RB's generally learn pass protection through experience. Also, when most teams bring extra rushers they bring them on the inside, since just about any competent DE can beat our tackles one on one. The RB is then forced to choose between the end coming unobstructed around the edge and the blitzing linebackers coming through the middle on our overwhelmed interior linemen. They don't have much time to make that choice.
Agreed. Last season, a simple DL shift was enough to have our OL standing in concrete shoes at the snap, never mind any sort of stunt from the DL. We've been better at handling that this year. I agree with you that our problems on the OL, this season, come mostly from lack of fundamentals - body positioning, balance, footwork, technique, leverage when you hit. There is a certain basic level of athletic ability that needs to be there, but those things are honed, developed, and trained with time and lots of practice. A high level boxer doesn't just walk into the ring and have what it takes to win a fight because they've got natural ability. It takes constant training. Mr. T, kicked the crap out of Rocky Balboa, when he wasn't trained up.
There are only 5 of them though, if a defense brings pressure, or if we've got somebody that is demanding extra help at the DL position we're facing, help blocking has to come from somewhere. (I'm not writing this for you BTW - I think you get it, just hopefully helping raise the collective IQ out there?) That pressure can come from anywhere, as we saw with Don Brown's defenses in 2011, 2012. But there are still only 3 gaps on each side where it can come from outside the tackles, b/w tackle/guard, or between guard/center. Those 6 gaps are what the backfield need to recognize and read where the pressure might be coming from. Lots about football, involves being able to count to 6.
We've seen failures through 5 games with both interior and edge pressure coming, from TE's, FB's, and TB's. .
I do agree, that the only way the TE's, TB's and FB's get better is by being in the game and seeing it come at them. That's where I"ve been at odds about the rotations of players. Seems to me, that it would be quicker and faster, to pick your 1 or 2 best backs right now, and keep them in the games, rather than try to develop them all with reps at the same time, but I'm not being paid to be the coach, and the decision was made, to play them all, to get them the experience, and hopefully it does pay off in the end, but it will be slow growth.
It makes sense to me that the offense would be simplified a bit, so that the backs, can have maybe 3 reads to make or something, rather than the entire defense or something.
I hope we win on Saturday night.
