Tank McNamara by Bill Hinds for October 03, 2024

I hold this truth to be self-evident: a quarterback is only as good as his O-line.

The QBs who have thrived from day one are few and far between (Ben Roethlisberger is the only one that comes to mind that won as a rookie and sustained that success). The ones that crashed and burned are numerous. Yet teams still insist on throwing their QBs to the wolves.

Jayden Daniels looks like he was ready to play.

Some of them may get badly injured, but that’s a sacrifice the coach is willing to make.

This is a bit like the “less filling” “tastes great” debate. It’s both.

That’s the Patriots in a nutshell the last few years.

I played center as a kid so I’m biased, but a good o-line makes a huge difference.

I k eep t hinking of Matthew Stafford’s Detroit years—-he was sacked so often it’s a miracle he’s still alive

I still remember David Carr, great player but by the time he got out of Houston he was so punch drunk he couldn’t perform.

Fans always give the team ownership and coaching a pass. Amazing. The percentage of ineptitude across the league is something else. But it’s just easier to blame the players because they’re paid. Guess what? The owners and execs get more.

You only get to do long heroic passes if you can keep the pocket intact.

Several years ago the 49ers mortgaged their future and drafted Trey Lance to apprentice under Jimmy G. Mr Lance and Mr Garappolo are no longer with the 49ers and they are playing the last man drafted in his year. So far, he’s been Purdy good. They may not look it, but they will have a better year this year than last. Many years ago they drafted a QB in a later round who, like Purdy, did not start out of the gate in college or the pros and also was a third stringer. Some kid named Montana. He did ok.

memo to Woody Johnson – the Jets have squandered multiple first round draft choices on QBs, but let them all get crushed because of a porous O-line. (Side note: Sam Darnold is tearing things up in Minnesota)