Playing the blame game: The truth about the LOLine
by smileyman on Oct 30, 2009 3:57 PM PDT
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Over and over I've heard that we have a horrible line and that the problem with the running game is due to poor blocking. While that's true, there's more to the story than first meets the eye. Looking at last week's game we had one of our worst running performances thus far--19 carries and 59 yards. That's just over 3 yards per carry and for a team that styles itself a running team that's pathetic.
After the break I'm going to examine a couple of plays that demonstrate where our weakness lies, and the answers may surprise you.
In reviewing the game, I figure that our poor run performance was split fairly evenly between the running backs not cutting to the open hole and the poor blocking of our line.
The first run from scrimmage is a bit of a draw play. I think part of the problem is that Gore is generally standing 6 or 7 yards back from the line of scrimmage--which means even if a hole is opened up it's going to take a bit longer to get to it than is ideal. In this play when Hill hands the ball off to Gore there's a beautiful hole opened up on the right side, which Gore completely misses. Instead he runs right up the middle and only gets 2 yards. Had he bounced to the right he probably would've gotten four, maybe five yards.
This run is on Gore. That drive we were three and out.
On the second drive we have another run where Gore misses the hole that again opens up on the right side of the line and instead goes up the middle.
This run netted 1 yard. Gore needs to be able to spot the open hole and move to it. If he goes that way we get maybe 4 or 5 yards. Gore's not the only one with this problem. Coffee also experienced the same issue.
Cofee's first run was up the gut for 2 yards.
There was lots of room on either side. There's also a sliver of room between the right guard and tackle but Cofee tries to power it up the middle.
Here's an example of our poor line blocking. You can see at the start of the play how close the Houston defense is playing us. They know that we don't have any kind of deep threat at this point, and are crowding the line of scrimmage.
The play is supposed to go off the left guard but the line blocking is horrid. The guard shifts left to pick up the left defensive tackle. Our left tackle starts heading down the field to pick up somebody in the secondary, but there's nobody to pick up the LB that's coming in to plug the gap. This play was stopped for a 2 yard loss. Part of the line blocking may have to do with the play design as well. I'm not sure why we need to have Morgan come around the end on a fake--that slows everything down. If we get Gore up the middle faster we may (and this is a slim maybe) get positive yardage. The design of the play is on Raye.
I don't know if Gore is 100% healthy right now or not. I suspect that his ankle was still bothering him this past week because he didn't show the explosiveness and the quick cutting that we're used to seeing from him. I just hate seeing our line getting all the problems for our woes when I'd say it's fairly equal (at least for last week).
Opening up the second half our drives were fairly evenly split between run and pass. The first scoring drive we had 3 runs and 2 passes. The second drive we had 2 runs and 1 pass (3 and out). The fourth drive was 4 runs and 7 passes, and of course the last drive was all pass. Our two longest runs also came in the second half (a 9 yard run by Gore and an 11 yard run by Alex Smith).
I think it's pretty clear that our running success depends on our passing success. We need to force the secondary to back off the line of scrimmage to give our running game some room to move. Then once we get that running game established we can force the secondary to start coming up some and then force some results in the passing game.
This is a FanPost and does not necessarily reflect the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors. It does reflect the views of this particular fan though, which is as important as the views of Niners Nation's writers or editors.
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Bad memory?
I think I remember reading a statement that said Raye chewed out Coffee for not staying with the play design. He was told not to bounce it outside, I think. I hope I’m not miss-remembering this. Old age is the pits.
Nope, your right
I thought that was weird too. They were chewing him out for not running exactly where the play says. But I can sortof understand the logic. If the gaps are opened up in the wrong places, it is cause the line isn’t openning them. I think the logic is… they are supposed to open a hole in the middle, they attempt to push the defense out, but get pushed into where the hole is supposed to be. This may occasionally create holes on the outside cause everyone collapses in on the planned running lane cause of our LOLine. The danger of bouncing outside is, your line is pushing defenders that way. You have noone between ballcarrier and defender, and likely get regular holding calls when the lineman tries to protect the ball carrier.
Is this fair.
It seems unfair to require a RB to follow the design of the play and then criticism him for having poor vision and making bad decisions.
This may explain Cofee
And also explain why he only got two carries this game. It doesn’t excuse Gore. I think it’s clear that our line needs improvement, but I also think it’s clear that our backs have quite a bit of responsibility in the poor performance of our rushing game thus far.
Against St. Louis (which is ranked 28th against the run), the offense only got 95 yards rushing in.
I agree
I worded things badly. I started explaining why I felt it was the lines fault because of Raye wanting them to run his play the way he planned instead of where they see openings. But went back to change it to explain their logic in telling them to do it, but sent it before completing the change.
I've wondered on occasion why Gore appeared to miss a hole
Of course it’s easy from TV to see something that may not be visible to the player’s line of vision. We also don’t always know if a RB takes the open outside space, the defender may have it sealed and would be able to make an easy tackle or it would lead to the lineman being called for a hold, since he’s blocking the direction he does not anticipate the back running.
I think the biggest issue is that when an offense is struggling, skill players either try to do too much or try to be perfect. Since we’re struggling, I could see Gore just trying to get the two yards he sees in front instead of confidently bouncing outside for a larger gain. If we can ever get some rhythm and consistency, where every drive nets at least one first down and we’re not getting shutout in a quarter, I think everyone will play more relaxed and make more plays. Success breads success and right now we’re short on confidence.
You gotta bring ass to get ass.
1st 3 pics don't look like a missed hole
How is it a hole when there is no blocker for the weak side linebacker? Seems to me he’d be tackled at the line of scrimmage by the unblocked linebacker if he tried to run those directions.
You've got to take the open lane
Each of those plays are designed to get four or five yards and that’s it. Sure the linebacker will probably get the tackle, but that first contact won’t happen until three or four yards out, instead of one or two (or none). Break that tackle and you’ve got a big gain. Run into the traffic and you’re stuffed.
The whole point of the blocking on those plays is to get the running back past the line of scrimmage, at which point it’s up to him to make the plays. If he’s not taking that open lane he’s not doing his job.
Underestimating the LBs
An unblocked LB in his natural drop is going to get to that hole right around the line of scrimmage.
You're wrong about the third picture ...
That’s a designed run up the middle. Notice how the RT is blocking – he’s blocking OUT. On an outside run he blocks down. If the run bounces outside, the DE simply slides off the block, and the only way our RT can stop him is by holding.
Also you can see another defensive player (OLB?) in position to make the play if Coffee tries to bounce it outside. That play probably loses yards if he tries to take it wide, but Coffee isn’t being asked to look. THe hole is supposed to be in a certain place, and on that run he’s supposed to hit it hard and quickly.
The second picture may show similar problems. Notice how our RG is blocking out – he’s supposed to create a hole inside. IN this case, Gore isn’t being asked to read-and-react, he’s being asked to hit a specific hole. On this play it looks like we have a double-team on the DE on that side, so maybe Gore could have bounced it outside, but again notice the blocking angles – there’s a big risk of a hold if Gore bounces outside.
Notice also how the SS is moving up already. He’s in position to close down a run bounced outside – although in general you’re happy if the opposing SS makes tackles on run plays.
You talk about hitting the hole faster in your discussion of the last play, but that’s sort of the problem: you analyze the other plays as if Gore was being told to run Barry-Sanders style … wait, see the hold, then hit it. But that’s not how the team has ever used Gore effectively. He’s a hit the hole hard-and-fast guy.
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