Should we implement a zone blocking scheme for the line?

I don't know exactly what the Steelers use now, something tells me they use a little of both, but I think I would like man blocking at least for the run game. Steelers had a lot of large slow-footed guys and the run game suffered, but they are making a transition to more athletic guys on the line... The once these young guys gel they will be dominant run blockers.

 

I think it makes sense. We can continue doing the same thing and expect a different result (insanity) or we can try something different. Injuries notwithstanding, I actually thought the line regressed enough this year to get Kugler fired if he hadn't left for the UTEP head coaching opportunity. He wouldn't have been, of course, because Tomlin never fires anybody except Captain Kangaroo special teams coaches for reasons none of us still understand.

 

where is he disagreeing with me TE? does he mention colon and max and foster as being part of this? NO he doesn't and those are the guys i wanted rid of because they are not athletic enough as i've always said.

just because gilbert was a 2nd round pick doesn't make him that great. he was a reach in the 2nd, but i still hold out hope he can play at some point and not hurt every player we have.

i did however say we need a true LG thats mobile and a good LT. hopefully it's adams as i've always said. besides we have 4 top draft picks but there are 5 positions on the starting line. LG is probably the 2nd most important spot on the line. i'm only wanting hugh thornton in the draft. a 3rd or 4th round guy. if they are going earlier, i want barrett jones as that guy. he could play any of the spots at a high rate. so don't go putting words in my mouth about me not agreeing with this. this guy does agree with me.

i do not want grimm here because we didn't work that well in the passing game with him. we also still had faneca hartings and marvel here at that time. noway do i want grimm back. castillo was let go for their old line coach at philly. he was one of the best in the business, retired and brought back to fix their line a couple of years ago. he's in his 80's now. castillo will go with reid to KC.

i would have no problem with dawson coming here, or tunch. we won't fair as well with our straight ahead type runners though in that zone scheme so a change at rb would be needed. dwyer and redman don't fit that scheme very well.

so you are very wrong saying this guy doesn't agree with me TE.

 

athletic guys are why you use zone blocking in the run game. first step is in unison and then you take the first man to cross your face whatever direction HE wants to go. idea is to put yourself between your man and the ball so that he has to choose where to play the ball. once he chooses you use his own momentum to drive him further that way. it's up to the back to use his vision and find the hole.

 

i think pouncy, decastro, gilbert, and adams would all be well suited to this.

 

i was under the impression that we were using a zone blocking scheme...... in fact, i think that was one of the problems... lack of communication and missed assignments led to at least 45% of our sacks.... the guys we have starting up front are more suited to man to man drive blocking.

 

zone blocking really refers more to run blocking than pass protection. pass protection that relies on pure man to man doesn't work against stunts and twists by the way, you have to be able to pass a man off. adams and colon are definitely drive blockers but adams is athletic enough to zone. most of the projected starters would benefit from zone. the big benefit to zone is the potential to put pouncy in the 2nd level as the cutback block. the drawback is that mendy is back most suited for zone running.

 

look at the comments below

 

I brought this up during the year and it's te problem with our point of attack. We don't push people anymore we can put run them to the point. It's the 1 cut scheme that shanahan uses that this online needs to implement.

Look at their size compared to that of previous steelers online; they are tiny.

This will not only improve the run but the PA pass and short routes that Haley wants to use. It would be dumb not to.

From,
The Steel City

 

the most important things this offseason is to bring a great oline coach that can maximize the talent we have (adams pouncey decastro) and make it work the rest

 

Please, please, please bring Mendy back.

 

was i getting defensive? you started by saying, by name i might add that the guy doesn't agree with me. i simply stated your assesment was wrong. so, i believe you are now attacking me for some reason with this type of talk. take the stick out of my ass? really? who in the hell do you think you are?

when did i start arguing with you? i'm simply stating what you got wrong about what i said numerous times i might add. you better go back and read what i have written before you again put words in my mouth. that is exactly what you are doing.

i have always said max starks, willie colon, and foster are the slow linemen we have. i've also stated i'm all about the youth movement. so go blow smoke up someone elses ass. now i am defensive. your story is wrong yet again.

seems you are the defensive one and turning everything into a fight.

 

i never saw him having colon, foster and max listed on there either. two of them are free agents and may not be back hopefully. it's well known and been put in print that colon wasen't cutting it in the mobility department since preseason. i also think gilbert was and is to soft and a reach, but we may have to live with that. i thought beachum should continue as the RT even because he is mobile.

all i did was state my opinion and you jumped down my throat about it. you did put words in my mouth and i was simply setting the record straight. i was never attacking you. was i typing to loud?

 

i'd like to see it but not with colon at LG, or max at LT, or foster at RG. zone blocking taught and implemented with our youthful linemen thrown to the lions right off the bat. if we run the ball it slows the rush and makes play action work to keep ben upright. i think the more they play the better these guys get together. we need the RB though to run this system. now we will need some better cutback type runners. again matching up the offense. not a mismatch like the line has been and not a mismatch with scheme and personell. it all has to work hand in hand.

haven't you wondered why after all the preseason talk about throwing to the rb's and screens and the lack of rainey used to the edges,and why we never ran this stuff this year during the season? that was supposed to be the big part of haleys offense. it's simple. lack of mobility by the guards. i have talked about it since august. there has been print about it when colon was struggling in preseason with the move to guard. it's been well publicized that foster is not that good at pulling and so isn't asked to. it killed the offense this year. max has never been a strong run blocker. system alone won't fix slow. our new draft picks however with the scheme will. they will get better. they will not stay like they were in their first games as rookies last year. see, no attacks. i'm also not being defensive. nor was i in my first response, sorry if you though that.

 

i need to add if we run this type of scheme it will limit our use of will johnson, but i could see him used as more of a heath miller role next year.

 

but without the linemen out in front to block screens, the rb's are left by themselves. we only could work close to the middle of the line this year. without mobile guards you can't use the edges where there is less traffic. sweeps are also a problem if the backs have to wait on the linemen to get out there and set up blocks. this is why we ran up the middle so much this year. at an unheard of rate.

i agree and thats what i was getting at about will j. he has the game to do what we ask of heath. he is the better blocker between he and paulson. he can run and he can catch too. we will miss what heath does don't get me wrong. thats if he's not back, but willj will make it an easier time. i think paulson will hit the weights this offseason also. i like him.