beast
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5 years ago

GREEN BAY, Wis. – Last season, Green Bay Packers right tackle Bryan Bulaga faced a gauntlet of elite pass rushers to start the year. In the first five weeks, he had individual battles against Chicago’s Khalil Mack, Minnesota’s Danielle Hunter, Denver’s Von Miller, Philadelphia’s Brandon Graham and Dallas’ DeMarcus Lawrence.

Bulaga responded with perhaps his best season. His excellence played a major role in Green Bay going 13-3 and reaching the NFC Championship Game.

With Bulaga departing in free agency, the pressure will be on his replacement, veteran Rick Wagner, to keep the pressure away from Aaron Rodgers.

Gone are the days when it was the left tackle who faced the opponent’s top pass rusher. Last season, 17 edge rushers collected at least 10 sacks. Of that group, six rushed from the defense’s left (or against the right tackle) at least two-thirds of the time and three others rushed from the left at least half the time. That’s nine of 17 – or more than half. In all, 12 of the 17 rushed from the defense’s left at least 40 percent of the time.

Sacks aren’t everything, of course. Green Bay’s schedule features 13 edge defenders who ranked in the top 30 in ProFootballFocus.com’s pass-rushing productivity, a metric that measures sacks, quarterback hits and hurries per pass-rushing snap. Of that group, six rushed at least 60 percent of the time from the left side of the defense (or the right side of the offense) and another three were essentially a 50/50 split.

Continue Reading @ Sports Illustrated 

Sports Illustrated wrote:



There is more I didn't post, but those are some very interesting stats of where the sacks and pressures have come from, and there is no way out current options can compete with Bulaga in pass protection.

So at max in 2018, Mike McCarthy passed it about 67.5% of the play calls becoming the third highest NFL pass percentage this century (for any team and maybe ever for the NFL). Since 2016 McCarthy has basically said over 60% which is a change as perviously, with his offense before 2016 seemingly being under 60%.

LaFleur in his first season was at 59.8% passes, my guess is that he'd prefer it to be closer to 55% and we'll be running more this year.
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Zero2Cool
5 years ago
If Wagner stinks, at least Rodgers will be able to see who's coming after him! (being right-handed an all)
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beast
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5 years ago

If Wagner stinks, at least Rodgers will be able to see who's coming after him! (being right-handed an all)

Originally Posted by: Zero2Cool 

Sorry, I got distracted with something before I could finish editing my post.

But cool stats, and I'm thinking this might mean a larger running percentage.

And yes, it's better on the right side than the left side. But they'll need the play action game to help them more this season.
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Cheesey
5 years ago
If the running game produces like it seems they think it will, that will take a lot of pressure off of Rodgers. If teams have to honor the run even more then last year, it makes the defense not able to just pin their ears back and go after our QB.
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Smokey
5 years ago
With 4 seasons in Baltimore and 3 seasons with Detroit, the 6'6" / 318 lb. Rickey Wagner returns to the State where he played college football (Wisconsin). In Baltimore he pass blocked for Joe Flacco and in Detroit for Matthew Stafford. Both survived with him protecting them. I feel good about this proven veteran filling Bulaga's RT position. Furthermore, run blocking may improve over last season.

With Billy Turner playing G on his left, Wagner could get pass extra outside/inside blocking help from 6' / 247 lb. A.J. Dillon or 6' / 213 lb. J. Williams at RB. Wagner should do well, the concern with any player on a new team is how quickly he will acclimate to his new teammates on the line. His experience as a veteran should should serve to aid him on his return to Wisconsin.

I don't see any of GB's offensive linemen as "key" players. If there is a "key", then it is the Packers Offensive Line Coach Adam Stenavich and his Assistant Coach Luke Butkus. It's their job to prepare the Packer O-Line for each weeks opponents.

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KRK
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5 years ago

With 4 seasons in Baltimore and 3 seasons with Detroit, the 6'6" / 318 lb. Rickey Wagner returns to the State where he played college football (Wisconsin). In Baltimore he pass blocked for Joe Flacco and in Detroit for Matthew Stafford. Both survived with him protecting them. I feel good about this proven veteran filling Bulaga's RT position. Furthermore, run blocking may improve over last season.
...
I don't see any of GB's offensive linemen as "key" players.

Originally Posted by: Smokey 

Smokey, I like your optimism and hope you're are right on your assessment on Wagner, but I disagree on your statement about none of the linemen being 'key'.

IMO Bakhtiari is key to any possible success. Without him or with a sub-optimal performance, it would be a long year. I dont think there is a replacement on the roster at this point. 12 has a ton of faith in the guy and his loss would mean less confidence from the quarterback position... which would never be a good thing.


In Luce tua Videmus Lucem KRK
beast
  • beast
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5 years ago

Smokey, I like your optimism and hope you're are right on your assessment on Wagner, but I disagree on your statement about none of the linemen being 'key'.

IMO Bakhtiari is key to any possible success. Without him or with a sub-optimal performance, it would be a long year. I dont think there is a replacement on the roster at this point. 12 has a ton of faith in the guy and his loss would mean less confidence from the quarterback position... which would never be a good thing.

Originally Posted by: KRK 


Yeah, not only that but aren't all the OL key? I mean after all this off-season talk about how we don't have weapons and WRs for Rodgers...

And how the offense struggled whenever they faced a tough physical defensive front, as the weapons couldn't pick up the slack....

Last year the offense lived and died by the OL success, Rodgers and Adams got them out of some jams for sure, but when the offense had sustained success, it was due to the OL.


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Smokey
5 years ago
As vital as the LT position certainly is, the best O-Lines work as a TEAM. Additionally, even the greatest ever O-Line that ever took the field were not "expected" to protect their QB's forever. Therefor if a QB's receivers can't get themselves open for their QB to throw the ball to, then usually a QB has to scramble or get sacked.

On the running game side of the coin, planned and disciplined blocking is the measure of success. Opening paths for the RB to exploit results in ground gained. I know how many don't like the ground and pound approach, but when it works it opens up the opposing defense to be defeated.

I know that some will point to this QB sack or that failed running play and use it to spin up a larger negative to blame one player/side/or the entire O-Line. Such occasional defensive successes are to be expected and not used to support a weak argument.

GB's O-Line should exceed last seasons performance, provided there is a season. (?)
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