Dawgs By Nature
With every good musical band, there are levels. It is not displayed to their endearing music lovers, but it’s there.
The lead singer is the showman, the leader, so to speak, the one everyone looks to so that their fans are satisfied. The drummer is the crazy one, the risk taker, and the most physically gifted. The keyboard player is the tactician and exudes creativity and expects perfection. The lead guitar is the smart one, the craftsman, and most expressive. And the bass guitar player is the quiet one, the least noticed, and the main team player.
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All of this translates to a football team like the Cleveland Browns, precisely, along the offensive side of the ball.
The quarterback is the showman, the running back is the crazy one, the receivers are the tacticians, the tight ends are the most expressive, while the offensive line is the unsung, the team players, and the least noticed (until they commit a foul during a game).
The truth is, every single aspect of the offense is dependent on how the offensive line plays. Every run, every pass attempt, every snap, and every series. If the offensive line is bad, the offense does not move the ball.
Incompletions go up because the quarterback doesn’t have the time to throw. Rushing averages are low since the offensive line cannot open holes. Interceptions increase. So do sacks and pressures and other related stats with words like hurries and knockdowns. First down conversions suffer. The points seen on the scoreboard decrease.
And the ability to add wins to the standings becomes more difficult.
Every offensive line in football isn’t a guard, or a center, or a tackle, or the extended position of tight end. Every offensive line is a group. A unified assemblage of five guys. Yes, any of the cinco can be recognized for their achievements, receive accolades, and become an independent being come contract time. But they are a group. A collection that needs the cohesiveness and assistance of the other four men.
A left guard will work with a left tackle somewhat, and certainly with the center, but this guard also works in concert with the other guards, with pulls, stunts, coverages, and schemes. If the right guard is pulling on a running play, the left guard must know where to shift his defender in front of him so as not to interfere with the flow of the play and everyone else’s blocking assignments.
Offensive tackles are the cornerstone of any running play to the outside, but are basically on an island to themselves on passing downs. Their job is to move the EDGE rusher as far deep as they can so that the pocket remains intact along the outside parameters. Rarely is a guard able to help with a tackle’s blocking since he has his own defender, or a blitzing safety or linebacker, to worry about.
The Browns’ offensive line has basically had the same lineup...
