The Offensive Line Part 1: Ruskell the Rookie

John Morgan — Mon, 19 Oct 2009 16:41:21 -0000

More photos » by Elaine Thompson - AP

Seahawks fans are eager for a fall guy after watching their guy fall, but sometimes things go bad without an easy enemy to blame.

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Normally I take this time to rewatch the game a few times and decide my storylines for the week. I have still yet to see the game. The bye week is on its way and there's plenty to discuss, but actual tape analysis might be a little slow coming.

I didn't need to see it to know that starting Kyle Williams beside Steve Vallos was going to be a problem. It was a not so subtle and not so brief reminder that football coaches can overvalue intelligence and intangibles. Vallos chemistry with Williams didn't make it off the practice field. The more important matter is how did Seattle's line get so bad? Could it be significantly better? And is there still hope for improvement?

From Caviar to Cat Food

Seattle started two future Hall of Fame talents on its Super Bowl bound 2005 team. Walter Jones was the best tackle of a historic class. The best tackle in the history of the NFL, according to some. No one currently associated with the Seahawks deserves credit for Jones success or Jones eventual decline. Three fifths of that historic 2005 line are retired or nearly so. The remaining two are paving the way to Canton for another back and injured, respectively. Knowing that so much of that talented line simply got old is cold comfort, but comfort.

Tim Ruskell bears some responsibility for the Seahawks losing Steve Hutchinson. As we know his style better, his fingerprints appear all over that botched attempt to save fifty bucks. The actual mistake was minor compared to the outcome. Ruskell was blindsided by a poison pill clause that introduced the world to the phrase "poison pill clause". He was backdoored by a wily GM and a guard that wanted out. If we can't ever fully excuse Ruskell from that mistake, I think we should at least maintain perspective.

The Seahawks line was in need of new blood as soon as Ruskell took over. The interior was comprised of two journeymen soon to retire and a free agent. The 2004 team, the team I affectionately call the Trader Bob Superfund, was bereft of promising offensive line talent. It was the principles, Chris Terry, Floyd Womack, Jerry Wunch and Wayne the Pain Hunter.

As has been Ruskell's lot, he was fixing the team at multiple positions during the offseason. He drafted Chris Spencer in the first, Ray Willis in the fourth and Doug Nienhuis in the seventh in a linemen- and linebacker-centric draft. Neinhuis was a pure bust, but Willis has developed into a cheap, talented right tackle. Seattle re-signed Willis this offseason and he's been a rock on an otherwise chalk line.

Spencer is a bit more controversial. He hasn't excelled and he hasn't been awful. He hasn't been healthy and he hasn't been wracked with injury. Spencer is only 27 and his potential is still strong, a potential that could mean eight more years of productive football, but he's a free agent or restricted free agent after this season and might not be worth his open market value.

Ruskell did invest in the offensive line. He did it at the right time and with some success. Willis was the first lineman selected in the fourth round and he has been the second most successful. I will give Jason Brown the benefit of the doubt, though I am not sure Brown is in fact more valuable than Willis. Seattle could have selected Logan Mankins or Michael Roos with its Spencer pick, but it didn't. Roos is a pure tackle and could have perhaps played right tackle for Seattle, allowing Locklear to move inside, but Seattle didn't see offensive tackle as a pressing need, or guard for that matter. Value for value, Willis has been a similar find to Roos. It's also notable that Chris Gray would play three more serviceable seasons at right guard, but Robbie Tobeck was out of the league the very next season. Ruskell added starter caliber talent at the right positions at the right time in his very first draft as a GM.

Run, Tyler Thigpen! Run!

Chris Thorman — Thu, 18 Sep 2008 15:00:05 -0000

(Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

Despite going 4-12 last season like our beloved Kansas City Chiefs did, Atlanta Falcon fans are feeling pretty good about this game. You know when your team isn't very good and a worse team comes on the schedule and you're like, "Finally, we'll get back on track this week"? That's the Chiefs this week for the Falcons.

Beyond just "The Chiefs are a bad team" reasoning, the Falcons also have another very good reason to assume confidence this weekend - DE John Abraham and the Atlanta pass rush.

John Abraham, formerly coached under Herm Edwards in New York, already has four sacks on the season and is undoubtedly licking his chops to get after Tyler Thigpen this weekend. As Bob Gretz noted, the Atlanta pass rush is a major reason why Tyler Thigpen is getting the nod this weekend over Damon Huard.

Let’s be honest, if they move Abraham over to the left side and have him rush against RT Damion McIntosh, then whoever is playing quarterback for the Chiefs is in trouble. Better to have somebody with some mobility, who can get away from that kind of pressure. Huard can’t do that. Thigpen can.

Thigpen, despite his other shortcomings, is relatively more mobile than Damon Huard meaning he can avoid the pass rush. Then again, who isn't more mobile than Damon Huard?

Let me take one second to talk about Thigpen's touted mobility. I guess I don't see why it's such an asset for him. Thigpen did make a few plays with his legs last week against the Raiders (1 rush for 6 yards and a few dodges) but I would hardly call him a mobile quarterback. He's only seems "very" mobile compared to Damon Huard, who is practically a statue in the pocket. Compared to Huard, Thigpen is younger and less stiff. Croyle has a bit of mobility too when he needs to use it. Thigpen isn't Donovan McNabb or Michael Vick when it comes to running the ball. He's more like...Steve Bono.

Plus, does mobility matter if the pocket dissolves a half second after snapping the ball?

Abraham will have his choice of going up against Branden Albert on the left side of the line or Damion "Sackintosh" McIntosh (I hate nicknames like that but this one is too good) on the right side. Albert should be able to at least partially contain Abraham but I'm quite concerned about Abraham literally running past Damion McIntosh on the right side of our line. We saw the Raiders' defensive ends do it last week and I don't think McIntosh has improved much from last week to this week. The man is Chris Terry version 2.0 and I don't want to remember those visions of last season.

Abraham's three sacks in the Falcons opening game against the Lions was undoubtedly bolstered by the fact that the Falcons got up 21-0 on the Lions within twelve minutes of the game and forced Detroit into passing attack mode. But a quickly declining Damion McIntosh won't be much of a match for John Abraham. The Chiefs will need to set up more help on the right side of the line for McIntosh and that will have a serious affect on their game plan. We will have to either put another tight end on the right side or commit fullback Mike Cox to that side on almost every down. The Chiefs are already short on talent and to have to overcompensate on one side is a terrible point to have to concede to he Falcons.

The game changes necessary for the Chiefs to contain the Atlanta pass rush will spell bad news for KC. I predict that the game will be won or lost on the right side of our offensive line. And right now I don't have much confidence the Chiefs will win that battle. Thigpen's mobility will not be as big of an asset as people are making it out to be and the Chiefs will suffer dearly on Sunday.

To sum up this rambling, Tyler Thigpen's mobility is overrated and will hardly help him avoid a solid Atlanta pass rush. I hope I'm wrong.

Poll

What do you think about Tyler Thigpen's mobility?

Overrated

60 votes

He's got some moves that we should respect

62 votes

He hasn't been unleashed yet!

52 votes

Doesn't matter with the curent o-line

123 votes

297 votes | Poll has closed

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