I think Pouncey would make a great guard but I'd still put him back at center for now. Why? Well with the guard spots being weak you give Pouncey the ability to help either side if needed. Flexibility within the scheme is the main reason I'd not shake things up. The truth is if you can't field a solid line with an elite LT in Albert, and Elite center in Pouncey, and a rookie who looks like an elite RT in James....you're failing as a staff.
What is this infatuation with Satele...he's a journeyman Center/guard. Pouncey is an all pro center...you keep him there and move/bench Satele...he's just not that good, albeit he's done a good job of filling in, but that's all he can offer.... Believe me, I get the idea of trying to stabilize the OL, in fact, it's the main reason we've been up and down this year, but Satele is just another guy...I don't know that Satele is better than Colledge or Smith at G. Both guys have played some guard, but Pouncey is head and shoulders better than Satele at C....
No one is suggesting Satele is an elite C. Just that he fits our zone blocking scheme. He's making good calls at the linevand is giving Ryan clean snaps. He's been solid. I'm worried benching him in favor of Pouncey could mess with the chemistry of this group. As for Colledge, he's been ok just not very good. But we don't have any good options behind him. Pouncey gives us another solid player we can insert to patch up our weakness at guard while keeping Satele starting. He hasn't played poorly enough to warrant benching him.
I dont think anyone thinks Satele is better than Pouncey.Its just that we are weak at G and Satele would not be any better at G than the guys we have so he will sit on the bench as a backup . If you put Pouncey at G we would immediately improve the position whilst Satele continues to do an adequate job at C .
So you want to take the best center in football from last season and put him in a new position? Why don't we have Brandon Fields play running back too? Or maybe let one of the water boys be head coach for the week?
Yup. The key question is, would there be a dropoff in Pouncey's play at G? Do his skills at C translate into play at G? If there is no drop off, and he's still a pro bowler, and you have better C play than you would have G play if you didn't make the switch, well it's something worth exploring. I don't think it'll happen, but it's worth exploring.
Mike was not the best center in football last season. Granted he was very good, but no need to exaggerate.
it not exxagerating at all, if you put a top 3 player at his position at the number 1 spot in your imagination, imo
What a joke that is, too, when they've named Maurkice three times. Mike was definitely better than Maurkice in 2012.
He hasn't had as many dramatically bad plays that make it to TV review, but he's been consistently bad. Actually, PFF has Thomas with a -6.0 rating in 186 snaps, and Colledge with a -8.3 in 302. Either way, Colledge's reality is about where you'd fear a healthy Satele's downside would be.
That's your argument that Colledge is Dallas Thomas bad? By the time Thomas hits 300 snaps, he'll probably be a -12.0 Do you quote PFF when they support your opinion and discredit them when they don't? That seems to be a pretty common MO around here.
Another thing you have to keep in mind with PFF's gradings is that they are cumulative...not averaged...so if somebody does slightly bad over a whole season, their rating may not be as bad as somebody who was a dumpster fire for a few games.
It really isn't difficult to do the math to figure out they're compiling negative grades at essentially the same rate. Have you seen anything to suggest that, or are you just trying out ideas?
I'd put pouncey back at center, where I think he has the biggest impact. I think he'd be just as productive at guard. But I think that center is a more important position (calling schemes, and making blocking adjustments) than just having him at guard. On a side note, how sweet is it having a discussion on how we can make our O Line even better than what it is, opposed to just trying to not get Tannehill Killed? :-)
I know that I will probably be in the low percentile here but I agree with the thought of bringing Pouncey back at right guard...especially at first as it will be less taxing on him and will enable him to vastly improve the RG position while he continues to get back to top football shape. Satele is really doing great at this time filling in for Mike and for me I really believe that this move would make our OLine even that much better and then if we can also get Turner in at LG our line will be Dominate..either way just thinkback as to how bad our OLine was last year and to how good they have been this yearm.I have really given alot of thought as to how best this will help us and this is what I come up with....Satele as well as he is playing sitting on the bench will not help us at all...however playing Mike at RG would also leave us with decent second stringers on the bench to back up the guard positions...also how great has Hickey and Benton been this year? Go Fins!!!
Barry has a write up and armondo is pulling up the rear as I type this. Personally I think mike would rather play guard.
I'm pleasantly surprised they've decided to do this, but I don't really like the idea that they're going to bench Shelley Smith instead of Daryn Colledge.
He'd be fine either side. And I'm thinking RG is where he'll play, helping on JJ on the right side. This would be a smart coaching move IMO
If Shelley Smith is healthy, I'd go this way: LT - Albert LG - Smith C - Satele RG - Pouncey RT - James Or switch Pouncey and Smith - whichever works better for the two. One thing that does do is it adds a lot of intelligence on the OL in terms of reading defenses and making line calls. That could really be a very good OL.
If it works with Pouncey as guard...you really gotta give alot of credit to Satele for coming in and making that move possible.
The best 5 regardless of position will be great for us this season but I see what you're doing mike. Sending out a wink wink to PIT for next year are we?
Just a health thing I would suppose, dallas didn't beat him out..but now you got this Pouncey thing, so if we got a healthy pounce and smith we should replace Thomas and Colledge..
Lol, just go full metal jacket on that Oline. Albert..Pouncey..Pouncey..Turner..James.. That would be one expensive line.