A Crazy Offensive Line Idea

**Merlin** · 09-23-2006, 05:57 PM

I know this idea has NO chance of getting implemented

However, it meets the principles of putting our best guys out on the line, doing what it takes to win and doing what's best for the team.

It is based on four beliefs today
1. Adam Terry can play an good if not excelent left tackle today based on the times he has been thrown out there to play. Don't think he can do a good switch to RT.
2. Jason Brown is better than Keydrick Vincent at right guard today
3. J.O. is a good enough athlete to move from left tackle to right tackle without a hitch
4. Getting the youth out on the o-line, will only make us better by the end of the season

So the proposed lineup is

LT -- Terry
LG -- Mulitalo
C -- Flynn
RG -- Brown
RT -- Ogden

I think if this line was out there instead of our line today it would be a significant step up in total ability ; e.g., Terry / Brown are better than Vincent / Pashos.

Some might say we would be wasting Ogden's skills on the right side; I would say having a solid line is the missing piece that will prevent us from going to the next level of NFL excellence.

I know that we wouldn't do it today because it would 1) totally would be against conventional wisdom to move Ogden and 2) violate the ongoing assertion that all is right with the o-line.

However, fiire away on critiques on whether this WOULD work if it was actually done .. remember the Patriots were able to sub Troy Brown as a cornerback with excellent results against the conventional wisdom.

**Ravenatic20** · 09-23-2006, 06:33 PM

Swap Terry and Ogden. Terry played RT in college, and JO you just don't move. I like it other than that.

**Ravens0587** · 09-23-2006, 06:38 PM

why can nobody ever understand this....Terry played LT in college and terry can not play RT..

Not going to happen

Terry is not and will not ever be a RT

it seems like once a week someone says terry should play Rt

**RavenFanatic2k6** · 09-23-2006, 06:43 PM

Terry played LT in college and Ogden won't play RT. He would retire before he plays RT.

**StingerNLG** · 09-23-2006, 06:55 PM

And you've still got Mike Flynn at Center. Ergh.

**Ravskins** · 09-24-2006, 10:46 AM

Actually, I came up with an idea for the Chargers game. There are two concerns I have iwth that game. Pashos against Merriman and Castillo against our interior line.

On obvious passing situations, have Chester come in and line-up next to Pashos as a tight end.

1. With pashos and Chester, it should minimize Merriman's ability.
2. Chester is a former tight end so he should not feel out of place.
3. According to the talking heads and coaches, he has the athletic ability.

Of course this won't help with Castillo but if Merriman drops back into coverage, then Chester will be able to help with the middle.

Just a thought.

**Art-Florida** · 09-24-2006, 11:30 AM

Originally Posted by Ravskins

Actually, I came up with an idea for the Chargers game. There are two concerns I have iwth that game. Pashos against Merriman and Castillo against our interior line.

On obvious passing situations, have Chester come in and line-up next to Pashos as a tight end.

1. With pashos and Chester, it should minimize Merriman's ability.
2. Chester is a former tight end so he should not feel out of place.
3. According to the talking heads and coaches, he has the athletic ability.

Of course this won't help with Castillo but if Merriman drops back into coverage, then Chester will be able to help with the middle.

Just a thought.

That's an excellent idea. Maybe Fassel will read this and agree.

With Heap hurting, today might be an excellent time to try it. At worst, it would give Chester some reps and a chance to polish his blocking skills in actual game conditions.

**PurpleRulz** · 09-24-2006, 02:03 PM

Originally Posted by Ravenatic20

Swap Terry and Ogden. Terry played RT in college, and JO you just don't move. I like it other than that.

Adam Terry did NOT play RT in college. He played LT and always has been a LT. Terry does not have the push to play RT, but he seems to have the makings for a solid LT.

JO has said that he does not want to play RT, so you can forget about that as well.

The OL will be was it is, unfortunately.

**Kaven** · 09-24-2006, 02:33 PM

I have yet to see where Jason Brown is better than anyone ahead of him.

**ravensfan86** · 09-25-2006, 10:34 AM

Terry is ok as a pass protect LT, but he aint much in run blocking. Seems Jamal's positive yards running the ball are to the left behind Mulitalo and Ogden. If they were inclined to make oline changes it would've happened during camp and the preseason games. The only way Terry or Brown see playing time is if there is a blowout or an injury.

**deuce** · 09-25-2006, 10:39 AM

Originally Posted by Ravskins

Actually, I came up with an idea for the Chargers game. There are two concerns I have iwth that game. Pashos against Merriman and Castillo against our interior line.

On obvious passing situations, have Chester come in and line-up next to Pashos as a tight end.

1. With pashos and Chester, it should minimize Merriman's ability.
2. Chester is a former tight end so he should not feel out of place.
3. According to the talking heads and coaches, he has the athletic ability.

Of course this won't help with Castillo but if Merriman drops back into coverage, then Chester will be able to help with the middle.

Just a thought.

That is a great idea. Protecting McNair is key #1 in this game in my opinion. And I forgot Chester is a converted TE until I read that. I started worrying about Lights Out vs Pashos when I woke up this morning, haha.

**Ravskins** · 09-25-2006, 12:06 PM

Originally Posted by deuce

I started worrying about Lights Out vs Pashos when I woke up this morning, haha.

I've been worrying about this match-up since the Chargers/Raiders game. Geez. Merriman is man among boys but we got to come up with some creativity to put our guys in the best position to win.

**HDDream** · 09-25-2006, 12:17 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens0587

Terry is not and will not ever be a RT

Then he will never play any significant time for the Ravens and he will go down as a bust if he isn't already.

**UKRavenStockers** · 09-25-2006, 04:38 PM

Originally Posted by HDDream

Then he will never play any significant time for the Ravens and he will go down as a bust if he isn't already.

Wrong, he is and always has been Ogden's heir apparent, taken earlier than perhaps necessary but he's getting plenty of time to learn and will never be in a position to ask for mega bucks if his contract comes up before the end of Ogden's career.

**AZRAVEN** · 09-25-2006, 04:47 PM

Until something, anything is done about Flynn in the middle all other changes won't help much IMO. As far as Ogden not wanting to play RT he's under contract he should play wherever the hell the coaching staff wants him. I'm sick of prima donna players running things, why do we even need a FO or coaching staff if the spoiled children are going to call the shots.

**highwater** · 09-25-2006, 05:07 PM

There might be something that can eventually be done this season to improve the OL, but (1) it's not likely at all to happen in the next week, and (2) it's not likely at all to involve Ogden moving to RT or Terry playing at RT.

And as has already been noted by a couple of people in this thread, this scenario would still leave Flynn at C. He is at least as big a problem as Pashos at RT.

I'd like to see Brown and Chester get some playing time, but the fact that a lot of us think they would be immediate impact players just demonstrates how desperate we are to make changes to the OL.

**RavenScallywag** · 09-26-2006, 09:07 AM

Several sources have already said Ogden will retire a LT. If we went to move him to RT, he'd simply hang up the cleats.

**AZRAVEN** · 09-26-2006, 10:15 AM

Well, maybe that's the way it should be then. The team is the only thing that matters and if Ogden moving would be best for the team then that's what should happen. If he wants to take his ball and go home so be it. He's a great player but he's not bigger than the team IMO.

**hurting** · 09-26-2006, 10:26 AM

Originally Posted by AZRAVEN

Well, maybe that's the way it should be then. The team is the only thing that matters and if Ogden moving would be best for the team then that's what should happen. If he wants to take his ball and go home so be it. He's a great player but he's not bigger than the team IMO.

I agree 100%. I said this last year after hearing that JO had been quoted as saying he will retire before moving to RT. I think part of his statement is misunderstood since I believe he thinks that a move to RT will mean his skills are diminishing. And that he would rather retire than hang on too long.

However, in this case the move is not due to his diminishing skills, but to to a lack of ability of the other LT on the team. I am tired of JOs on field anger displays. If he would move to the right the O-line would improve and we wouldn't be floundering on offence so much.

This year it has become obvious that it is the O-lines fault (almost entirely). For years excuses have been made due to 1.) a lack of tallented receivers {we have Mason, Clayton, and Heap} 2.) a lack of a viable QB {we have McNair now} and 3.) injuries or lack of a good running back {Lewis is healthy and we have Anderson and Musa}. The excuses stop now. This O-line is and has been for 9 years now JO and 4 TURDS!

If I were McNair or Ray Lewis I would have pulled the entire O-line after the game and said "You almost blew it for us today. Do you honestly plan to pick up your paycheck this week?"

**Merlin** · 09-26-2006, 12:43 PM

In my initial post, I acknowledge that this was completely against the conventional wisdom

I think, however, that we have all the pieces EXCEPT for the line to make a serious run with some of those pieces coming together far better than expected; e.g., the safety position.

If we don't do something unconventional with the line and DO SOMETHING we won't be able to go the distance.

Maybe another alternative is a trade, but I don't know if there are really any serious options.