Quarterback Killers

I realize that most you understand that this is a fan site and not the gospel, so I thought I would use the ESPN NFL Front Page as the basis for a good discussion for what is going on in the NFC West. That is what Seahawk Addicts does best!

If you follow the link, you may have noticed that ESPN's discussion of the NFC West seems to stem around the Lambs and Niners. ESPN talks not so much about what the teams have done in free agency, but the new offensive coordinators they have hired. To keep going....

Seth Wickersham has written an article about Al Saunders plans to revive the "greatest show on turf." Saunders is quoted as saying he expects the Rams to look more like the Chiefs offenses he coordinated that led the league twice in yards.

Former TNT columnist Mike Sando has the Niners covered in talking about the addition of Mike Martz. He thinks that Mike Nolan's hire of Martz will be enough to energize the previously pathetic Niner offense.

I have some thoughts on both of these teams I thought I would share. Personally, I am baffled. I don't get it. I understand the idea that new blood will create a positive effect, but I wouldn't expect that coordinator changes alone will do this. Especially when you consider this, these teams would have both been substantially better last year if it weren't for the punishment dolled out early to their quarterbacks.

First, the Lambs. I will give them at least a little credit for getting Jacob Bell, but I would also caution them, as I have other Seahawk fans, that if he is a competent linemen, why, with 40 mil in cap space did Tennessee let him walk. The Rams will tell a lot by their first pick. If he is available and they take Jake Long, I will be a little more impressed. But as of now, they are really looking at the aging Orlando Pace and the simply bust awful Alex Barron protecting Marc Bulger again. Bulger was a good QB, but the way to beat him was always to hit him early. He then got shaky and could be had. Lately, he has been pretty easy to hit, just ask Darryl Tapp or Leroy Hill. How does Al Saunders help this? He doesn't. All his fancy formations and shifting were quickly abandoned as Seahawks annihilated Todd Collins early and often in January. When his offenses were on top in KC, it was because Willie Roaf and Will Shields kept Trent Green clean.

Now for the Niners. They went out and got Mike Martz. That is certainly one way to revamp a passing attack. The Detroit offense definitely improved under Martz. They let him go anyway. Why? Because over the last two years, John Kitna got hit more than any other quarterback and the Lions had more three and outs than anyone. That puts the defense and the quarterback under a lot of pressure, and over the course of a season it wears a team down.

After 2006, I thought that Alex Smith was turning into a nice quarterback, and I still believe he could be. But the Niners are walking a dangerous, David Carr like line here. Not only have they not improved their line, it may have gotten weaker. Parcells, a pretty good judge of talent, had Justin Smiley locked up 25 minutes into free agency. Larry Allen, a gritty veteran, whose skills had declined, but still provided leadership, may retire. If I know one thing about Martz, it is that Joe Staley and this offensive line are not going to be getting help from TE's and RB's to block. That means there could be large men like Rocky Bernard all over Alex Smith again. If that is the case, don't expect to see much improvement over last year, and the defense may regress if they are quickly put back on the field as much as Detroit's was.

So what did the Hawks do this offseason? Well they went out and hired the guy who kept Trent Green on his feet to allow Saunders to look like a genius. They also locked up a Pro Bowl guard for a smaller signing bonus than the Rams gave Josh Brown. Like last year when the Niners took the sexy defensive back in Clements and the Hawks quietly picked up the steady safeties, the Hawks are going unnoticed. Tom Brady last year was so successful because the Patriots line was fantastic. The only team to beat them was the team that won the battle of the trenches, the Giants. Lets hope the Hawks can quietly upgrade their other line, the D line, too and then all the "genius" offensive coordinators in the world won't make a lick of difference.