Quote
zn
Quote
PaulButcher59
Quote
zn
Quote
PaulButcher59
Quote
zn
Quote
PaulButcher59
Quote
zn
Quote
JamesJM
Just curious where most think the 'weak link' now lies? If one does? Center most likely? - JamesJM
For one thing, I have heard people say that an OL is only as good as its weak link.
I don't believe that. I believe something different. I think an OL is always more than the sum of its parts.
If there is a liability on the line, it's the same old one. Health. Sullivan has had surgery, we know about Saffold, Hav was injured a couple of times last year (and in fact ended up playing hurt), and Brown has had injury issues too.
So if and when the injuries hit on the OL in 2017, it shouldn't come as a surprise to anyone! And ultimately Snead and McVay would be responsible for fielding these injured history players.
And if the 35 year old, 11 year vet Whitworth happens to go down it won`t be a surprise. This team is in trouble if he does go down.
No injury excuses for the Rams!
You know that in 2014-2015 the Rams drafted 7 linemen who had no history of injuries. Robinson, Rhaney, Hav, Brown, Donnal, Wichman, and Battle. They also kept UDFA OT Williams. By last year, Battle excluded, every single one of them had had major injuries (including Robinson's toe surgery.)
So this idea that they acquired a bunch of players with injury histories is just nonsense.
Remember, none of these drafted linemen had had injuries before becoming Rams.
Sullivan meanwhile has had only one major injury in his career, and that goes back a couple of years. From 2009-14, he missed 3 starts out of 96 games. He obviously got it back together since, because as a back-up in Washington last year, he did get snaps, including one full start. You don't keep a back-up center who can't play.
I was talking about something different.
Going back years, to 2007 (and some say 2006), the Rams have been struck by a long series of multiple OL injuries. None of it had anything to do with signing or drafting previously injured players. It's just plain stupid bad luck.
.
....
Luck has nothing to do with it and will have nothing to do with it if the OL has significant injuries in 2017.
You even stated every projected OL starter the Rams currently have now all have some type of injured history. So it will be no surprise or no bad luck if a couple of them get injured again.
And Whitworth will be 36 years old in December, so if he goes down its because of 12 years of wear and tear on his body. Another no bad luck or big surprise.
And the OL depth so far looks like total crap! That's called building a roster and its 100% on Snead and McVay if the depth sucks and the Rams OL once again plays like crap this season, injuries or no injuries.
Well except this.
Luck had everything to do with that long list I gave you of previously uninjured linemen getting injured. The Rams history shows that obtaining linemen without injury history does nothing to prevent injuries. So that very premise is faulty. Getting into a panic and replacing good linemen because they have been previously injured would just mean, if the history holds true, that you would just be bringing in new guys to get injured too.
So I don';t see any special cause for panic and replacing people by drafting linemen from a draft famous for being weak at OL.
...
So no excuses if the Rams have a couple injury prone OL or old OL hurt simultaneously this season with crappy depth behind them and the OL ends up sucking again?
Well, the day they find out they have injury prone linemen that might be an issue. So far all I said is that outside of Saffold, most of them have had one injury. Is that "injury prone"? (Though fact is, I didn't look at Whitworth's history, so I don't know in his case.)
Honestly, PB, I think this is a non-issue. And the long long history of extensive OL injuries going back to 2007 (and perhaps before) never had anything to do with holding on to "injury prone linemen." They had extensive injuries regardless of the previous condition of the players.
I honestly personally believe there';s no issue here.
....
I`m just agreeing with your, "If there is a liability on the line, its the same old one, Health"
I really think there is a fair chance that liability you mention shows its ugly face again like you even suggest, so there should be no excuses by any of us if and when it happens. And yes, I think a 35.5 year old vet LT could start falling apart at any time. His history has been good, but age and wear and tear is real and it can catch up in a hurry.
And is it looks right now the OL depth absolutely blows and that's a huge deal for me with this health liability with all the starters you mentioned above.
If the OL falls apart once again, this is once again on Snead and now McVay as well.
“The moment we want to believe something, we suddenly see all the arguments for it, and become blind to the arguments against it.”
George Bernard Shaw
Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 06/17/2017 04:44PM by PaulButcher59.
