Quote:
Originally Posted by skinsfaninok
This is my argument of why we need LG over DT, when Allen and Foster were playing we were better and we were surprised at way the Defense played early in the yr. We cant run the ball for shit
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Agree with the run defense piece. I'd happily take Vea at 13 but I'm not married to it.
But I'm not sure a good LG will solve the run game problem though. With Scherff and Trent on the line there has to be a way to run the ball better, even with Lauvao in the lineup. I can't reconcile in my mind why we're not already better on the ground.
I think it's a combination of:
- We don't play with a fullback, so tight ends need to block well, and Reed doesn't
- Kelley and Perine aren't a serious breakaway threat
- When DeSean Jackson left there was no threat whatsoever to keep the safeties from creeping forward. Richardson should help here.
- I think Jay's formations tend to broadcast whether we're running or passing. When we line up to throw, the tackles are quite often lined up a half step back from the center. When they line up on the ball with hand in the dirt, it's a run almost all the time. This is just my perception of it, I haven't chopped up tape and I haven't counted how often this is true. So there's my disclaimer. But I think there's some broadcasting of run vs pass.
- Little individual line issues. Trent and Scherff are big enough and athletic enough to run either zone (emphasizes mobility) or power (emphasizes brute force). But Spencer Long was a power guy and failed to reach on stretch zones. And Moses, as much as I love him, is more of a pass blocker than a run blocker, which makes matters real tough when he's got Reed lined up next to him. Lauvao was too inconsistent.
So there's a lot more at play here than drafting a LG will fix. You hope Roullier will be better than Long, I feel optimistic there. And I think Richardson reintroduces the speed aspect vs the safeties. And I think Alex Smith's athleticism and abilities with the RPO and read option will threaten defenses in different ways. But tight end is going to remain a problem, Moses needs to flat out improve as a run blocker, and we need a RB that scares defenses. There are a lot of reasons.