Coming off three consecutive blow-out victories and heading into the playoffs strikes me as a strange time to mess with the O-Line. For reasons still unknown, the coaches put Moffitt on the inactive list for the Rams game and gave Sweezy the start. The Rams proceeded to destroy our line for five sacks in the first half. Sweezy got the start again against the 'skins, but Seattle's most explosive offensive plays came when Moffitt was playing RG. Finally, against Atlanta, Sweezy gets blown up and allows a sack, which costs us an opportunity at a field goal at the end of the half. I'm sure Sweezy has potential, and I saw him do some good things in run blocking against the 49ers, but was this the best time to increase his playing time?

Yea in hindsight, it looks like a really bizarre decision, and it is hard to see anything obviously positive that came from it. If Sweezy is an all-pro next year, fine. But giving the kid reps for sake of getting him experience should not be occurring in the playoffs. Of course, no knows exactly what was going on with Moffitt either, so maybe Sweezy was the best option. The play on the field did not bear that out though...

I watched Sweezy and Moffitt both with a lot of interest in the last couple of games.

I did not see a striking difference in their play... except that Sweezy whiffed a couple of times on pass pro, which hurt... but Moffitt had issues with that as well earlier in the season.

I'm guessing that we have seen the last of the platooning approach.

It should get settled in training camp next season.

i completely agree, I have no idea why they put in Sweezy over moffit. Moffit is clearly better at run blocking and miles better at Pass blocking.
I think they might do it to motivate Moffit and make him think he will lose his job if he doesnt put in more effort. They also like Sweezys upside and dislike Moffits work ethic.

Sweezy is clearly the weak link on the offensive line and worst part is all the draft "experts" will blame Giacomini for all of Sweezys mistakes on the right side of the line lol.

Also I cant remember 100% but when Moffit came in the 2nd half we began moving the ball much better right???

I would have to agree. Whenever I watched the LG position I always felt that Moffitt as mush more consistent than JR. Granted, JR probably has more potential at this point and time compared to John, but at this stage in the game I would have preferred John as he seems like the more capable lineman.

No. Always compete means something to Carroll. Sweezy was obviously showing something in practice that, as of yet, isn't translating to games. Moffitt is probably the safer option, but this regime has shown no interest in safe, either.

Moffitt had to have done something to be demoted outright. I remember when Holmgren wouldn't start a player simply because he was in his doghouse.

I too found it very odd, and strange timing. Something wreaks of being more to the story here than we know.

It wasn't about getting cute. It was about going with the best healthy combo each week.

I guess this is going to come up again and again during the off season. Because .... some folks missed the subtleties at work.

Moffit's health was less than 100%. He was effective technique wise ....... including picking up the blitz.

Sweezy is still learning and was vulnerable to the blitz. However, he was more atheletic which was particularly noticeable when left uncovered. And he continues to improve.

The prospects for 2013 are stronger because of the experience both gained during 2012. Remember ....... this is an open team that welcomes rookies to create competition.

Jville wrote:Moffit's health was less than 100%.

Moffitt was vague when asked about his benching on KJR, but he said health wasn't the issue.

I'd have to go back and watch the 2nd half against Atlanta.. but I believe the comeback started happening with Moffitt in the game too.

It wasn't a health issue.

I believe that you'll find that Moffitt and Sweezy traded drives.

Cable applied that approach the last few games.

DavidSeven wrote:

Jville wrote:Moffit's health was less than 100%.

Moffitt was vague when asked about his benching on KJR, but he said health wasn't the issue.

I missed that. Guess I'll go back and listen to that interview. Thanks for identifying that information.

Moffitt has snail feet and blocks like a forklift. But he doesn't screw up a lot. Sweezy is way faster, one of the quickest guards I have seen in a long time. But Sweezy has BAD rookie moments. He attacks in pass pro when he doesn't have to, gets caught leaning both forward and on his heels, and has to cheat a little bit for his lack of mass. I bet he puts on 15 this off season, and I am sure they have him going through a battery of drills for some of the other stuff.

Forget all the Real Rob stuff, I don't think our front office cares about that, Moffitt is not going to get quicker, which is his real problem. Sweez gives them the option to pull and trap, some man blocking options, that I think Moffitt is a bit too slow for. Don't get me wrong, Moffitt isn't terrible, he is just slower. Might be why Sweezy was playing.

Scottemojo wrote:
Forget all the Real Rob stuff, I don't think our front office cares about that, Moffitt is not going to get quicker, which is his real problem. Sweez gives them the option to pull and trap, some man blocking options, that I think Moffitt is a bit too slow for. Don't get me wrong, Moffitt isn't terrible, he is just slower. Might be why Sweezy was playing.

I would agree. He can work in his conditioning and I think it may help. He is somewhat of a plodder. He reminds me a lot of Unger out of college. We tried him at guard and he looked like a bust and was hurt. The next year we moved him to center where his lack of speed was not as much of an issue. He came back in better shape as well , stronger and he is now headed to the Pro Bowl.

Scottemojo wrote:Moffitt has snail feet and blocks like a forklift. But he doesn't screw up a lot. Sweezy is way faster, one of the quickest guards I have seen in a long time. But Sweezy has BAD rookie moments. He attacks in pass pro when he doesn't have to, gets caught leaning both forward and on his heels, and has to cheat a little bit for his lack of mass. I bet he puts on 15 this off season, and I am sure they have him going through a battery of drills for some of the other stuff.

Forget all the Real Rob stuff, I don't think our front office cares about that, Moffitt is not going to get quicker, which is his real problem. Sweez gives them the option to pull and trap, some man blocking options, that I think Moffitt is a bit too slow for. Don't get me wrong, Moffitt isn't terrible, he is just slower. Might be why Sweezy was playing.

That's a useful assessment. Moffitt acknowleges that they went back and forth between himself and Sweezy because of the different skills mix. Here is the link to the Moffitt interview refered to (subject in first 10 minutes) >>>> http://www.sportsradiokjr.com/player/?station=KJR-AM&program_name=podcast&program_id=softy.xml&mid=22787965

Happypuppy wrote:

Scottemojo wrote:
Forget all the Real Rob stuff, I don't think our front office cares about that, Moffitt is not going to get quicker, which is his real problem. Sweez gives them the option to pull and trap, some man blocking options, that I think Moffitt is a bit too slow for. Don't get me wrong, Moffitt isn't terrible, he is just slower. Might be why Sweezy was playing.

I would agree. He can work in his conditioning and I think it may help. He is somewhat of a plodder. He reminds me a lot of Unger out of college. We tried him at guard and he looked like a bust and was hurt. The next year we moved him to center where his lack of speed was not as much of an issue. He came back in better shape as well , stronger and he is now headed to the Pro Bowl.

Probably not a coincidence that at the senior bowl Moffitt did a lot of work at center.

I have no problem with those being the reasons that we continue developing Sweezy and put him in the game for certain situations or for random complete drives, but like I said, the timing to have him start and play significant minutes just seemed off to me. For all of Moffitt's supposed deficiencies, we were running the ball at will in the latter part of the season and Russ seemed to be getting pretty good protection. We gave Sweezy a chance to show his stuff in the regular season finale, and the results were pretty disastorous.

I think it reasonable to anticipate that both Sweezy and Moffitt will improve going forward.

However, Lemuel Jeanpierre is a backup of interest. I've appreciated his mobility and thought he filled in seamlessly at center during a brief injury scare of Max Unger. He didn't see much action this past season. I'm wondering if anyone thinks he has any additional upside ..... above and beyond what we have already seen.

Thoughts?

"Blocks like a forklift." Never heard that phrase before, but it fits Moffitt well. He tends to lift as he blocks, and even on his good blocks he is slow and deliberate much like a forklift.

DavidSeven wrote:I have no problem with those being the reasons that we continue developing Sweezy and put him in the game for certain situations or for random complete drives, but like I said, the timing to have him start and play significant minutes just seemed off to me. For all of Moffitt's supposed deficiencies, we were running the ball at will in the latter part of the season and Russ seemed to be getting pretty good protection. We gave Sweezy a chance to show his stuff in the regular season finale, and the results were pretty disastorous.

Yes, but Sweezy kicked ass in the SF game. He competed, and I am pretty sure that is where Pete would say he earned a bigger opportunity.

Put this with playing Trufant in the "wtf coaches???" Box.

However there's a lot of info we aren't privvy to, so who knows...

Scottemojo wrote:

DavidSeven wrote:I have no problem with those being the reasons that we continue developing Sweezy and put him in the game for certain situations or for random complete drives, but like I said, the timing to have him start and play significant minutes just seemed off to me. For all of Moffitt's supposed deficiencies, we were running the ball at will in the latter part of the season and Russ seemed to be getting pretty good protection. We gave Sweezy a chance to show his stuff in the regular season finale, and the results were pretty disastorous.

Yes, but Sweezy kicked ass in the SF game. He competed, and I am pretty sure that is where Pete would say he earned a bigger opportunity.

I agree, Sweezy had the quickness and a monster game again SF. I think he will learn things faster through experience.