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I thought we were going to get bigger o-linemen?

DefensiveEnd76

DefensiveEnd76

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I remember Jeff Ireland saying we were going to get bigger o-linemen this past off-season. Well we didn't. We have a bunch of average sized guys on the interior of our o-line. I don't see how we can play power football if we don't have some 330 pound earthmovers inside. Last night, Jake Grove looked like a midget compared to John Henderson. San Francisco let Justin Smiley walk because he did not fit for a power running game and yet he is one of our starters at an average 310 pounds.
 
it was a little disturbing watching our team in the goalline not being able to push the line. It almost seemed as if Sparano wanted to test the line and pound it in but couldnt do it.
 
DefensiveEnd76 said:
I remember Jeff Ireland saying we were going to get bigger o-linemen this past off-season. Well we didn't. We have a bunch of average sized guys on the interior of our o-line. I don't see how we can play power football if we don't have some 330 pound earthmovers inside. Last night, Jake Grove looked like a midget compared to John Henderson. San Francisco let Justin Smiley walk because he did not fit for a power running game and yet he is one of our starters at an average 310 pounds.
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Do you consider the New York Giants a power running team? They have only one starter who weighs more that 320 pounds.

Most centers look like midgets next to John Henderson as he is 6-7 335 pounds.

San Francisco didn't let Smiley walk because of his weight, they let him walk because of injury concerns.

Power football is not all about weight. It's also about technique, strength, angles and movement. The Buffalo Bills had the biggest, weight wise, offensive line in the NFL last season and they were very inconsistent running the football because they didn't move laterally very well.
 
Ridiuclous! I know many of us were looking forward to having something to talk about and the first preseason game is just that but c'mon. This is the NFL, the true test for our running game will be 3rd and 4th quarters which our guys will probably not see in the first preseason game. I still believe we will be pretty good up front.
 
The majority of power running teams have huge o-linemen who can just wear defenses down with their size and strength. And yes, Smiley did not fit San Francisco's desire to have a power running game and the 49ers said they wanted to get a bigger o-linemen. A 330 pound guy with power is going to fair much better against a guy like Henderson then a 300 pound guy.
 
A true power running game has o-linemen like the Cowboys of the 1990's. Their line was huge and powerful. They simply blew open holes for Emmitt Smith and wore defenses out.
 
DefensiveEnd76 said:
The majority of power running teams have huge o-linemen who can just wear defenses down with their size and strength. And yes, Smiley did not fit San Francisco's desire to have a power running game and the 49ers said they wanted to get a bigger o-linemen. A 330 pound guy with power is going to fair much better against a guy like Henderson then a 300 pound guy.
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I agree that we could have used a little more size and more importantly, more competition for the interior OL. Donald Thomas will make that 1st unit look a lot better once he is back in there but I really worry about our depth (or lack there of) given how injury prone Smiley/Grove/Thomas are.

I hate to say it but on draft day, when a top 10 value like Ole Miss T/G Michael Oher kept slipping down the board, we should've moved up and snatched him. He went at #23 overall to BAL. I watched BAL's preseason game and Oher is an absolute MONSTER.

I think we're okay with our starting unit of Long/Smiley/Grove/Thomas/Carey but one injury and we're in big touble.
 
Okay, so you don't think the Giants are not a power running team. How about the Vikings? Their interior OL has a 303 pound center and two 315 pounders at OG. What about the Titans? Their center weighs less that 300 pounds and neither of their starting guards are over 310.
 
DefensiveEnd76 said:
I remember Jeff Ireland saying we were going to get bigger o-linemen this past off-season. Well we didn't. We have a bunch of average sized guys on the interior of our o-line. I don't see how we can play power football if we don't have some 330 pound earthmovers inside. Last night, Jake Grove looked like a midget compared to John Henderson. San Francisco let Justin Smiley walk because he did not fit for a power running game and yet he is one of our starters at an average 310 pounds.
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Although I agree with you, John Henderson is 6-7 335 lbs. Anyone would look like a midget in front of him.. We should have guys inside who are around the 320 range.. I didnt really agree with the Jake Grove signing in the first place. I think he has too much of an injury history to give a ton of money to..
 
I will have to research about other teams, but I am sure the Giants ol is of average size and that team runs the crap out of the ball. Although injury history on this line is a concern!!! First preseason can not call it... Giants next i believe. One of the best teams in the NFL good test for us...
 
SportsGuy04 said:
I will have to research about other teams, but I am sure the Giants ol is of average size and that team runs the crap out of the ball. Although injury history on this line is a concern!!! First preseason can not call it... Giants next i believe. One of the best teams in the NFL good test for us...
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When your starting runningback is a guy with a linebackers body (a big linebacker at that), you dont need the heaviest oline in the world
 
dolpns13 said:
When your starting runningback is a guy with a linebackers body (a big linebacker at that), you dont need the heaviest oline in the world
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The Giants were a power running team before Jacobs arrived and they never had a huge offensive line. They were part of the reason Tiki Barber was able to run for over 1200 yards in each of his last five seasons.
 
Geforce said:
The Giants were a power running team before Jacobs arrived and they never had a huge offensive line. They were part of the reason Tiki Barber was able to run for over 1200 yards in each of his last five seasons.
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I know.. Just sayin, its easier to be a power running team with a beast like Jacobs, and can hide deficiancies in your oline. As a whole, the Giants have always been a good rushing team and led the league in rushing even last year. Been right around the top 5 in rushing for about the past 5 seasons.
 
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