Colts offensive line success: Trend or anomaly?

[HarassedOffTheSite]

“I just think we really just reestablished our goals, reiterated where we want to be and really picked up our tempo in practice and in the games,” left guard Hugh Thornton said. “I think it felt for a long time like we were waiting for someone else to make a play. I think we realize now that we’re a good enough group and a good enough team. There’s just a whole new level of belief and confidence. It’s like we’ve got a second wind.” - IndyStar

[HarassedOffTheSite]

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[OLD FAN MAN]

“I just think we really just reestablished our goals, reiterated where we want to be and really picked up our tempo in practice and in the games,” left guard Hugh Thornton said. “I think it felt for a long time like we were waiting for someone else to make a play. I think we realize now that we’re a good enough group and a good enough team. There’s just a whole new level of belief and confidence. It’s like we’ve got a second wind.” - IndyStar

like to see them put back to back good games together,i still think satele made some good pulling run blocks.

[Warhawk]

The answer is neither, really. Injuries and turnover have created a situation where the Colts o-line's success varies from week to week, and even play-to-play. There's some talent and skill spread around, particularly at the tackle positions, but cohesion is a real problem with the guys inside constantly moving around. Reitz, McGlynn, Thornton, and Link can all be moderately competent in the right situation if they get enough time together, but the problem is that Thornton is young and raw, McGlynn can play both Center and Guard so even though he's better at Center, if we're thin at Guard he has to play there. Ultimately, the fact is that I think going forward next we need to get a new center (maybe Holmes is that guy, we'll see) and get Thomas back at guard. I really like having McGlynn and Link as backups because they're versitile - McGlynn can play center and guard, and Link can play guard and tackle in a pinch, meaning we could get away with only dressing 7 O-linemen if necessary. As for right now, I think the best option is probably Reitz and Thornton at guard and McGlynn at center, and if Thornton has a bad guy sub in Link. The best thing for the O-line right now would be to get healthy and at least get a good rhythm going by the time the playoffs start.

[zhubaba]

In the 11 games with Satele as the starter at center, the Colts averaged 94.1 rushing yards per game and gave up 2.4 sacks per game.

In the 3 games that Satele missed, the Colts averaged 164.3 rushing yards per game and gave up 1.3 sacks per game.

[SkyBane]

In the 11 games with Satele as the starter at center, the Colts averaged 94.1 rushing yards per game and gave up 2.4 sacks per game.

In the 3 games that Satele missed, the Colts averaged 164.3 rushing yards per game and gave up 1.3 sacks per game.

While used to knock Satele, I think this is more of an effect of not having McGlynn at guard. When he is there, it brings the whole unit down. Moving him to center makes him more comfortable, and the other, more competent guards on the team can step up.

Im short, this says more about McGlynn the guard than Satele the center imo.

[mystrymaster]

In the 11 games with Satele as the starter at center, the Colts averaged 94.1 rushing yards per game and gave up 2.4 sacks per game.

In the 3 games that Satele missed, the Colts averaged 164.3 rushing yards per game and gave up 1.3 sacks per game.

 

 

While used to knock Satele, I think this is more of an effect of not having McGlynn at guard. When he is there, it brings the whole unit down. Moving him to center makes him more comfortable, and the other, more competent guards on the team can step up.

Im short, this says more about McGlynn the guard than Satele the center imo.

 

 

While I think McGlynn does play better at center, I think it is more of a product of not having both McGlynn and Satele in there together.  They do not work together.

 

I like what McGlynn brings when he is at center much more than either him at Guard or Satele at center.  

 

What happens with the right guard in these next few games will be more interesting to me than the change at center.  I am reading into Pagano's change in attitude this week in regards to center as he acknowledges that McGlynn should be there so I am hoping that change is already cemented in.

[#87WayneFanHe'sTheMan]

While I think McGlynn does play better at center, I think it is more of a product of not having both McGlynn and Satele in there together.  They do not work together.

 

I like what McGlynn brings when he is at center much more than either him at Guard or Satele at center.  

 

What happens with the right guard in these next few games will be more interesting to me than the change at center.  I am reading into Pagano's change in attitude this week in regards to center as he acknowledges that McGlynn should be there so I am hoping that change is already cemented in.

 

I agree about them not doing well when in there together. I wonder if say Mcglynn was a tackle and we had never picked up Cherilus and we had Mcglynn at RT if the o-line would be better just from Mcglynn and Satele not being part of the interior o-line together. This is not me saying I want Mcglynn moved to tackle by the way I just am curious if the line would be better if they were both in there at the same time but not right next to each other on the interior part of the o-line.

[NewEra]

The line didn't look better with Link in McGlynns spot and Sayele still in there.

[Old Colt]

It was Houston, who lost 11 games in a row prior to this and who just fired their coach.  They quit before the game started.  This will will show if there is really any imporvment at all!  Buckle up, I suspect it's going to be a rough ride....

[lollygagger8]

In the 11 games with Satele as the starter at center, the Colts averaged 94.1 rushing yards per game and gave up 2.4 sacks per game.

In the 3 games that Satele missed, the Colts averaged 164.3 rushing yards per game and gave up 1.3 sacks per game.

 

[BleedBlu8792]

It was Houston, who lost 11 games in a row prior to this and who just fired their coach. They quit before the game started. This will will show if there is really any imporvment at all! Buckle up, I suspect it's going to be a rough ride....

Explain the Frisco' game then. Same unit, roughly, with McGlynn at Center and a nobody at RG, and we abuse the 49ers. There is definitely a trend going on here.

[AntonMcG]

In the last two games we have spread the offense out a lot more and Luck has been getting the ball out quickly. This limits pressure on the QB and opens up the ground game as the defense can't flood the box.

 

These are the most important differences moreso than personnel.

[Creekside]

It was Houston, who lost 11 games in a row prior to this and who just fired their coach.  They quit before the game started.  This will will show if there is really any imporvment at all!  Buckle up, I suspect it's going to be a rough ride....

I tend to agree. Go look at Trent's 22 yd. run. The Texan's DT stood straight up (without being touched), then took two steps backwards, then looped around to his right. Maybe a LB was supposed to fill that hole, I don't know. But the defense created a huge hole with the Colt's O-line doing almost no blocking.

I don't know how to put the link here. Maybe someone else can?

[throwing BBZ]

Explain the Frisco' game then. Same unit, roughly, with McGlynn at Center and a nobody at RG, and we abuse the 49ers. There is definitely a trend going on here.

 

#1 was they played Seattle just before us and got beat to death. Lost their NT for the season in that game.

 Prior to our game, Teams playing Seattle the prior week were 3-18 against the spread their next game.

 

#2 was Kaep had only Bolden (in his 3rd game) to throw to because of injuries and was DUNG  with an 11QBR.

   SF Killed us with the run in the 1st half and Harbaugh QUIT running in the 2nd half. ??? Bizarre!!

 They couldn`t control the ball because of this. and their D got worn down because of it.

 We scored 14 pts in the 4th Q

 

#3 We got an INTERESTING 3rd down call on Two drives in the second half that gave us a 1st down to keep drives going.

Among 5 penalties for a 1st down for us.

 SF got Zero 1st downs by penalty.

 

 As Bad as their passing game was, and Harbaugh Quit running, we had Abused them to a 13-7 lead after 3 Q.

 One could say, if Kaep had just made 3-4 decent throws and they HAD kept running, we likely would have been down 14-13 and their D would NOT have been so tired. Would we have ran so well in the 4th??? It is possible... but if behind... ???

 

 In this game, Every 1st half throw (17) but 1 by Andrew was a Quick throw to his Primary receiver Under 15 yards.

The one was a bomb to TY in the end zone that was long.

   Pep did good in his 3rd game. And Bradshaw had a a couple Great cuts to the right, it wasn`t the blocking, as part of his 95 yards! JMO

[Balzer40]

While I think McGlynn does play better at center, I think it is more of a product of not having both McGlynn and Satele in there together.  They do not work together.

 

I like what McGlynn brings when he is at center much more than either him at Guard or Satele at center.  

 

What happens with the right guard in these next few games will be more interesting to me than the change at center.  I am reading into Pagano's change in attitude this week in regards to center as he acknowledges that McGlynn should be there so I am hoping that change is already cemented in.

 

 

 

I agree with this. McGlynn just isn't a good guard, but he's a decent center. Satele just sucks no matter how you look at it and having right next to each other is a huge weak link. I used to try to give Satele a pass, and thought his poor play was a result of injuries or because of McGlynn. Now, I see it for what it is, Satele is just awful and weak. He gets lost on who to block and when he does actually block the right guy, he usually gets thrown around like a rag doll.

[cbear]

The line didn't look better with Link in McGlynns spot and Sayele still in there.

 

Yep.  Satele is just hopeless.  The O line as a whole looks better with him out.