Thread: Schlereth on O-line: "They need to fire them all and start over"

Schlereth's radio interview last night was kind of a must-listen IMO. If nothing else, I think he correctly identified that we actually have more of a personnel issue that we'd like to admit. Klis wrote a story on it today - http://www.denverpost.com/lunchspeci...broncos-o-line

He also kind of debunks this myth that Orlando Franklin needs to go back to RT and everything will be better. I liked this quote about last year:

"This is where stats lie — I think the Broncos lead the league with the least sacks allowed at 11. That's all Peyton Manning, 100 percent, getting rid of the football. They have to be more talented with schemes and getting guys open, because at this point, they can't block their way out of a wet paper sack."

Anyway - this is kind of beating a dead horse... But I think hearing Schlereth put things in perspective just how dire and awful the situation is up front.

We've always said that a good QB will make any OL better. We knew Manning was helping them last year, but I certainly didn't see it being THIS bad last year. IT wasn't this bad last year. I don't know what's changed, but bring in the a-hole.. and lets move things around until we find a "comfortable" fix.

Everytime I think on schlereth I picture Charlie sheen in 2 1/2 men..

Originally Posted by daveaitken18

Everytime I think on schlereth I picture Charlie sheen in 2 1/2 men..

Seriously? why?

Originally Posted by Ravage!!!

Seriously? why?

I just picture him as a womanizing, partying dude with a care free attitude - and funky clothes

Thank God UR is recovering from surgery.

Joel book in 4, 3, 2........

Originally Posted by Timmy!

Joel book in 4, 3, 2........

What can I say that I haven't already? What good would it do or difference would it make? It is what it is; if blaming me for being right helps folks sleep better, fine, but that changes nothing either.

Originally Posted by dbfan2007

According to the former players we probably need new players and new coaches. I wonder if they all just want their jobs back

As some have noted, I'm neither a former player nor coach, yet have said the same thing far longer, so that dog won't hunt.

Originally Posted by Joel

if blaming me for being right helps folks sleep better, fine, but that changes nothing either.

According to the former players we probably need new players and new coaches. I wonder if they all just want their jobs back

We can put it in the pile with Mark Jacksons, Nick Fergusons and Brian Dawkins'. No TRUE Bronco would EVER criticize our line or any other part of the team; don't be so negative, Stink.

I dont think anyone is claiming the move of franklin "will make it all better".

Will it fix something? Its hard to say without trying, considering we are on our 3rd RT, it cant hurt to put last years starter back there.

Im not sure bringing in a guy who hasnt played in a year and is a freaking nut job is an answer either, but could it really be any worse?

Originally Posted by Krugan

I dont think anyone is claiming the move of franklin "will make it all better".

Will it fix something? Its hard to say without trying, considering we are on our 3rd RT, it cant hurt to put last years starter back there.

Im not sure bringing in a guy who hasnt played in a year and is a freaking nut job is an answer either, but could it really be any worse?

Fair enough, perhaps I didn't phrase that effectively. But I guess my point is that we're actually on our 4th RT. Orlando Franklin has already failed there. Moving him back to RT doesn't appear to be an option that's still on the table for the front office.

But the larger point of my thread was that we might be more screwed than we want to admit. It sounds like it won't make any difference whether Franklin is at LG or RT, because he's going to struggle and lead the team in penalties wherever he lines up. Orlando Franklin is terrible, Manny is terrible, our center is terrible, Clady isn't Clady. It kind of sounds like we're just rearranging the deck chairs on the Titanic.

Careful: Asking "how could it get worse?" is how we wound up with Franklin at LG and TBD at RT. It can ALWAYS get worse, even if it's hard to see how right now. But I have faith our coaches can find a way to screw up even the most idiotproof championship scenario. All that said, Franklin's a known commodity at RT, his multiple successors so far are part of why our line's inexplicably even WORSE than last year, and if we weren't losing much at RT by moving him to LG, we wouldn't be losing much at LG by moving him BACK, especially not if we put an All Pro LG there instead.

It would do what moving him and Clark was intended to do: Significantly improve TWO grossly inadequate positions with the addition of ONE player. Then we just need to find a center, but maybe Montgomery's it. It's pretty sad when the line's so bad they make me miss Beadles, but if he was always underpowered, he had the skill and reflexes Franklin so woefully lacks; put him next to Ramirez and the two of them worked a lot of double teams very well, and we could afford pairing them on assignments because Vasquez needs no help, and can provide it to Franklin at need. Now it's just a disaster.

Originally Posted by Joel

Careful: Asking "how could it get worse?" is how we wound up with Franklin at LG and TBD at RT. It can ALWAYS get worse, even if it's hard to see how right now. But I have faith our coaches can find a way to screw up even the most idiotproof championship scenario. All that said, Franklin's a known commodity at RT, his multiple successors so far are part of why our line's inexplicably even WORSE than last year, and if we weren't losing much at RT by moving him to LG, we wouldn't be losing much at LG by moving him BACK, especially not if we put an All Pro LG there instead.

It would do what moving him and Clark was intended to do: Significantly improve TWO grossly inadequate positions with the addition of ONE player. Then we just need to find a center, but maybe Montgomery's it. It's pretty sad when the line's so bad they make me miss Beadles, but if he was always underpowered, he had the skill and reflexes Franklin so woefully lacks; put him next to Ramirez and the two of them worked a lot of double teams very well, and we could afford pairing them on assignments because Vasquez needs no help, and can provide it to Franklin at need. Now it's just a disaster.

At some point you have to stop tinkering with the OL and just go with what you have. They moved Franklin for a reason. He sucked at pass-protection last year. Last year teams hadn't figured out how to defense the Broncos offense. But, the Seahawks showed the world how you shut them down, and now even teams like the Rams are doing it.

You can't move Franklin back to RT and expect anything good to happen. The already have far too many changes on the OL. Nor can they bring in Incognito. That's just "praying for rain."

If they can somehow manage to win this home game things will calm down. But, if, and I'd say it's 50-50, they manage to lose, or worse get embarrassed at home, then all bets are off for this season.

John Elway made a huge blunder in not fixing this problem during the off-season, and thinking they could just get by with the OL personnel they already had. I thought that was a very questionable assumption during the summer, but I assumed they knew what they were doing. Apparently not, because they thought a lot more of Chris Clark than he's shown. And Manny Ramirez hasn't done anything since moving back to guard. And asking Louis Vasquez to play RT when he's never done it is a bit much.

If Incognito was a RT, as much as I hate that douche-bag I'd say grit your teeth and bring him in. But, G isn't their worst problem. RT is.