(12-30-2023, 12:15 PM)jessepeck1213 Wrote: Balkes inability to protect our franchise QB is in itself a fireable offense. Nobody needs another reason. The piss poor O-line he assembled caused our young star qb to have a sprained mcl, a high ankle sprain, a concussion, and a sprained shoulder. If he wasn't built from elastic I imagine he would have on the IR long ago. Balke had his chance and he failed, it's time to bring in someone else before its too late.

If they are going to fire him - this ^  is enough and it should be the reason. 
The only issue is to what degree the HC influenced the decision making around the OL complacency. 

I started a thread back in October of 2022 regarding the bad play at LG and Center only to get bashed by no fewer than 14 different board members who thought those positions were not a problem. 

By the time the thread was nearing its conclusion in February before the draft and free agency I summarized my points from the thread thusly:

Quote:posted 2-12-23

If you want general conclusions about what I'm seeing from this OL while reviewing these (2022) games in all-22 and all of the stats associated with them:

• Our QB got hit 36 times last year. More than a third of those appeared wholly unnecessary and strictly due to poor line play and one of them nearly ended his season before we could complete our run to the postseason. 
  
• Our QB was the fourth most hurried QB in the league 
  
• 2.5 seconds is the accepted benchmark for pocket time before release for quality QBs - Trevor is getting it out in 2.2 because he doesn't have a choice on the majority of snaps - he's under pressure well before that time elapses far too often
  
• Our ability to throw deep would have a major uptick if that number went to 2.5 or 2.6  seconds - we rarely even try to do so with our current situation - 21 teams attempted 30 yard passes or greater more often than the Jags last year
  
• Trevor not only rarely has the benchmark of 2.5 seconds to work with, he rarely has a pocket to work within, often forced to move laterally or he's unable to step into a throw without contact with his own lineman or a defender
  
• 27 Quarterbacks in the NFL with 8 or more starts in 2022 experienced more pocket time than Trevor Lawrence. 
  
• What do you think he'd accomplish with league average pocket time compared to what he's getting? 
  

My conclusions are basic and obvious. 
The interior line is not good enough. (neither is Robinson, but that's another thread) 

Not adding competition to compete with Bartch, Fortner and Scherff would be a big mistake. 
Scherff may come around when healthy.
Fortner may get stronger and quicker to read defensive stunts.
Bartch may come back from injury and play significantly better than Shatley did.

Personally - I think we are squandering great opportunity if we just sit back and roll the dice on those things working out well. 

We are also risking the health of the most important piece of the puzzle that represents our current window of repeated postseason opportunity.

I want to protect the kid, and I want him to have a fair shot of reaching his potential. 
Simple.

Given what we've seen this year, I can't imagine that these points would be met with so much disagreement now. 

And, ultimately it falls to Baalke. 
If Pederson was influencing these decisions - then Khan will know. 
We may never know.

---