Quote:See...this is what I'm wrestling with.

 

At face value, yes that's exactly what happened.

 

But then, if you just look at Bortles' sack numbers, you'd see the numbers are not that far off from 2014.  Bortles was sacked 55 times his rookie year.  This past season, he was sacked 51 times, with 8 coming this last game.

 

Looking overall-yes that 20 sack reduction represents substantial improvement.  But looking at the punishment Bortles is taking, it's not a substantial improvement.

 

I think playing with more leads, shorter fields, and running the ball more effectively and consistently, in addition to Bortles gaining another year's experience, that number should reduce more.

 

But pass protection remains a concern for me.

The line is going to be a focus for the team this off season.

 

The sack totals did drop by 20 from 2014.  How many of the 51 sacks were actually because Bortles still needs to learn to give up on a play and not hold the ball as long as he does at times?  Granted, the line is responsible for a huge majority of the sacks, but some of them fall squarely on his shoulders, and with more development, he should be able to clean that up. 

 

The team is most likely going to look for a replacement at C, and they'll probably bring in serious competition for the LT position.  When the GM is saying he thinks his LT can become that long-term solution at the position, and we're talking about a guy going into year 4 of his contract, he's saying there will be work done there.  He's telling Luke that he needs to put on his big boy pants and man up, otherwise he'll be replaced.  He'll have to earn his position next year.

 

I don't see how any of this is really an indictment of Marrone.  Look at how quickly he was able to develop a guy like Linder prior to his injury, as well as AJ.  The fact that these guys have the potential to be long-term solutions along the line is an endorsement of the good job he did.  Sack numbers don't necessarily reflect on the coaching, especially when the left side of the line was suspect from the start.  Sacks do reflect on a lack of talent at certain spots.  It also reflects on receivers getting open, and the QB getting the ball out on time.  Using sack totals as any sort of indictment of a coach is short sighted.

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