Pass Blocking - How to fix it?

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DzRams

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Desmal M
A number of people have been pointing out that our pass blocking needs to improve to see any offensive improvement. Someone mentioned that PFF has our pass pro ranked from 27th to 30th all season. Currently, we are ranked 30th in pass protection.

We ended last season ranked 20th.

Some of our better run blocking OL do not excel in pass pro. Here are the pass pro ratings of our starting OL:

Alaric Jackson - 78.6
Havenstein - 67.1
Keven Dotson - 63.0
Beaux Limmer - 49.2
Steve Avila - 48.7 (67.2 in 2023)

How are we going to get better in pass pro when the only one who is above average is a pending free agent? Havenstein and Dotson are average. Avila and Limmer are well below average, although Avila may still be knocking rust off and could return to his 2023 average rating.

Drafting an LT high may help but that does nothing to upgrade the other four positions on the line.
 
DzRams said:
A number of people have been pointing out that our pass blocking needs to improve to see any offensive improvement. Someone mentioned that PFF has our pass pro ranked from 27th to 30th all season. Currently, we are ranked 30th in pass protection.

We ended last season ranked 20th.

Some of our better run blocking OL do not excel in pass pro. Here are the pass pro ratings of our starting OL:

Alaric Jackson - 78.6
Havenstein - 67.1
Keven Dotson - 63.0
Beaux Limmer - 49.2
Steve Avila - 48.7 (67.2 in 2023)

How are we going to get better in pass pro when the only one who is above average is a pending free agent? Havenstein and Dotson are average. Avila and Limmer are well below average, although Avila may still be knocking rust off and could return to his 2023 average rating.

Drafting an LT high may help but that does nothing to upgrade the other four positions on the line.
Click to expand...

Maybe we see J Jackson @ LG and Avila @ Center this year. I think if we end up getting eliminated from the playoffs, expect to see some moving pieces on the Oline.
 
We do have some options here...

1. Jackson replacing Avila. Fact is that Avila not being able to play Center started this OL clusterfuck by scrapping the Rams' offseason strategy on the OL. He reportedly didn't look good in camp (none of us know because of course we don't get to see them in preseason). He didn't look good early on before injury. And he hasn't looked good post injury. Scary thought is why is he starting over Jackson. But still the Rams are sitting on a pretty damn good LG in Jackson. If he's actually healthy, which, who knows.

2. Dedich replacing Avila. I don't think this is a great option but it is an option.

3. Jackson replacing Limmer. This one almost makes me sick to my stomach to think about, but it is possible Jackson is more ready to run the pivot now that he's been back a while and getting up to speed.

Bottom line is dudes who look like shit need to be benched. So I'd start with Avila this next game if it's me running that line. I'd start Jackson at LG and give him all the prep this week and cross my fingers. Also getting Hav back would be outstanding. We need the big guy.
 
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This line got man handled on Sunday. It was pathetic and if they don't fix it Stafford is going to get hurt.
I sadly think that an overhaul should happen and the O-line coach should be fired.
I realize they haven't played much together but the Eagles weren't doing anything hard to figure out they were just man to man tougher stronger and faster.
 
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Short term: shift towards more of the quick passing attack showcased in the first half of the Lions game. Try going full *vintage Pat Shurmur.

*2016 Sam Bradford. Maybe not so much 2024 Shedeur Sanders - although Shedeur has taken much, much less of a beating this year than last year.
 
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More explosive weapons. They talked about it on the broadcast against Miami. Miami was basically run blitzing a lot because they felt we couldn't hurt them over the top and kyren wasn't going to make them pay either.
 
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thirteen28 said:
Stop having all our OL get injured.
Click to expand...
The OL was healthy last year and they were ranked 20th in pass blocking. Are you saying that's fine to have a consistently productive scoring offense.
 
Why not play with a 6 man line?
Jackson Avila Jackson Limmer Dotson Havenstein
Or Jackson Avila Limmer Dotson Jackson Havenstein
 
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I want to see the numbers of the replacement Olinemen aside from the current starting 5.

That could very well show us how bad they have been.

I seen several times last night the pressure came from McClendon, so I'm thinking the backups are pretty bad.
 
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DzRams said:
The OL was healthy last year and they were ranked 20th in pass blocking. Are you saying that's fine to have a consistently productive scoring offense.
Click to expand...

No, I'm saying we've never had the chance to develop any continuity this year because we have started multiple line combinations. Any chance to improve over that 20th ranking has been seriously and negatively impacted by having to continually shuffle guys around.
 
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HE WITH HORNS said:
I want to see the numbers of the replacement Olinemen aside from the current starting 5.

That could very well show us how bad they have been.

I seen several times last night the pressure came from McClendon, so I'm thinking the backups are pretty bad.
Click to expand...
Jonah Jackson - 53.4
Warren McClendon, Jr. - 46.1
Justin Dedich - 43.6
Noteboom - 30.8
Logan Bruss - 7.2
AJ Arcuri - 1.9

There is a big gap between McClendon and Havenstein. But in addition to McClendon, a lot of the pressure yesterday was credited to Limmer and Avila.
 
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Tell them to block someone. Or even touch someone.

I lost count of the times a rusher passed a lineman without getting a hand on them.

.
 
Get healthy, run the ball, play action.
Avila has been a disappointment since coming back.
McClendon is good at times and plays with terrible balance at others....like the sacks last night.
 
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Merlin said:
We do have some options here...

1. Jackson replacing Avila. Fact is that Avila not being able to play Center started this OL clusterfuck by scrapping the Rams' offseason strategy on the OL. He reportedly didn't look good in camp (none of us know because of course we don't get to see them in preseason). He didn't look good early on before injury. And he hasn't looked good post injury. Scary thought is why is he starting over Jackson. But still the Rams are sitting on a pretty damn good LG in Jackson. If he's actually healthy, which, who knows.

2. Dedich replacing Avila. I don't think this is a great option but it is an option.

3. Jackson replacing Limmer. This one almost makes me sick to my stomach to think about, but it is possible Jackson is more ready to run the pivot now that he's been back a while and getting up to speed.

Bottom line is dudes who look like shit need to be benched. So I'd start with Avila this next game if it's me running that line. I'd start Jackson at LG and give him all the prep this week and cross my fingers. Also getting Hav back would be outstanding. We need the big guy.
Click to expand...
Dedich shows promise and had some very good moments. At other times he looked liked an undrafted rookie.
He should enter next year as the to depth at LG.
Moving to Jackson to C a week before the season was a major red flag and a panic move.
 
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fearsomefour said:
Get healthy, run the ball, play action.
Avila has been a disappointment since coming back.
McClendon is good at times and plays with terrible balance at others....like the sacks last night.
Click to expand...
McClendon is a marginal swing tackle. He takes on Noteboom's role for the next 2 years. Go get a legit OT that can play LT or RT.
 
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