Don't look now - But the O-Line has been the healthiest in years!

How many years has it been that we've seen a consistent line in terms of personnel? Is part of it due to Munchak? Is the curse over? Did I just jinx it?

 

you jinxed it and I don't think Tomlin has ever had a season with a consistent line

 

He hasn't. Heck by the end of the sb vs gb flozell was out, Johnathon Scott was playing left tackle. Pure ugliness for several years there

 

Well, might as well expand the jinx now. We've been pretty healthy all-around, all year. Ike missed a bunch of time, but that might have been for the better anyway. Didn't hurt us too much. The OL and weapons on offense have been healthy. The only injuries that really bother me are the ones to Jarvis and Shazier because they slow development. But they didn't hurt us that much in the short-term.

McLendon's absence hurt more than a lot of people realize, but that was pretty brief.

 

You'd have to look back and see how many adjustments were made due to poor play, and how many due to injury.

And then look again and see how many adjustments from poor play were in part due to injury (e.g. players out of position etc.).

I think Munchak has got them doing what they do well. Health is the biggest contributor here, though, imo.

 

They might have been the healthiest we had in years but I still think we can use an upgrade at LOT, ROT and LG. I doubt we target any in the draft this year but if we did I think we have a good shot at upgrading the LG spot. Foster has been serviceable but if we can get someone that can pull to the right we would be golden.

 

best offseason acquisition was Munchak

 

I don't think the two are mutually exclusive. I don't think our previous OL coaches (everyone since Grimm) knew what the hell they were doing. In that time period, our OL have by and large been lazy, out of shape, and injured. Oh, and terrible. Munchak steps in and they are playing harder, staying healthier, and actually producing in both phases of the game, which I haven't seen our OL do since Cowher.

We need to sign that guy to a long-ass contract.

 

I'm not sure it's all munch's doing either. beachum and DD are setting a different standard of work for this group and it seems to be contagious. they have the smarts to go with it. they work on their game even after practice and have a drive to get better.

I think the group with starks as the leader were lazy and did the minimum to get by with and that caught on with the whole group. this new group seems much more driven to succeed. now add munch and we have something going. he's a driven type of coach as he was when he played. matching that type of coach with that type of player can only mean success.

I sure wish munchaks Johnson was still here, because I think he had that sort of drive to get better too. it's all about the work habits of this line as opposed to the old standard. I'd love nothing more than to keep adding a couple of new parts to this group and really give our franchise qb and RB the gift of a top flight line while munch is still with us. we have the skill people in place and I hope we finish the task, because this offense could be very special.

 

I felt that way when we added him. Of course I also thought that adding Blount was a good idea. The line has had a chance to begin to absorb Munch's system and I think will continue to get better. I'm excited for the rest of this year and look forward to next season as well.

 

Signing Blount WAS/is a good idea, under the right circumstances. The guy can play and is now proving it in New England. I honestly don't understand why we didn't balance him and Bell more to save wear and tear on Bell

And yes, Munch was a GREAT signing from the get-go for me as well!

 

LOL I just said to myself..now we are going to have a big injury on the OL