SB Nation User Blog: MasterRWayne

Lets be real: The O Line

MasterRWayne — Sat, 20 Jun 2009 03:03:42 -0000

Lets be real here and say honestly that this is a pretty talented Colts team. I mean just look at the defense alone, in which the Colts are stacked at defensive back, linebacker and defensive line. Not only are the starters good, but the backups have talent and experience as well. For instance, a player like Melvin Bullitt could be a starter on a lot of other teams and here he is backing up two excellent starters in Bethea and Sanders. Even on offense at the WR position the Colts I think have a ton of talent despite the fact that they lost Marvin Harrison. This receiving corp is better than the one we fielded last year especially if Garcon is coming along as well as we keep hearing. However, there is a big giant black spot on the Colts roster and that is the Offensive line.

Photo: photos.indystar.com

Now I am a big Colts fan, but many of you know that I don't sugar coat players and performances. When it comes to things like that I am just a football fan and not really a Colts fan because I feel its important to keep an objective point of view on those issues. If I see a player not performing well or a scheme not working I am going to be vocal about it. Last year the Colts Offensive Line struggled and there were no big free agent signings or high round draft picks to correct this. Instead, the Colts signed some little known free agents like Brandon Barnes from the arena league and we spent a 7th round draft pick on Jaimie Thomas. Now these guys may work out, and I hope they do, but they are unproven and therefore it still leaves a number of glaring holes in the offensive line.

Now before I sound negative I think its important to point out that there is some signs of hope and most of that concerns the interior Offensive line. I feel the Colts are very strong here with a healthy Lilja, Saturday, Richards, Pollak and Steve Justice. This is a strong core group of players, but it still has some question marks. Is Lilja 100% healthy? Will Pollak improve on his very sub-par 2008 season? These are serious questions, but the good news is we still have a pro-bowler in Saturday and two good young players in Justice and Richards. I can't help, but feel the interior O-Line has boom or bust written all over it.

Offensive Tackle is another matter because there are some sizable issues here. Last year Diem was dinged up and his performance was average at best. We don't know if he has a long term condition that is bothering him so there is a big question mark regarding how effective we are at RT. At LT Tony Ugoh has been a bit of a disappointment. Now I know Lilja came to Ugoh's defense recently, but the fact remains that Ugoh did not play for a few games last year (he was wretched in the Bears game) and he was not on the injury report which means he was benched due to a lack of performance. Ugoh has been struggling and the Colts are upset that they have spent a 1st and a 2nd round draft pick on a guy that can't stay healthy and has, thus far, failed to develop despite a promising rookie season. He started off strong, but has stagnated recently. Our backups are sub-par as well with Charlie Johnson, Daniel Federkeil, Michael Toudoze and rookie 7th rounder Jaimie Thomas. Some of those guys are "serviceable" but I don't have much faith in any of them to start long term for the Colts in case of an injury to Ugoh or Diem. I see question marks at LT, RT and in our backups.

Again, I don't mean to rain on anyone's parade here. I think this Colts team is very talented. We have depth and talent at every single position. However, as I outlined above, I have real reservations about this Offensive line. Many of you know my position that I put a lot of stock in the idea that you have to be strong at the "point of attack." This means that the O-Line and the D-Line are the two most valuable positions on any team. If you don't have those then it affects everything else. You could have the best secondary in the world, but they will still be carved up if you have no pass rush with the D-line. You could have the best QB in the world (like say... Peyton Manning), but his effectivness will be limited if he doesn't have time. I firmly believe that the success of the Colts this year completely depends on whether the O-Line develops or not. We have the talent at the other positions, but so much depends on the O-Line. If they struggle the Colts might be in trouble, but if they develop then the Colts will be in a very good position.

The Bob Sanders Beatdown Defense is Dead

MasterRWayne — Thu, 21 May 2009 05:57:36 -0000

BSBD (or, the Bob Sanders Beatdown Defense) was a term coined on this site by our very own BigBlueShoe. In the coaching world it is known simply as "Cover 3." Now, I don't want to go into too many details, but essentially Cover 3 is when the corners give a big cushion, one safety plays deep center-field, and the other safety (Bob Sanders in this case) plays in the box to stop the run. Hence, the title "Bob Sanders Beatdown Defense."

Photo: www.maddensecrets.com

Now, the Colts started running this defense to stop teams like the Tennessee Titans from running their "keep away" offense in which they try to shorten the game by running the ball over and over and over again. Cover 3 lets you play 8 in the box without surrendering the big pass play because there are three guys deep. This arrangement worked against teams like the Titans, but ultimately it was a failure in the long run. This is because the BSBD defense was a creative stop gap measure brought about because the front 7 of the Colts just hasn't been very good against the run. They needed Bob's help to do their job for them.

The major problems with the BSBD defense is that first it compromises the health of Bob Sanders. Now Bob is one tough guy, but at 5'8 he should not be used as a 4th LB because the other three LB's can't do their jobs. It turns him into a human kamikaze, leading to nagging injuries. It's reckless of the Colts to expect him to take on a 315lb offensive linemen play after play. They have to be smarter about how they use the Bobzilla.

The other issue with BSBD is that it assumes your opponent can't make plays in the short passing game. Cover 3 essentially dares you to throw curl routes all day and make plays in the short passing game. It works against Vince Young, but against guys like Phillip Rivers its ineffective. Good QB's can make those throws and chip away at you. They have the patience, talent, and experience to do that. As creative as the BSBD is, the Colts have to find ways to win with their front 7. No amount of scheming can change that.

The Colts coaching staff recognizes this during the off-season. That is why there has been a shift in defensive philosophy. The LB's and DT's have gotten bigger and more athletic through the draft and free agency. I have always been a big fan of Dungy's defensive approach, but I think our personel has been way too undersized to play against the style other teams play us now. They know they can't throw deep against the Colts, but they do know they can wear them down if they stay patient. They have adjusted and now the Colts need to be flexible enough to tweak how they do things. Ultimately I feel Caldwell is still going to run a Cover 2 defense, but hopefully the front 7 will be strong enough to not have to rely on Bob Sanders for additional support.

Jim Finn is "The Man!"

MasterRWayne — Sat, 16 May 2009 04:28:40 -0000

via cache.gettyimages.com

View full size photo uploaded May 16, 2009

Does anybody here remember Jim Finn? He was drafted as "Mr. Irrelevant." You know he played fullback for the Colts from 2000-2002. He fumbled a lot, but he played hard. I remember the 2002 game against the Titans when the Colts were so hurt at running back that they had to start Jim Finn at HB. He had like 2 carries and 2 fumbles before he got knocked out of the game. In fact, in the picture to the right here he is about ready to get hit, hurt and fumble all at once. It was sad, but I always loved Jim Finn.

Anyways, the other day I was searching on Wikipedia because I am a Wikipedia addict and I was like, "I wonder what Jim Finn is up to these days." Yes I know I don't have a life so you don't need to remind me of that. So I was reading that Jim Finn was retired from football and he recently married actress Rosa Blasi. This name sounded familiar so I did a Google image search of her...

via wallpapers.celebritydesktop.com

Oh. My. God! That is one amazing woman! Jim Finn truly is "The Man!" Pretty damn good for a "Mr. Irrelevant." I take back everything I said about your numerous fumbles Mr. Finn!

Also, its worth mentioning that Jim and Rosa welcome their first child together in September 2004. Congrats to both of them! Once a Colt, always a Colt.

Oh and for those of you who don't remember Jim Finn well at least you can appreciate the picture of his wife that I put up here!

At first glance: This was a VERY good draft

MasterRWayne — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 23:51:30 -0000

More photos » by Tom Strattman - AP

2 months ago: Indianapolis Colts first round draft pick Connecticut running back Donald Brown, center, poses with Colts coach Jim Caldwell, left, and team president Bill Polian, right, at the Colts headquarters in Indianapolis, Sunday, April 26, 2009. (AP Photo/Tom Strattman)

Browse more photos »

It has often been said that you have to wait 2-3 years to judge a teams draft class and I think that is fair. Sometimes guys struggle early or maybe they spend a year or two on the bench before they see significant playing time. We therefore, don't know how good this draft was but we do know a few things thus far.

The Colts really want to get bigger and stronger on defense. We already know this by the fact that they wanted bigger and stronger LB's. That's why the let guys like Kreddie K go, but the additions of Moala and Taylor firmly demonstrate this desire to get bigger and stronger. The type of defense the Colts have run for awhile works when our offense scores early and often thus forcing teams into throwing against our edge rushers and zone coverages. The problem was when teams kept the game close by playing the Jeff Fisher style "run, run, run" game against us. The Colts answer to this is to get bigger and run a different front 4 against people that try and do that. If teams play that style then they are doing to see this...

LDE-Moala
DT- Terrance Taylor
DT-Antonio Johnson
RDE-Raheem Brock

Now try running against that front 4! Then when we get them into passing situations we put Freeney and Mathis in there. What this does is gives us more flexibility against teams that want to run different offensive styles against us to negate our speed and keep our offense off the field.

Also, the additions of Donald Brown and Austin Collie help our offense out. Brown is a quick, straight ahead runner. A very "north-south" style. You won't see him dancing in the backfield. The fact that he fell to the Colts was a miracle. Now I know there is talk about Brown being a 1B or whatever else people say, but the bottom line is the best man will get the most carries. If Addai is healthy and starts running well again then that's great because we now have two really good RB's. That will keep both Brown and Addai healthier and fresher. However, if Addai struggles and Brown does well then Brown will see more carries particularly later into the year. The Colts won't run things like John Fox did in Carolina were he made DeAngelo Williams sit the bench in place of DeShaun Foster because Foster was "the veteran." That's a stupid and ineffective way to run things. If you play well then you get carries and if you struggle you get less carries. Personally I think this might end up looking like Rhodes/Addai in 2006. Either way it's a win-win situation for the Colts. Drafting a guy like Brown just really helps the entire offense.

As for Collie I feel that we got good value when we drafted him. This is a guy that will help out in the slot and can be coached up as you often have to do with all college WR's. Collie also gives depth at the WR position, but hey (similiar to Addai/Brown) if Roy Hall is better in training camp (and stays healthy!) then maybe he will get more playing time while Collie learns and studies for a year. Either way it works out well for the Colts.

Drafted for the Giants

MasterRWayne — Fri, 24 Apr 2009 22:39:39 -0000

Hey Giants fans its MasterRWayne here. I help run the Stampedeblue site for the Indianapolis Colts. We had our mock draft over there and I picked for the Giants. We did rounds 1-2 and here is who I got...

1. Eben Britton-OT

2. Kenny Britt-WR

3. Asher Allen-CB

I felt that I got good value in my picks and I also addressed need areas for the G-Men. What do you guys think?

Who The Hell Will They Draft 2009: Oklahoma OG Duke Robinson

MasterRWayne — Mon, 30 Mar 2009 16:48:36 -0000

A guard? A guard?! A GUARD?!!?!?!!? You can't be serious can you? I mean are you seriously proposing that the Colts take a guard with their first pick? Yes, my friend, that is exactly what I am proposing, and here is why:

Common wisdom is that you take the best available player regardless of position needs. I feel that this is for the most part true, but I have always viewed it as a hybrid of the two; you consider needs, but differ to the best player. In the case of guard, when the Colts pick at 27th the best player on the board will be a guard AND it will fulfill a need. So, who is this "best player" who is a guard late in the 1st round?

Duke Robinson from Oklahoma (and direct relative of the famous "Smokey Robinson) is a beast.

Photo: media.scout.com

Robinson is big (330lbs), strong, tough, durable (never misses games), athletic and quick (5.27 40 time) . He is one of the best offensive linemen to come out of the draft in a long time. He was the anchor and the rock of one of the most prolific offenses in college football history. On top of his superb run blocking he also has excellent pass blocking skills and intelligence because he was part of a pro style offense at Oklahoma. On top of all that he is actually pretty darn quick and can pull well. A 5.27 40 time is very good for a guard.

From Mocking The Draft:

Perfectly sized for a guard, Robinson has the power to engulf defenders one-on-one. Quickly gets into his stance to block in-line on running plays. Does a nice job keeping his feet moving and repositioning himself. An excellent and scary drive blocker. Incredible lower body strength. Typically plays with good leverage keeping a low pad level. Gets good knee bend.

From NFL Draft Countdown:

Huge frame with long arms...Great bulk...Outstanding strength...Very powerful...Tough and physical...Nasty and is a finisher...Gets a great push and can be a dominating run blocker...Is stout at the point of attack...Uses his hands well...Plays with good leverage and bends at the knees...Quick with decent mobility and range...Good awareness and instincts...Versatile...A lot of experience against top competition.

From NFLDraftScout (via NFL.com/Combine):

Can generate movement at the point of attack in short-yardage situations. ... Plays with some nastiness and has the raw power to turn and pancake his opponent. ... Quick, strong hand punch to jolt the defender in pass protection. ... Natural knee-bender who plays with good leverage and balance in pass pro. ... Long arms and strong hands to keep the defender at bay.

But why should we draft a guard ahead of say WR, RB, DT... etc?

Well, first it all, start up front with your offense. A strong o-line helps both your passing game and running game. It is the foundation upon which everything else is built around. Your WR's and QB might be All Pro, but if they don't have adequate time then your play book is going to be severely limited to three step drops and screens like it was for the Colts late last year. Therefore, getting Duke Robinson helps all these areas. He would help both immediately and into the future because he has Pro Bowl potential written all over him and could play in this league for eight plus years. Guys like Robinson can potentially help teams both short term and long term, which is extremely rare to find. They are literally the "gems" of every draft class. Also, factor in that the interior of the Colts line is a big problem right now. We don't know if Ryan Lilja is coming back and Saturday isn't growing any younger. Robinson can start immediately for the Colts and he can be groomed to be Saturday's replacement at center. Getting him instantly upgrades our entire offense.

I know this is not a "sexy" pick, but it is a very sound one. I know WR and DT are the "sexier" picks, but that doesn't mean they are the better ones. With WR's you have to remember it takes 2-4 years to develop those guys so they won't help much, if it all, in the short term. The Colts have the potential to win now so should we not draft players that can help us now? Hall and Garcon already know the playbook and we spent draft picks on them so I say we give them a chance to prove themselves as the #3 WR. Besides passing wasn't our problem last year; our problem was running the ball and the interior of our Offensive Line. Duke Robinson
addresses both of those problems simulataneously. As for DT I really don't think there will be any 1st round DT's at our pick, but we can find talent in rounds 3-5.

Duke Robinson negatives?

From Mocking The Draft:

For any power running team, Robinson is about as good of a guard prospect as there has been in several years. His play is similar to that of Ben Grubbs. Where he struggles most is against quick, gap-shooting defensive tackles who like to get after the quarterback.

From NFL Draft Countdown:

Can be a bit inconsistent...Not a great technician...Isn't real light on his feet...Has lapses in concentration...Poor balance...Will get caught reaching at times...Will have some trouble with quicker defensive tackles...Work ethic has been questioned and tends to skate by on his natural ability...Little immature...Won't be an ideal fit for every team.

From NFLDraftScout (via NFL.com/Combine):

Only marginal balance and lateral quickness to block at the second level, and spends too much time on the ground when trying to block on the move. ... Lack of great quickness shows in pass protection, as he struggles to adjust if his initial punch doesn't slow the defender

I have thought long and hard about this because I am usually of the mindset of not drafting guards until rounds 4-7, but its not unheard of to use a late 1st rounder. The Ravens did it last year and Ozzie Newsome is a very bright GM. I just feel that Duke Robinson addresses so many areas of need for us in addition to being one of the most athletic and talented players in this draft. Besides what is better than being big? Well being big AND athletic... just look.

Photo: i.cdn.turner.com

Editor's Note: View some Duke Robinson YouTube highlights after the jump. --bbs

Duke Robinson dominating at Oklahoma:

Houshmanzadeh Signed by Seahawks

MasterRWayne — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 23:57:55 -0000

As per www.NFL.com Housh has been signed by the SeaHawks.

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Just to rub it in...

MasterRWayne — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 02:55:59 -0000

How about them Cowboys!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Romo for MVP!)

In defense of Tony Mandarich

MasterRWayne — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 20:09:35 -0000

Hey guys this is MasterRWayne and I am a writer for the Colts blog at www.stampedeblue.com.

I wrote an article detailing Mandarich's interview on "Inside the NFL" because he made his comeback with the Colts and started for us from 1996-1998. Now I know Mandarich is hated by you guys because he was a draft bust, but allow me to say two things.

1. Mandarich was a VERY good starting NFL lineman for the Colts. In fact, he was a bright spot on an otherwise talented, but inexperienced O-line that featured rookies at LT and LG. The bottom line is that Mandarich turned his life around, got sober and played his guts out for the Colts. In fact, he was part of the Colts 1997 victory over the Packers in which an 0-9 Colts team defeated a then 9-0 Packers team. One of my favorite Colts memories is him running down the field with his helmet off after the game winning field goal went through.

2. I had the pleasure of meeting Tony Mandarich in 1999 shortly after his retirement and he was kind, humble and respectful. I was working at Starbucks back then and I recognized him and he took time out of his day to talk football with me.

My point is that Tony Mandarich seems, both from the "Inside the NFL" and my personal experience, like a good person who made a lot of dumb mistakes when he was in his early 20's and then turned his life around. In short, Tony Mandarich as a Colt was a different player and a different person than Tony Mandarich as a Packer.

So yeah you can be upset about how Tony Mandarich was a "draft bust" for you guys, but you have to recognize that the guy fought hard to turn his life around and never gave up. You just have to respect that.

Tony Mandarich: One of the Best

MasterRWayne — Thu, 02 Oct 2008 04:54:45 -0000

Let me just say right off the bat that Tony Mandarich is perhaps one of my favorite Colts players of all time. That is right folks; I rank him right up there with Manning, Harbaugh, The Edge and a slew of other potential/guaranteed hall of famers.

Many of you might not even remember that Mandarich played for the Colts from 1996-1998 so you might be wondering if I have completely lost my mind when I rank him as one of the favorite Colts. You also might not even know that he is widely considered one of the greatest draft busts ever. In fact, even to this day people who are draft busts on measured on a Tony Mandarich scale of "draft bustiness."

In 1989 Tony Mandarich was selected with the second overall pick in the draft which was unheard of, for a left tackle, at that time in the NFL. The Packers picked him ahead of guys named Barry Sanders, Derrick Thomas and Emmit Smith. Mandarich only lasted three years in Green Bay. He started off bad by referring to Green Bay as a, "village" in his first interview and by challenging Mike Tyson to a boxing fight. It sounds ludicrous, but it is 100% true and the Green Bay organization had to step in to prevent the fight which was scheduled to take place just prior to the first pre-season game. Despite all of that Mandarich had everything going for him in the beginning. He had a big multi-year contract and he had his face on the cover of SI with the title, "The Incredible Bulk!" Many thought that a player like Mandarich was going to change the game so that left tackles could finally take on rushers like Lawrence Taylor.

However, Mandarich struggled mightily in the NFL. In one Monday night game Reggie White just absolutely abused him up and down the field. After awhile he was benched and then was later cut in 1992. He faded away as easily the greatest mistake in Green Bay’s history.

Mandarich remained a ghost until 1996 when the Colts suddenly gave him a chance. If you recall that was when the Colts were trying to retool their O-line with young guys such as Tarik Glenn and Adam Meadows so we were desperate for some help. Still the pundits thought Mandarich wouldn’t make it, but not only did he make the team, but he started at guard for the Colts. Still can you imagine the shock of going from probably the best LT in college sports to playing guard for a rebuilding offensive line? Yet Mandarich accepted his role (are you listening Vince Young?) and went on to be a very good offensive guard for the Colts. He even got a chance to play his old team the Packers. The Colts went into that game 0-9 and the Packers were one of the best teams in the NFL that year. Yet Mandarich and the Colts, who were QB’ed by Paul Justin, went out there and won the game. It is one of my favorite Colts memories when Mandarich ran down the field with his helmet in his hand cheering after Cary Blanchard kicked the game winning field goal.

I mention all of this because "Inside the NFL" is running a very good two part interview with Mandarich in which he details his addition to drugs, steroids and alcohol while playing for the Packers. He discusses how they just took over his life and that he was so focused on, "getting high" that he couldn’t even bring himself to work out three times a week when he was with the Packers. He also, for the first time, admits to steroid use while playing for Michigan State and on how he evaded steroid detection during the NFL combine. Next week the interview will focus on his recovery from drugs and time as a Colt.

I don’t mean to sound corny guys, but this is an amazing story here and it is an excellent interview. So if you have Showtime check out "Inside the NFL" this week and next week for both parts of the interview. Mandarich also has an autobiography due out this spring, but he makes it perfectly clear in the interview that he will not name other steroid users because he does not wish to, "profit off other peoples personal mistakes."