One thing that will be nice to get rid of with Martz's offense

[RamWraith]

Martz is a brilliant schemer when it came to routes by the receivers and the use of the tailbacks/fullback. But one thing that will stand out and show drastic improvements will be the O-line. Martz's zone blocking schemes were way to complicated and pointless in the run game and pocket protections. Linehan ran a heads-up blocking scheme in Minnesota and Miami. We have the talent on the line, I just think Martz made it too complicated.

[Rambos]

Yeah I agree, it never really worked in the running game.

[txramsfan]

Martz will go down as one of my favorite Rams HC's but one thing that frustrated me was his inability to adapt. When Marshall wasn't 100 percent, the running game suffered.

That's what makes what 28 did all that more unbelievable.

[OldRamsfan]

I agree guys , Sometimes great men can miss the boat on other things...

[majorram]

I love Martz but I have to agree with TX, Martz couldn't adapt to game situations......and

the use of Timeouts, holy crap we still might have ALL our Timeouts left before the coin toss LOL

thanks J for this thread man I'm going to miss him...

steve:clanram:

[HUbison]

In an attempt to get this back on track.....

What does everybody think about the difference in blocking schemes?

[txramsfan]

Well,actually it was on topic. By utilizing the pass several times more than the run, the O line had trouble in the running game....thus all the more remarkable by Faulk.

[laram0]

I always felt like the offense passed so much the o line never got the chemistry/rhythm thing going.

:clanram:

[txramsfan]

I always felt like the offense passed so much the o line never got the chemistry/rhythm thing going.

:clanram:

Exactly, and that's what I thought last year when the emphasis turned to attempting to run the ball more. I thought the timing was off of both the passing and the running game.

Maybe Linehan's style will balance the system somewhat.

[sbramfan]

Remember the play Martz had where he would bring the TE around and hand him the ball in the red zone. Ahh, that kind of stuff was terrible. It was all complicated and yet didn't really have a purpose. Just kept us going laterally instead of closer to the end zone.

And all the pre-snap shifts are not exactly fooling anyone anymore. Still need some of that, but only when it has a purpose, or is setting up a later play.

[RamWraith]

You know...I really started this thread to talk about the blocking and talent level we have on the line. My intentions were not to bash Martz. My point was that Martz's whole system was very complicated, including the offensive line. It will be nice to see if our line play improves with new leadership and a more simplistic scheme.

[Varg6]

You know...I really started this thread to talk about the blocking and talent level we have on the line. My intentions were not to bash Martz. My point was that Martz's whole system was very complicated, including the offensive line. It will be nice to see if our line play improves with new leadership and a more simplistic scheme.

So do you think that's why we didn't really do anything in the FA for our o-line? Maybe Linehan knew that we got the talent or something...Hopefully you're right, because I'd really kinda hate to see us waste a draft pick on o-line when it should be all for Defense, although if we really do need o-line attention, then I guess it's alright, but its nice to avoid that...

[RealRam]

That's a good note of clarification, Wraith (though I didn't think of a negative connotation towards Coach Martz from you).

In short, I believe chances are that the Rams OL will improve this year. My concerns are the health of Timmerman and McCollum* as starters but we seem to be preparing for a replacement scenario with a younger generation: Barron, Terrell, Incognito, Saipaia, perhaps Strojny too.

It'll be exciting to see if the Rams can develop a high-scoring offense again! :angryram:

*. Pace should be fine.

[evil disco man]

The focus of Martz's complicated offense was always on the passing game and the different combinations of routes he would use - how no two plays were the same. But I don't think many realized how much pressure was put on the O-Line with the multitude of pass protections that were in place. I recall Martz giving this as a reason he thought there was "no way" Barron would start by the end of the year after holding out. Manumaleuna's biggest weakness has been mental errors in those pass-blocking assignments, which is why I still hold out hope that he can prove to be a worthy starter [in the mold of a guy like Jermaine Wiggins] under Linehan.

The zone-blocking scheme used in the running game is a good scheme to use, as Denver and Atlanta have proven, but it seems to be something that is only consistently successful with teams that have a run-first mentality and get the chance to master the little nuances of this blocking strategy. Linehan's 'heads-up' approach should help.

It'll be fun to see if this O-Line can bring the pain that they're capable of. Pace and Barron simply shut down their men on the outside. Believe me, if Richie Incognito is healthy and in shape [all signs point to yes so far] he will start and will be a brutal force in the interior. I've watched him closely since he was a freshman at Nebraska, and I'm confident this is one Husker draftee the Rams won't regret. Claude Terrell is solid and still developing, and McCollum must stay healthy.

[psycho9985]

With a better balanced offence McCollum and Timmerman should hold up better.You gotta know all that pass blocking will shorten a lineman's career.