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The Oline problems seem to date to the point where Manning's performance dropped off suddenly. Getting pressure up the middle is exactly the way you hurt a pocket QB more than just about anything. Also having the RB getting hit at or behind the line one-third of the time probably means that whatever running plays were getting called weren't being called with any competence; they weren't designed to work with the reshuffled personnel given how Schlereth diagnoses the misuse of Clady and Ramirez. So it's no mystery that Adam Gase wasn't retained.
http://espn.go.com/blog/nflnation/po...offensive-line
There will likely be three new starters on the line in 2015, with right tackle Louis Vasquez moving back to his best position, right guard, and Ryan Clady at left tackle. Clady was the team's first-round pick in 2008 -- Mike Shanahan's last season as coach -- and is the only lineman on the roster who has played in an offense similar to the one Kubiak is expected to install, regardless of whether Peyton Manning returns.
"Yes, that's absolutely, 100 percent correct, three new starters minimum," said ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth, who played six seasons at guard for the Broncos with Kubiak as the offensive coordinator. "And let's face it, even with that, Clady has to be better than he was [in 2014]. Whether that's the injuries, that he's broken, or not, we'll see."
In early November, the Broncos moved Vasquez from right guard (where he had been an All-Pro in 2013) to right tackle, moved Manny Ramirez from center to right guard, and moved Will Montgomery to center. The lineup stayed that way for the remainder of the season. But that created as many issues as the Broncos were trying to repair. The offense lined up mostly in a three-wide receiver set, so it created problems for players out of position, especially Ramirez. As a result, the Broncos consistently surrendered pressure in the middle of the formation.
The Broncos also saw their running backs being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on a third of their carries.
"[Ramirez] is a big, strong guy, a straight-ahead guy, and in their personnel he was moved from center, where he was uncovered most of the time and could be a helper, and moved to guard, where he's covered 90 percent of the time," Schlereth said. "He was a liability there. An inept move to make."
The strip-sack forced fumble by Manning in the Broncos' playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts offered another glimpse of the Broncos' issues up front. The offense was in a three-wide receiver look, and no tight end was lined up next to Clady on the weak side. Clady was asked to help left guard Orlando Franklin -- Ricky Jean Francois had quickly beaten Franklin -- and then get back outside to slow down Jonathan Newsome, again with no tight end help.
Clady, who played through thigh and groin injuries down the stretch, could not make all that happen. Newsome hit Manning and forced a fumble early in a game in which the Broncos never seized much momentum.
"So you look at that play and the lineman looks like an ass, the quarterback gets hit -- but that movement, in that protection, with no tight end to the open side, would be impossible for Clady when he was young and athletic," Schlereth said. "They were asking players to do what they shouldn't ask them to do."
"Yes, that's absolutely, 100 percent correct, three new starters minimum," said ESPN analyst Mark Schlereth, who played six seasons at guard for the Broncos with Kubiak as the offensive coordinator. "And let's face it, even with that, Clady has to be better than he was [in 2014]. Whether that's the injuries, that he's broken, or not, we'll see."
In early November, the Broncos moved Vasquez from right guard (where he had been an All-Pro in 2013) to right tackle, moved Manny Ramirez from center to right guard, and moved Will Montgomery to center. The lineup stayed that way for the remainder of the season. But that created as many issues as the Broncos were trying to repair. The offense lined up mostly in a three-wide receiver set, so it created problems for players out of position, especially Ramirez. As a result, the Broncos consistently surrendered pressure in the middle of the formation.
The Broncos also saw their running backs being hit at or behind the line of scrimmage on a third of their carries.
"[Ramirez] is a big, strong guy, a straight-ahead guy, and in their personnel he was moved from center, where he was uncovered most of the time and could be a helper, and moved to guard, where he's covered 90 percent of the time," Schlereth said. "He was a liability there. An inept move to make."
The strip-sack forced fumble by Manning in the Broncos' playoff loss to the Indianapolis Colts offered another glimpse of the Broncos' issues up front. The offense was in a three-wide receiver look, and no tight end was lined up next to Clady on the weak side. Clady was asked to help left guard Orlando Franklin -- Ricky Jean Francois had quickly beaten Franklin -- and then get back outside to slow down Jonathan Newsome, again with no tight end help.
Clady, who played through thigh and groin injuries down the stretch, could not make all that happen. Newsome hit Manning and forced a fumble early in a game in which the Broncos never seized much momentum.
"So you look at that play and the lineman looks like an ass, the quarterback gets hit -- but that movement, in that protection, with no tight end to the open side, would be impossible for Clady when he was young and athletic," Schlereth said. "They were asking players to do what they shouldn't ask them to do."
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