When you think about it... the drop off between Goedert and the next man up... Calc, Stoll is a massive drop off compared to our other positions. Like huuuuuge drop off. Those other guys might as well not even be on the team. We might as well use some of our linemen as our blocking TEs. They don't get passes anyway. Imagine Opeta, Steen or Driscoll in at TE.... at least we know they could hold up better than the others for blocks.

 

Sorry, mind just spinning after Sunday. Probably a dumb idea and I'm missing something.

I never really felt Chad Lewis was all that special or anything, but he was utilized and had success. Stoll is probably every bit as capable as Lewis as a player, but in this offense, they just don't look to him as a receiving option. The passing game goes through Brown, Smith and Goedert, whether they are playing or not. If they miss time, their shares don't go to the replacements. 

So, even though what you said is more of an exaggeration, I maybe agree a little that if all these guys are going to be asked to do is block, then maybe utilize an extra lineman instead. But if we're being realistic, I just think it would be more beneficial to just utilize more receiving targets than the big 3. We're just making it easier for defenses to cover our best threats. 

25 minutes ago, brkmsn said:

I never really felt Chad Lewis was all that special or anything, but he was utilized and had success. Stoll is probably every bit as capable as Lewis as a player, but in this offense, they just don't look to him as a receiving option. The passing game goes through Brown, Smith and Goedert, whether they are playing or not. If they miss time, their shares don't go to the replacements. 

So, even though what you said is more of an exaggeration, I maybe agree a little that if all these guys are going to be asked to do is block, then maybe utilize an extra lineman instead. But if we're being realistic, I just think it would be more beneficial to just utilize more receiving targets than the big 3. We're just making it easier for defenses to cover our best threats. 

They might as well put another OL out there because they aren't throwing them the ball. What did they get one target in the three games since DG got hurt? SF wasn't even covering them in the plays posted today.

2 hours ago, Portyansky said:

When you think about it... the drop off between Goedert and the next man up... Calc, Stoll is a massive drop off compared to our other positions. Like huuuuuge drop off. Those other guys might as well not even be on the team. We might as well use some of our linemen as our blocking TEs. They don't get passes anyway. Imagine Opeta, Steen or Driscoll in at TE.... at least we know they could hold up better than the others for blocks.

 

Sorry, mind just spinning after Sunday. Probably a dumb idea and I'm missing something.

O linemen at TE...more superweaponz?  @Bwestbrook36 @EazyEaglez 

 

4 hours ago, Portyansky said:

When you think about it... the drop off between Goedert and the next man up... Calc, Stoll is a massive drop off compared to our other positions. Like huuuuuge drop off. Those other guys might as well not even be on the team. We might as well use some of our linemen as our blocking TEs. They don't get passes anyway. Imagine Opeta, Steen or Driscoll in at TE.... at least we know they could hold up better than the others for blocks.

 

Sorry, mind just spinning after Sunday. Probably a dumb idea and I'm missing something.

This is pretty much the exact same thing as saying we should get a fullback. Which is true.

4 hours ago, NOTW said:

O linemen at TE...more superweaponz?  @Bwestbrook36 @EazyEaglez 

 

They are freakbeasts now get it right! Lol

6 hours ago, brkmsn said:

I never really felt Chad Lewis was all that special or anything, but he was utilized and had success. Stoll is probably every bit as capable as Lewis as a player, but in this offense, they just don't look to him as a receiving option. The passing game goes through Brown, Smith and Goedert, whether they are playing or not. If they miss time, their shares don't go to the replacements. 

So, even though what you said is more of an exaggeration, I maybe agree a little that if all these guys are going to be asked to do is block, then maybe utilize an extra lineman instead. But if we're being realistic, I just think it would be more beneficial to just utilize more receiving targets than the big 3. We're just making it easier for defenses to cover our best threats. 

Stoll is no where near Chad Lewis skillset.

9 hours ago, Portyansky said:

When you think about it... the drop off between Goedert and the next man up... Calc, Stoll is a massive drop off compared to our other positions. Like huuuuuge drop off. Those other guys might as well not even be on the team. We might as well use some of our linemen as our blocking TEs. They don't get passes anyway. Imagine Opeta, Steen or Driscoll in at TE.... at least we know they could hold up better than the others for blocks.

 

Sorry, mind just spinning after Sunday. Probably a dumb idea and I'm missing something.

It's not a massive drop compared to our other positions, Lane to Driscoll is a vertical Everest, Brown and Smith to Zacchaeus, Jones and Watkins is the same,  Cunningham to Elliss is a huge drop.

I'm not sure TE blocking is the headline issue with the Offense, Hurts had all day to stand in the pocket at times on Sunday, the only way to make Sunday better with extra linemen would be to get them to beat Johnson and Sirianni until they call more runs and quick passes.

7 hours ago, NOTW said:

O linemen at TE...more superweaponz?  @Bwestbrook36 @EazyEaglez 

 

I'm good with this as a part of the offense.   Once upon a time, Doug used 3 TE sets and he'd bring in Seumalo and Big V as the extra OL for some goalline and short yardage situations.   I don't like it as the only backup TE options, but as a situational part of the offense, it can be very effective.

The fact that they barely use a TE in the passing game if Goedert is out could be an indictment on the players themselves, Hurts, or Sirianni.  I haven't rewatched the San Fran game or anything, but I was listening to sports radio this morning and Sheil Kapadia was on air (he's pretty good).  He noted that there were several/numerous plays where the TEs were open, sometimes wide open, but Hurts wasn't throwing them the ball. 

So, either Hurts doesn't trust them and therefore doesn't go to them, he simply doesn't see them, or he has it in his head from coaching to basically ignore TEs not named Goedert.

 

I strongly believe there is a conscious effort to keep the main targets happy and on paper, that's what you want to do. But lost in that is the fact that keeping drives alive by utilizing more open targets will provide more opportunities to get the ball to your best players. Utilizing the lesser players that are on the field will also force opposing defenses to adjust to how they are covering your best players, which in turn will provide more "open" opportunities for them. 

Honestly, this is the next critical  step for Hurts' development / maturation as a QB.

12 hours ago, NOTW said:

O linemen at TE...more superweaponz?  @Bwestbrook36 @EazyEaglez 

 

I’ll just take Ertz since he’s available. 

5 hours ago, brkmsn said:

I strongly believe there is a conscious effort to keep the main targets happy and on paper, that's what you want to do. But lost in that is the fact that keeping drives alive by utilizing more open targets will provide more opportunities to get the ball to your best players. Utilizing the lesser players that are on the field will also force opposing defenses to adjust to how they are covering your best players, which in turn will provide more "open" opportunities for them. 

Honestly, this is the next critical  step for Hurts' development / maturation as a QB.

Yes, but Hurts has to be able to see those other receivers when they're open, to be willing to take the chance, and then to hit them with accuracy.  So far, that's been a struggle for him.  He holds the ball and looks and looks and looks and looks... until it's too late.  Or he runs.

42 minutes ago, ilikepargo said:

Yes, but Hurts has to be able to see those other receivers when they're open, to be willing to take the chance, and then to hit them with accuracy.  So far, that's been a struggle for him.  He holds the ball and looks and looks and looks and looks... until it's too late.  Or he runs.

This is very true.......Hurts goes thru his progressions too slow and rarely gets to the 3rd and 4th read and they very well could be open.  It definitely looks TOO long for brown and Smith.  

51 minutes ago, ilikepargo said:

Yes, but Hurts has to be able to see those other receivers when they're open, to be willing to take the chance, and then to hit them with accuracy.  So far, that's been a struggle for him.  He holds the ball and looks and looks and looks and looks... until it's too late.  Or he runs.

 

8 minutes ago, birdman#12 said:

This is very true.......Hurts goes thru his progressions too slow and rarely gets to the 3rd and 4th read and they very well could be open.  It definitely looks TOO long for brown and Smith.  

he's thinking that Brown will find a way to make a play, so he's watching for a spot.  Or Smitty.  A lot of times it works, a lot of times it doesn't.  You both are right, he needs to make quicker decisions to move off Brown and look for someone else.  

I don’t have to be super bored to think about tight ends

All good points being made.

Unless a play call is specifically for the TE, then IMO, Hurts doesn't even look that way. Don't know if it's the OC or Hurts, but they seem to just want to feed Smitty and AJ. And I can understand that thinking. Two great WRs, so get them the ball.

It even goes back to the beginning games of the season, when Goedert was healthy, Hurts would hold the ball, move around in the pocket a bit, and then fire off a 40 yard bomb to a double teamed Smitty or AJ. And the TE would be wide open 15 yards down the field, either on the hash marks or outside the numbers. And the TV crew would show replays showing this. So, I think I blame the QB. 

Goeddert just can’t stay healthy. He gets 5 or more targets every game when he plays while the backups maybe get 1? Teams zero in on that.