Was Randolph the puzzle piece?

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I don't want to get lynched for this... I think Neufeld was the problem more than Randolph was the solution.

Neufeld will be 36 years old in September, and has struggled keeping guys in front of him this season. I really like Neufeld, and he adds a little bit of grit to our OL. I just don't think he can hang with the other OL in this league.

Randolph also has been great!

I do worry a little bit about our short yardage crew. Another TO on downs after a failed 3rd down.

I'll wait to see, Neufeld was an all-star last season and is on the 6-game right now so it's likely an injury was influencing his play.  He's been the heart and soul of the O-line for many years and deserves the chance to compete again once he's healthy. If nothing else I think he's still better than Dobson who is relatively immobile and often looks lost, huge downgrade from Gray.

[pdirks67]

Some of the injuries this season have forced us to audition some fresh blood, which may turn out to be a blessing in disguise.

I think that Randolph has solidified our line to the point that it's at least passable. They did a great job of handling the 6-man rush on that long pass to Demski. I'm not sure that we couldn't improve on Lofton, but he's not terrible right now.

[Pigskin]

I don't think PN53 is done by any means. I do believe that his injuries where a big part of his inconsistent play. But, Randolph has played very well so far and he seems to work well with Ko-man. 

[ichabod_crane]

Well I recall saying several games ago the O-line needed improvement for the offence to improve, but other negative Nellies said it was fine...3 wins in a row and the tune changes now?!   O-Line is ALWAYS the driving force of an offence. You have no o-line, you are toast and your QB is scrambling for his life or ducking sacks.

[TecnoGenius]

I don't want to get lynched for this... I think Neufeld was the problem more than Randolph was the solution.

This is what I feared and didn't want to believe.  The ire was usually directed at Dobson/Ko-man/Lofton, when maybe it was Neufeld?

I will add that on the few games I graded out the OL this season, Neuf was never the problem, until 2 weeks before he was IR'd.  But those 2-3 games before his IR he was horrible.  So there could be some merit to him having been injured for weeks before his IR.

However, the fact remains that the entire unit was iffy-to-bad for most weeks before Randolph was installed.  Then all of a sudden the unit is good?

[TecnoGenius]

My view is half a season of coaching did the trick, they've had time to gel. We don't have an allstar studded line anymore but if they play together we can get it done. Kudos to Randolph though. Coming in healthy, fresh and doing his job.

Except what we've seen is the exact opposite: our longest-service keystone NAT slammed to the IR and we bring in an unknown, never-started "nobody" IMP and suddenly we're good now?  It's like the opposite of "gel" because Randolph had zero benefit of the weeks 1-9 "gelling period".

If anything, our OL should have been worse if "gel" had been the major problem?

[TecnoGenius]

It's better but it's not significantly better. I wouldn't say anything was "fixed overnight". The tape from last night's BC game would be in the bottom two or three performances from the line last year or the year before that.

I'm in my rewatch of the game and the few times Zach is sacked or severely pressured he often was just holding it too long (way over 2.7s).  There were very few outright busts like we got earlier in the year.

BC may have been going for coverage sacks.

[Blueforlife]

Oline has to gel and it's pretty solid now.

The old guys still got it just like Zach and Willie, well seasoned but not over salted.

[TecnoGenius]

I don't think PN53 is done by any means. I do believe that his injuries where a big part of his inconsistent play. But, Randolph has played very well so far and he seems to work well with Ko-man.

I rest assured knowing that MOS/Buck/etc probably know what the real deal is and who the real weak link is.  Ko-man is likely safe & stuck at C because he's the best option right now (Eli too small), but there may be a "guard controversy" when Neufeld is healthy, and who of the 3 viable ones is benched will be very telling.

An "out" would be to take the odd man out and use him as 7th instead of Wallace.  Dobson could do that... but it would look very odd for Neuf!

Mafia can play coy when Neuf is back by making him the 7th and putting out excuses that they're easing him back in / still nicked / etc.

P.S. Randolph getting the start and having it stick so far means that Eli is nothing more than a backup C and 6th OL.  Any thoughts of him being the next OG are out the window.  And Wallace clearly has been deemed needing more dev time (as he should as a rookie).

[blue_or_die]

This is what I feared and didn't want to believe.  The ire was usually directed at Dobson/Ko-man/Lofton, when maybe it was Neufeld?

I will add that on the few games I graded out the OL this season, Neuf was never the problem, until 2 weeks before he was IR'd.  But those 2-3 games before his IR he was horrible.  So there could be some merit to him having been injured for weeks before his IR.

However, the fact remains that the entire unit was iffy-to-bad for most weeks before Randolph was installed.  Then all of a sudden the unit is good?

I recall some criticism direct at Paddy earlier this season. Perhaps not commensurate, though. I remember thinking that maybe he was in significant decline.

All of this is OK of course. He was so good for so many years, and for sure I still want him around and used in a way that maximizes what he still has to give and set reasonable expectations.

[DM83]

How exactly would the coach design a play for a coverage sack?
That's nonsense

[Waffler]

Except what we've seen is the exact opposite: our longest-service keystone NAT slammed to the IR and we bring in an unknown, never-started "nobody" IMP and suddenly we're good now?  It's like the opposite of "gel" because Randolph had zero benefit of the weeks 1-9 "gelling period".

If anything, our OL should have been worse if "gel" had been the major problem?

He's been here the whole year practicing with the guys and learning assignments. How many practices and meetings is that? That's where they gel, not during a game. They have been a group for a few months now. I would understand your argument if he was airlifted in last week.

[Blue In BC]

He's been here the whole year practicing with the guys and learning assignments. How many practices and meetings is that? That's where they gel, not during a game. They have been a group for a few months now. I would understand your argument if he was airlifted in last week.

Practice and game speed / conditions are not close to the same thing. He also hasn't been working with the # 1 OL most of the season in practice.

[Waffler]

Practice and game speed / conditions are not close to the same thing. He also hasn't been working with the # 1 OL most of the season in practice.

During scrimmages yes, but they work on drills as a group all getting coached up together. They should all be learning the same thing. Yes, in game mayhem is one thing you can't practice.

[Throw Long Bannatyne]

I rest assured knowing that MOS/Buck/etc probably know what the real deal is and who the real weak link is.  Ko-man is likely safe & stuck at C because he's the best option right now (Eli too small), but there may be a "guard controversy" when Neufeld is healthy, and who of the 3 viable ones is benched will be very telling.

An "out" would be to take the odd man out and use him as 7th instead of Wallace.  Dobson could do that... but it would look very odd for Neuf!

Mafia can play coy when Neuf is back by making him the 7th and putting out excuses that they're easing him back in / still nicked / etc.

P.S. Randolph getting the start and having it stick so far means that Eli is nothing more than a backup C and 6th OL.  Any thoughts of him being the next OG are out the window.  And Wallace clearly has been deemed needing more dev time (as he should as a rookie).

The Bombers no longer have the best O-line in the league but they do have a very stable, affordable group of guys, other than Stanley none of them are earning above average wages for O-linemen. Bryant can play as long as he wants with perhaps a reduction in salary, don't see anyone else rising up enough this year to warrant much F.A. interest from other teams.