How can you determine how well the offensive line played by looking at stats? The starting line played pretty decent. What you don't see in stats is that when the defense rushes to their left and attempts to beat our offensive line with speed by running around them, Brooks scrambles and bootlegs right into the blitz rather than away from it. Its happened countless times in the past few seasons and quite a few times in this first preseason game.

The opposing defense WILL get in the backfield when they blitz because ends and blitzing linebackers like to run around the line rather than through it. Your job as a quarterback is to recognize at what angle they are coming and move up in the pocket or roll to the opposite side of the rush.

Think I'm spitting jive? Look at what the other quarterbacks did during the game. Bouman played nearly identical as Brooks when it came to reading the defense and their rush and, boy, did he look bad! The other two quarterbacks had nice showings and the defense was getting consistent pressure on our offensive line all night. Kingsberry had a quick release and excellent pocket presence, while McPherson had the running ability.

However, as far as run blocking goes, we have none. We're lucky to have a back like Deuce that can making something out of nothing. Besides our fullback, no one can open up any holes on offense. This was clearly visible by watching other runningbacks throughout the game. This should get better though, as the offensive line gels. Remember, they have not played as a group very much, yet.

And as far as BlackonBlack goes with trying to prove his point with stats, all I have to say is WATCH the game.

And again, how right you are. Remember Jake's first game in Carolina? They were down by 17 at the half and they pulled Rodney Peete and in came Jake. And he took over the game. His field presence was felt by the team. He didnt come out and win the game on his own, but as soon as he took the field the O-Line started to make holes for Davis. The defense tightened up and started to hold the line against Jacksonville. It is a perfect example of how having a QB that the team has FAITH in will elevate them to another level.

let me be the first to bring this up... :)

... on his first game as a pro, Elway lined up behind the right guard... :)

I'm in New Orleans this weekend, but I arrived here too late last night to get to the game. Many of my friends came and met up with us directly after the game (obviously, they went to the game). Everyone of them, to a man, said that they looked awful.

From the highlights (or low-lights) that I've seen, they're right. A couple of points that stuck out big time to me:

After 25 minutes of game time, the score was 21-3. Sound like every first half last season to you? Seattle seemed to be able to run wherever it wanted, and what's worse, this stud secondary we supposedly have got torn apart. WRs were running free everywhere.

In about 20 minutes of game time, Bouman lost a fumble and threw an interception. He looked freaking horrible from the clips I've seen. From what I've seen and read of KK and A-Mac, even with the Righ Guard Debacle, I cannot understand why Bouman is still on the team. Experience or not, the guy plays worse than a rookie and a guy who was on the practice squad last season. He deserves to be cut.


I'm withholding my final judgment on this game until I see the entire thing (Probably Tuesday night when I get back to my Tivo). At this point, there seems to be plenty of reason to worry.

I sincerely thought that the front office was finally making the right moves. I still believe that the players we have here are very talented. I think that Haslett truly thinks that he has found a formula for success this year (as he has every year), and thus all the hype is well-intentioned from him. That said, it is nothing more than hype. This team, right now today, from what I've seen on the field, looks to be no different than the Saints of week 1 last season. They look inefficient, inconsistent, and just bad. When oh when are we going to get a winner? Probably when Haslett is fired, b/c I have a real hard time blaming the FO this time. The players are there. The coaches do not seem to prepare these guys for anything - games, the season... I guess maybe the buffet line. Ugh. I'm flat fed-up.

i personally wouldn't get all hyped up about the way that a 3rd stringer dominates another 3rd stringer.... i might recommend getting him some reps against 1st/2nd teamers but to sell the farm because a 3rd stringer ALMOST did something is ludicrous

Thanks! And there can be only one....

And your assistance at keeping this place somewhat on the civil side is appreciated and noted. :wink:

And to those of you who feel like you are on a personal crusade for truth, justice, and the American way, and feel that the only way to prove your point is with backhanded comments or slanderous comments, my patience is growing very thin. If you don't like someone's opinion, guess what- don't respond, if you can't keep it civil.

The fans love A-Mac more than Brooks the Dome was the loudest when A-mac was on the field Brooks was on you could have heard a pen drop only reason they got loud with brooks is Deuce you would hear deuceeeee and when he threw a long won every won say awwwww when joe got one hand on it . . . A-mac the fan favorite i see this in the futrue brooks messes up the first time in the dome the boo birds will be comin out . . . i think we might here A-MAC A-MAC A-MAC.... but then again its only preseason . . . . . . . . . .. . . . . . . . . . . .

Coming from someone that actually watched the game, its obvious to see how the offense did a decent job of pass blocking but a horrible job at run blocking. What did your stats tell you about how the offensive line blocked? I personally seen the blocking as it happened.

This is what really went on.
We ran obsessively to build the continuity between our line. The first string line had a bit of a push against the defense, but the holes that opened up were largely due to the fullback. Deuce, being the star that he is, managed to make a decent amount of yards out of an actually stuffed play. Brooks played under that same line and the pass protection was decent. A guy or two from the defense slipped into the back field every once and again, but they were so far either on the right side or left side of the field that they shouldn't have mattered. The problem with Brooks is that as he ran out of the pocket (as he normally does) he ran right towards the rush...repeatedly. Time after time he did this. If a blitzer managed to slip by on the ride side of the line, Brooks would roll out straight towards him and then it was Bad News Brooks. This could have easily been avoided by stepping up in the pocket and/or recognizing the blitz and simply rolling out of the pocket to the opposite side that the blitz is coming.

Anyways, that was the first offensive line. You may call it biased, but the truth is our starting offensive line is better at pass blocking than run blocking.

The Seahawks defense had consistent pressure all night. Our back-up offensive lineman obviously had their troubles. After Deuce left the ball game we could no longer run at all. The running game was finished. This was true for the entire game. Using your logic, if the back-up offensive line blocked worse than the starting line, then obviously their pass protection is going to be worse than the starting line's. The fact is Brooks, Bouman, Kingsbury, and McPherson were all under a consistent amout of pressure the entire game. Brooks made dumb moves, Bouman looked like a little leaguer, and the other two quarterbacks looked like stars.

They faced the same type of rush and managed to beat it. How?
Kingsbury stepped up in the pocket and made the proper reads.
McPherson stepped up in the pocket or rolled out to an open side and then if nothing was there he took off running.

Brooks and Bouman are the only two quarterbacks on our team who, instead of taking a 3 step drop and then stepping up in the pocket, run backwards 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage and then trying to escape, run straight towards the side of the rush. Why are there defenders 30 yards in our backfield? Simple. Its called pocket protection. If a blitzer chooses to run around the line of scrimmage, the offensive lineman blocks him sideways until he's way behind the line of scrimmage and too far deep to get to the quarterback because the QB has stepped up in the pocket.

The problem with both Brooks and Bouman is neither one of them feel comfortable in the pocket. They are easily ruffled and can't handle the pressure. And the kicker of all, is the fact that neither one of them have any quarterback mechanics what-so-ever. Bouman fumbled the ball last night because he was holding it at his hips while dropping back. This is something that a quarterback should never do and our starting quarterback also has a bad habit of this.

If you've read this far, you'd realize that I actually watched the game and understood what truely went on. I find it hard to argue against me with statistics when you haven't even seen the game.

What you see is this: Brooks incomplete to Joe Horn. You assume Joe dropped the ball.

What I seen is this: Brooks cluelessly misses the hint of blitz before the snap, takes the snap, runs 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage, eyeballs joe horn, runs straight towards the blitzing defenders rather than the wide open field on the other side while never taking his eye off of Joe Horn, then throws a wild, high, floating ball way down field to Joe Horn in double coverage and 5 feet over a jumping Joe Horn's head.

Notice the difference? Would you like to know how that play could have been successful?

Even if Aaron Brooks failed to notice the hint of blitz, he could have simply took 3 steps back, stepped up into the pocket to buy time, scanned the field for more than one receiver, if nothing was there he could have taken off, or if he really wanted to throw to Joe Horn he could have thrown an extremely more accurate pass had he not been 30 yards behind the line of scrimmage.

Joe Horn dropped one little slot pass and it bothered him all night. Don't blame the second incomplete pass on him merely because of a stat.

Stats mean nothing. Once again, watch the game.

Nicely done DJ. Great explanation, and very detailed.

:(