Is Wade the problem? Thinking about the O-line

[JWsleep]

The last few games, it seems to me Wade has made several very much unforced errors in pass pro. And it's not like he's done anything much in the run game. Yes, one of the Vrabl sacks was on the Portis/Sellers whiff. But at least one of the others was just Wade standing there like a statue as Vrabl ran by and smacked our young QB.

I would like to see Heyer (if he's healthy, of course) out there. Yes, he's got liabilities, but I think he's got more upside. Further, it may be time to give DeMulling a try--at least to see how he works with the line. I know that the o-line is in flux and messing with it more may be trouble, but IMO it's just not working now. And a Gibbs/Saunders O without a good line is just what we're seeing--poo.

Thoughts?

[dgack]

My thought is, "how can it possibly hurt?"

[The Zimmermans]

Give these guys one more shot......bugle usually needs a few games to get the guys gelling. We just can't have any more injuries

[MTK]

Wade is still our best option.

I know some people out there have a hard-on for Heyer, but he's still a liability and needs help on his side way too often.

I say leave the lineup alone and hope they can pull it together. They need to keep fighting and find some consistency. Juggling the lineup again is not going to help us find that consistency.

[Paintrain]

Injuries are the problem.. Wade was AWFUL yesterday but hasn't looked bad the rest of the games he's played.. I think missing Thomas has the biggest impact on the OL then Jansen. I thought Jansen was definitely on the downside of his career so it wasn't really a huge dropoff..

[JWsleep]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Wade is still our best option.

I know some people out there have a hard-on for Heyer, but he's still a liability and needs help on his side way too often.

I say leave the lineup alone and hope they can pull it together. They need to keep fighting and find some consistency. Juggling the lineup again is not going to help us find that consistency.

I do not have a hard-on for Heyer--I have a total flaccid, pass-the-Viagra softie for Wade. This would be a good week to try things, given the opponent. I bet you are right, Matty, but I think Wade is rapidly showing why he was CUT BY THE TEXANS!

[dgack]

I think there must be a universal maxim that the more familiar you are with the names of your O-linemen, the worse shape your team is in.

It chills one to the bone to think that we're actually using the names Wade, Fabini, DeMulling, and Heyer in conversation.

[JWsleep]

Um, Jacoby, May, Grimm, Bostic, Lachey?

It's when they are 2nd/3rd stringers that it's worrisome.

[dgack]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

Um, Jacoby, May, Grimm, Bostic, Lachey?

It's when they are 2nd/3rd stringers that it's worrisome.

See, I knew someone would say that That's an edge case, since we had a freaking nicknamed O-Line back in those days

Now, not so much. Or at least the nickname in question would probably be something Madden couldn't say on the air.

[skinsfan242]

Originally Posted by Paintrain

Injuries are the problem.. Wade was AWFUL yesterday but hasn't looked bad the rest of the games he's played.. I think missing Thomas has the biggest impact on the OL then Jansen. I thought Jansen was definitely on the downside of his career so it wasn't really a huge dropoff..

Good Post. Thomas is a leader and makes people around him play better. He made wade better against Philly and the Saints (last year). He is the gel to the line and plays with a nasty streak. I just hope he gets back for the stretch run. I honestly think we will be in the playoffs so getting him back could be HUGE.

Don't really agree with the Jansen quote though. I still think he is in the better half of tackles in this league, not as good as he once was though.

[MTK]

Wade has also been battling shoulder and groin problems all year so that has probably hurt his effectiveness.

[The Zimmermans]

Janson was a sure thing....in that he didnt let guys run through untouched and blind side our QB

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by Mattyk72

Wade is still our best option.

I know some people out there have a hard-on for Heyer, but he's still a liability and needs help on his side way too often.

I say leave the lineup alone and hope they can pull it together. They need to keep fighting and find some consistency. Juggling the lineup again is not going to help us find that consistency.

Wade can't be the best option. If Heyer can't outplay him, we might as well get someone off the street who can.

Heyer is still very raw, but we need him now I think, at least for the rest of this season.

Fabini has been pretty good in pass pro, but generally guys who move from tackle to guard aren't as good in the run game as guards traditionally are. This strikes me as his big issue.

[JWsleep]

Is Demulling converted tackle, or a natural guard? That might be something to think about in the run game. But my guess is that only one change should be made at a time. Still, given the Jets, this is not a bad test case. It is on the road, but still easier than against Philly's D or in Dallas. Was Heyer active yesterday?

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by JWsleep

Is Demulling converted tackle, or a natural guard? That might be something to think about in the run game. But my guess is that only one change should be made at a time. Still, given the Jets, this is not a bad test case. It is on the road, but still easier than against Philly's D or in Dallas. Was Heyer active yesterday?

He's a natural guard.

He's also got a reputation that's closer to Pucillo than Wade or Fabini.