play. He was only slightly better at pass blocking than Niswanger, but he graded out much better as a run blocker.

Weigman, of course, played in a zone-blocking scheme in Denver and played extremely well these past few years, proving that he was not as washed up as the Chiefs thought. He still excels in making line calls and adjustments, and he can still pull.

Remember those classic sweeps that Priest Holmes ran under Vermeil? It was Weigmann that was the first guy down the field, not Roaf or Shields. The problem now, however, is how much does he have left?

RYAN LILJA

Well, we all know his story, so I won't repeat it. Lilja graded out at 14th at offensive guard—which is very good. It is by far the best grade of any Chief lineman last year.

Despite being 290 pounds, it is his run blocking that stood out more than his pass protection. He was in the top five out of 64 guards when it came to screen blocking—great news for the Chiefs with both Albert and Weigmann excelling in that area.

He did not give up many sacks, but you have to take into account the quarterback that was behind him all these years.

Indianapolis usually leads the NFL in pass protection, but its not because the line is that talented. It's because they have Peyton Manning. It is Manning's intelligence, ability to get rid of the ball quickly, short drops, making quick reads, and throwing the ball away that skewed their stats favorably.

Without a doubt though, Lilja will play as well as Cassel plays, which means that Cassel needs to play well.

RYAN O'CALLIGHAN

Do you really want to know? I didn't think so.

Actually I thought he did OK, but looks are deceiving. He finished 57th. He played less than 850 snaps and still gave up nine sacks and was responsible for 24 QB pressures. His run blocking was just as bad, and he got flagged a lot to boot. Its very clear with this guy—bad starter, but decent, experienced backup.

As for the backups, well, if everything was great in Kansas City most of the guys mentioned would be the backups. Niswanger provides depth at center. Ndukwe played out of position at tackle, but is really their depth at guard. After that, all bets are off.

So where does that leave the Chiefs?

They need to get a stud right tackle for sure and a few guys they can groom for the immediate future.

Many people now feel that Bulaga and Okung don't seem to fit at this point.

But they're wrong.

Both of those guys are outstanding run blockers and would be great right tackles. In addition, that player would provide depth at left tackle, should Albert get hurt. Last year, they played the season without one.

No matter how you slice it, the Chiefs now have a better line, and that's good news.

But it's not rebuilt yet. We'll see where they are after draft days.

(Props to HG at HoTC)

Mecca · 03-21-2010, 10:41 PM

I'm pretty sure Washington has always been ahead of Calloway in draft rankings.

Chiefshrink · 03-21-2010, 10:48 PM

Bottom line: whether you like it or not Pioli is going with a "trench guy" either O-line or D-line with the 1st pick.

**BossChief** · 03-21-2010, 11:11 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by milkman

The fact that he can't seem to find the motivation, a question going into the draft, to play to his potential doesn't diminish, in any way, the fact that he does have the talent to succeed.

It's becoming more and more apparent that he just doesn't have the desire.

Barry Richardson will never be the player that Kyle Calloway will be.

Mark it down buddy.

Barry Richardson got benched for a red shirt freshman his senior year, didnt he?

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:13 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

I'm pretty sure Washington has always been ahead of Calloway in draft rankings.

Well yes, he is a left tackle. A left tackle, even one rated lower than a right tackle can expect to be picked higher just for the fact that he was a left tackle. The primo spot on an NFL line, and if he doesn't make it or doesn't stack up to a pro left tackle, you can always attempt to move him to the right side.

Washington didn't get any real talk or high rating until recently when he tested well physically. He is a dummy though. He couldn't go to LSU b/c he wasn't bright enough. So he must be WAY stupid, b/c you know if a team really wants you, they will do everything they can to get you there. Look at Gore.

Washington just recently started climbing draft charts, something a "draft guru" like you already knows.

I assume you also know that in most OT rankings around the net, Calloway is rated usually in the 8-12 range, whereas Washington usually sits 13-19 overall.

A media guys top 100 might have him going higher though, b/c positional value is king. A top 100 players board will also have him higher, b/c they figure in positional value there also. Hoping their big board will be as accurate as possible, with where players will be selected, b/c if it ain't, he ain't got no cred.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossChief

Barry Richardson will never be the player that Kyle Calloway will be.

Mark it down buddy.

I'll second that.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:15 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sportsshrink

Bottom line: whether you like it or not Pioli is going with a "trench guy" either O-line or D-line with the 1st pick.

I'm not as sure as you are about that. I hope you are wrong though.

Mecca · 03-21-2010, 11:22 PM

DeAndre Brown is an absolute stud WR who didn't end up at LSU cause he didn't qualify...that doesn't mean he sucks.

Guys sometimes end up at smaller schools it doesn't change their talent or that Kyle Calloway is essentially Alex Boone by another name.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:39 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BossChief

Barry Richardson got benched for a red shirt freshman his senior year, didnt he?

Oh. Well now. They were just trying to get their LTOTF some playing experience for the next season dontcha know.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Mecca

DeAndre Brown is an absolute stud WR who didn't end up at LSU cause he didn't qualify...that doesn't mean he sucks

No, but it might mean that you're stupid. Stupid doesn't do any good in the film room, or in when trying to learn a new system.

Hell, when he knocked up his sister, that should be a red flag as to how stupid it is.

Titty Meat · 03-21-2010, 11:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by aturnis

No, but it might mean that you're stupid. Stupid doesn't do any good in the film room, or in when trying to learn a new system.

Hell, when he knocked up his sister, that should be a red flag as to how stupid it is.

You're a dumbass do you think players from the U were smart?

Titty Meat · 03-21-2010, 11:44 PM

JPP only played 1 year at USF I don't see you saying he will suck cuz he's a dumbass.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:50 PM

Didn't say that is while they'll suck. Just another red flag. It could make a tough task even harder. Sure he might have all the talent in the world, but if he isn't smart enough to benefit from watching film, and learn a playbook, he might not be as good as he could be. Our new zone blocking scheme might be a task for a dumbass.

aturnis · 03-21-2010, 11:51 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by billay

JPP only played 1 year at USF I don't see you saying he will suck cuz he's a dumbass.

Did he play at a lower level b/c he was a dumbass or b/c he was a late bloomer? B/c Washington didn't go to LSU b/c his grades weren't good enough. Do you think that he found out about LSU's interest after he graduated? Doubtful. So he most likely knew he needed to get his grades up, but either wasn't dedicated enough or was too stupid.

Judging by his having a kid with his sister, I pick the latter, though the former would be just as bad.

Mecca · 03-22-2010, 12:04 AM

I'm already tired of reading this oh he had a kid with his sister shit, that story is already played out.

**BossChief** · 03-22-2010, 12:10 AM

Im not gonna say he is gonna be great by any means, but I think he isnt getting enough credit. He should be a solid right tackle for a long time in the league. Here is how he did against Derrick Morgan in the bowl game. Morgan is a top 15 pick kind of guy and an excellent pass rusher.

Keep in mind that this is only after Bulaga stalemated him in the early part of the game and they moved him to try and get some pressure on Stanzi.

03-20-2010, 08:34 AM
milkman Dumbass! Join Date: Aug 2000 Location: Leading the Marty bashing Casino cash: $10029395	O-Line analysis Saw this posted eleswhere. Took a quick look around and didn't see it here. If it's repost, then that's just too damn bad. Frankie gets to give me shit, though, if it is. http://bleacherreport.com/articles/3...-line-analysis With the addition of what should be two new starters, I thought I would give you a few facts that the public is not aware of, along with some personal reflection on my part. The Chiefs have made some positive moves this past week, but the team knows a lot more has to be done. They need a right tackle and depth. I thought I would expand a bit and give some statistics you will rarely see anywhere. First of all, this OL was bad last year, but that's in the past. Lets look at the starters at this point. BRANDEN ALBERT Albert did not have the greatest of seasons in this year's rankings. His overall ranking was in the bottom 20 percent among offensive tackles in the league. He gave up seven sacks and 18 QB pressures playing left tackle. He was also guilty of being called for 13 penalties—that was more than any tackle in football. I think a lot of the problem with Albert was that he played hurt. He started the year injured but was still willing to play. One would have to wonder if that in any way hindered his performance. I believe it did. Albert is too gifted to not succeed at that position. We have not seen Albert at his best. As a straight-ahead run blocker, at the line, he has average strength. It's when he's on the move that he is most dangerous. At Virginia, Albert pulled frequently from his left guard position. The longer he ran, the bigger the impact. He was a BEAST when it came to blocking on the move—I mean he exploded into guys on the second level and drove them into the ground. That was the big reason for his success—his explosion on the move. I would think that with Charles and Jones, who are better in space, Albert should find more confidence that will help him from being measured only by his ability to pass block. If healthy, he'll get a lot better. He has the feet to protect the quarterback. One more note about Albert: Many have said that he was a natural guard in college and that he didn't play tackle because Eugene Monroe was better. That is totally untrue. The reason he played guard is because Monroe refused to. Albert made that move inside because he was an unselfish player. So before people jump to conclusions, they shouldn't speak at all unless they know the whole story. The people involved in this falsehood were fellow divisional "bashers" not Chief bloggers BRIAN WATERS Waters had a very poor season as well, mostly because of aging. He ranked 20th amongst players at his position, and most of the reason he was that high was because of his excellent pass protection. For the season, he was charged with only giving up one sack. In addition, when blocking straight ahead, he opened a few holes. But his mobility is the problem at this point in his career. His other problems? Penalties. Like Albert, he was the most penalized player at his position in the game. Despite those figures he's still a very good player—just not one of the best anymore. CASEY WEIGMANN Weigmann ranked 23rd out of the 32 starting offensive centers last year. At his age, his better years are behind him, but that doesn't mean he can't play. He was only slightly better at pass blocking than Niswanger, but he graded out much better as a run blocker. Weigman, of course, played in a zone-blocking scheme in Denver and played extremely well these past few years, proving that he was not as washed up as the Chiefs thought. He still excels in making line calls and adjustments, and he can still pull. Remember those classic sweeps that Priest Holmes ran under Vermeil? It was Weigmann that was the first guy down the field, not Roaf or Shields. The problem now, however, is how much does he have left? RYAN LILJA Well, we all know his story, so I won't repeat it. Lilja graded out at 14th at offensive guard—which is very good. It is by far the best grade of any Chief lineman last year. Despite being 290 pounds, it is his run blocking that stood out more than his pass protection. He was in the top five out of 64 guards when it came to screen blocking—great news for the Chiefs with both Albert and Weigmann excelling in that area. He did not give up many sacks, but you have to take into account the quarterback that was behind him all these years. Indianapolis usually leads the NFL in pass protection, but its not because the line is that talented. It's because they have Peyton Manning. It is Manning's intelligence, ability to get rid of the ball quickly, short drops, making quick reads, and throwing the ball away that skewed their stats favorably. Without a doubt though, Lilja will play as well as Cassel plays, which means that Cassel needs to play well. RYAN O'CALLIGHAN Do you really want to know? I didn't think so. Actually I thought he did OK, but looks are deceiving. He finished 57th. He played less than 850 snaps and still gave up nine sacks and was responsible for 24 QB pressures. His run blocking was just as bad, and he got flagged a lot to boot. Its very clear with this guy—bad starter, but decent, experienced backup. As for the backups, well, if everything was great in Kansas City most of the guys mentioned would be the backups. Niswanger provides depth at center. Ndukwe played out of position at tackle, but is really their depth at guard. After that, all bets are off. So where does that leave the Chiefs? They need to get a stud right tackle for sure and a few guys they can groom for the immediate future. Many people now feel that Bulaga and Okung don't seem to fit at this point. But they're wrong. Both of those guys are outstanding run blockers and would be great right tackles. In addition, that player would provide depth at left tackle, should Albert get hurt. Last year, they played the season without one. No matter how you slice it, the Chiefs now have a better line, and that's good news. But it's not rebuilt yet. We'll see where they are after draft days. (Props to HG at HoTC)
Posts: 70,769

03-21-2010, 10:41 PM	#181
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-672950	I'm pretty sure Washington has always been ahead of Calloway in draft rankings.
Posts: 115,355

03-21-2010, 11:22 PM	#187
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-672950	DeAndre Brown is an absolute stud WR who didn't end up at LSU cause he didn't qualify...that doesn't mean he sucks. Guys sometimes end up at smaller schools it doesn't change their talent or that Kyle Calloway is essentially Alex Boone by another name.
Posts: 115,355

03-21-2010, 11:44 PM	#191
Titty Meat Inmem 2.0 Join Date: Aug 2007 Location: My house Casino cash: $-1142442	JPP only played 1 year at USF I don't see you saying he will suck cuz he's a dumbass.
Posts: 78,131

03-21-2010, 11:50 PM	#192
aturnis MVP Join Date: Apr 2001 Location: Iowa Casino cash: $9975811	Didn't say that is while they'll suck. Just another red flag. It could make a tough task even harder. Sure he might have all the talent in the world, but if he isn't smart enough to benefit from watching film, and learn a playbook, he might not be as good as he could be. Our new zone blocking scheme might be a task for a dumbass.
Posts: 13,873

03-22-2010, 12:04 AM	#194
Mecca Hockey Town Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Kansas City, Missouri Casino cash: $-672950	I'm already tired of reading this oh he had a kid with his sister shit, that story is already played out.
Posts: 115,355

03-22-2010, 12:10 AM	#195
BossChief SuperBowl or bust Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: BF Iowa Casino cash: $-1715912	Im not gonna say he is gonna be great by any means, but I think he isnt getting enough credit. He should be a solid right tackle for a long time in the league. Here is how he did against Derrick Morgan in the bowl game. Morgan is a top 15 pick kind of guy and an excellent pass rusher. Keep in mind that this is only after Bulaga stalemated him in the early part of the game and they moved him to try and get some pressure on Stanzi. __________________ Dreams do come true... http://www.chiefsplanet.com/BB/showp...postcount=1407
Posts: 47,901