Tangentially Panthers related - Interesting note on Offensive Lines

[UNCrules2187]

So the Cowboys SBNation blog had the opportunity to interview the author of FO's Almanac, Scott Kacsmar. While this is about the Cowboys (specifically why Kacsmar didn't like the Zach Martin pick), there's interesting nuggets here that pertain to the Panthers, specifically the question about our offensive line:

 

Personally, I'm not a big fan of using premium resources on interior linemen. I won't get into a huge essay about it, but I don't believe the variation in performance of guards or centers is great enough to use first-round picks. Leonard Davis was considered a bust at tackle for six years, but he went to Dallas, moved to right guard and was suddenly a Pro Bowl player. That's hard to buy.

 

If you want a run-heavy offense, then you need a better line, but that's not what Dallas is built for these days. I believe if you have a really good quarterback like Romo, then you don't need to focus on the interior line that much when there are more important positions to fix. Romo's sack rate has been fairly consistent with a tight range of 3.2 to 6.5 percent. The season it was the lowest (2010) was the year he broke his collarbone. Injuries can happen on any play. The play in which Romo came up very hobbled against Washington last year was actually a blown block by Tyron Smith, who is the best lineman on the team. I've thrown Smith under the bus twice now in this questionnaire, but it just goes to show how even your best assets can negatively impact your season with one play.

 

The Smith pick was great to get a franchise left tackle, but I think loading up with Travis Frederick and Zack Martin was overkill. It's nothing personal against those players, but I think the Cowboys had more pressing needs. We're not too excited about the safety position, but that could have been improved with a pick like Eric Reid (2013 draft) or Ha Ha Clinton-Dix. Romo just needed someone to snap him the ball properly (sorry, Phil Costa). Historically, the greatest centers in NFL history were not first-round picks, which is very unusual. The guy on pace to be the best first-round center ever is Nick Mangold. Maybe if the Jets had a good quarterback we'd see a better offense, but having Mangold and D'Brickashaw Ferguson did little to change their success. One of the few great lines to recently have a big impact was in Kansas City a decade ago (2002-05) with Willie Roaf, Brian Waters and Will Shields. However, like Dallas, that team didn't have a defense and never won a playoff game together.

 

Top three needs of a team should be a head coach, a quarterback and a defense. Building a great offensive line is a pipe dream in the salary cap era. Those who think they have the best assets usually don't have anything worth protecting, like Cleveland with Joe Thomas and Alex Mack. The 2008 Steelers and 2013 Seahawks won Super Bowls with pretty lousy lines and their quarterbacks under a lot of pressure. They still won because they had the No. 1 defense, and the quarterback delivered when he had to. Romo hasn't had a top 10 defense since 2009, which is not coincidentally the year he won his only playoff game. A quarterback's best friend is not his offensive line or running game, it's a great defense. It's hard to have one if you're taking guards and centers with first-round picks.

 

 

 

http://www.bloggingtheboys.com/2014/8/7/5976479/five-questions-with-football-outsiders-about-the-dallas-cowboys-2014

 

The bottom paragraph seems to describe the Panthers to a T. 

 

So why is FO forever harping on our lack of offensive line talent? 

[UpstatePanther]

yes when i heard some media outlets and even fellow fans here on the Huddle suggesting right before the draft that we might take a guard with the first pick, the very thought of taking a guard made blood shoot from my eyes for these very reasons

[PandaPancake]

yes when i heard some media outlets and even fellow fans here on the Huddle suggesting right before the draft that we might take a guard with the first pick, the very thought of taking a guard made blood shoot from my eyes for these very reasons

Pics or it didn't happen

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[TheRumGone]

Just depends.

But I think the most important thing for the oline is chemistry and communication. That's why I'm hoping we get everything worked out sooner rather than later.

[Montsta]

I think Chance Warmack forever tainted my view of highly touted interior linemen.

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[Growl]

The Tackles arent exactly the position on the OL where you want to be weak, but I agree with the premise and agree overall that our strengths are more important than the perceived weaknesses. We've got a good team. Let's go out and shut people up.

[carolina-chuck]

I think Chance Warmack forever tainted my view of highly touted interior linemen.

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How? The kid played well last year. Will be a beast.

[carolina-chuck]

I def believe this.

Wilson was the 3rd highest sacked QB last year.

Can't really remember a SB team that had a dominant OL.

[magnus]

How? The kid played well last year. Will be a beast.

Warmack played well, but so did Larry Warford, who went at the top of 3 instead of the top of 1.  Warford was close to flawless. 

 

from the article: it talks about the '08 Steelers and '13 Seahawks won with bad lines, but that suggests the value of a QB that handles pressure very well.  Not all good QBs have that as their strongest point.  

 

 

 

Also reminds me of the ideal of the dominant LT being a thing of the past, that having a good line is better than having one good player.   Relatedly, Carolina pays exactly one OL high, and he's the guy who makes the calls. 

[top dawg]

Interesting point, but I am not completely sold.  BPA vs need, and value relative to the position should be taken into account regardless in my opinion.

 

Edit: Pie for the info and the use of the word "tangentially".  That's a new one for me.

[PandaPancake]

Interesting point, but I am not completely sold. BPA vs need, and value relative to the position should be taken into account regardless in my opinion.

Edit: Pie for the info and the use of the word "tangentially". That's a new one for me.

If you didn't skip out of trig or calculus you would know it

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[top dawg]

If you didn't skip out of trig or calculus you would know it

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Guilty. But, be honest:  Have you ever specifically used calculus or trigonometry for anything?  

[Mol3m4n]

Football is won in the trenches. You gotta have a good line- on both sides.

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[SCP]

I def believe this.

Wilson was the 3rd highest sacked QB last year.

Can't really remember a SB team that had a dominant OL.

Cowboys oline made that offense what it was

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