To start with I want to say this post is not a shot at Pete or your story on the OL, but one that I think has been getting more important for several years now.
We always hear about the left tackle's job is to protect the QB's blind side. So what if the QB is left handed? Doesn't that make the right tackles job to protect the QB's blind side? And what about the fact that every team in college football and pro football is placing emphasis on "get the QB"! Sacks or TFLs is one of the most important stats you hear coaches talk about. And it just isn't coming from the blind side anymore either. Most NFL teams are looking for DE's to attack on both sides and the sprinkel in a lot of blitzs too! A lot of teams have gone to the 3-4 defense. Is it because it gives them better a better stop the run defense along with super fast OLBs to come flying in from the outside. In the last couple of years coaches talk to the media more and more about getting "push and TFLs and sacks from the DTs.
So, what is driving all this talk about LTs being the guys to protect the blind side. I see that is habit. When football made the change 30-40 years ago from being predominate run teams to ones that spread the field and throw it madly or even just balance out the offense between run/pass most QBs were right handed making them turned slightly to their right creating the left side blind side! Now, most QBs are still right handed, but without the stats to back me up I believe there are many more lefties out there at QB than there were back in 70s and 80s. Besides, Coaches today work a lot more on 'match ups' than just a plan old passing game. Get you best wr against a newbie at corner or a 6-5 250 lb TE against a 5-10 safety or a tall fast wr against any DB. Coaches, IMO, have coached their way out of the blind side of protecting the QB except for one big thing I still hear them talk about. That is the run game! Many teams seem to design their run game to the right behind a mauling RG and RT. So, if that is still true, and I see that disappearing too with the fact that Offensive Coordinators now are have to be imaginative, intelligent and creative minds! Our favorite game has changed and leaving out any thoughts to the dangers of having 300 lb behemoths crashing together and 260 lb LBs running 4.4 tackling 200 lb RBs and WRs, it is for the better. I love this game!!!
We always hear about the left tackle's job is to protect the QB's blind side. So what if the QB is left handed? Doesn't that make the right tackles job to protect the QB's blind side? And what about the fact that every team in college football and pro football is placing emphasis on "get the QB"! Sacks or TFLs is one of the most important stats you hear coaches talk about. And it just isn't coming from the blind side anymore either. Most NFL teams are looking for DE's to attack on both sides and the sprinkel in a lot of blitzs too! A lot of teams have gone to the 3-4 defense. Is it because it gives them better a better stop the run defense along with super fast OLBs to come flying in from the outside. In the last couple of years coaches talk to the media more and more about getting "push and TFLs and sacks from the DTs.
So, what is driving all this talk about LTs being the guys to protect the blind side. I see that is habit. When football made the change 30-40 years ago from being predominate run teams to ones that spread the field and throw it madly or even just balance out the offense between run/pass most QBs were right handed making them turned slightly to their right creating the left side blind side! Now, most QBs are still right handed, but without the stats to back me up I believe there are many more lefties out there at QB than there were back in 70s and 80s. Besides, Coaches today work a lot more on 'match ups' than just a plan old passing game. Get you best wr against a newbie at corner or a 6-5 250 lb TE against a 5-10 safety or a tall fast wr against any DB. Coaches, IMO, have coached their way out of the blind side of protecting the QB except for one big thing I still hear them talk about. That is the run game! Many teams seem to design their run game to the right behind a mauling RG and RT. So, if that is still true, and I see that disappearing too with the fact that Offensive Coordinators now are have to be imaginative, intelligent and creative minds! Our favorite game has changed and leaving out any thoughts to the dangers of having 300 lb behemoths crashing together and 260 lb LBs running 4.4 tackling 200 lb RBs and WRs, it is for the better. I love this game!!!
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