Imagine Alex Barron without the penalties

It’s not so much that Tebow has a slow release, it’s that his motion is too long and too deep. If he can fix that and prove he is capable of running an offense under center, albeit a spread offense, it’ll help prove to critics he has the tangibles to go high in the NFL draft…critics like myself.

Were go n on 2 how hard is that short bus.Don’t 4 get Florida state players were getting free rides he might have been 1 of them.

That’s a telling, yet often overlooked stat. I’m not sure you can extrapolate great play from a subtraction of penalties but you can certainly see where the team was hurt. Don’t forget that injuries and their substitutions have much to do with inconsistant and error-prone line play. I’m pleased with the moves we’ve made on the line this year. No blockbuster names but at least there were some forward progress there and if we average out the penalties we’re bound to improve. This coule be a career year for #39. Oh, and F Peter King.

I agree that if Barron didn’t have the false start penalties last year, people would not have as negative of an impression of him as they do, but ultimately, 5 fewer false start penalties is only 25 yards (and it’s even better than that considering that you don’t lose the down). If Steven Jackson had run for 25 more yards over the course of last year, it wouldn’t have changed anyone’s opinion of him in the slightest. Just because there are fewer quantitative stats to look at for a lineman doesn’t mean that the ones we do have (such as penalties) are more important.

I’ve done my share of grumbling at stupid false starts (from the Barrons and Fred Millers of the world, in particular), but I think we as fans place too much emphasis on penalties. I don’t have the eye or experience to evaluate a lineman (statistically or from tape), but I find it hard to believe that 5 5-yard penalties makes that big of a difference in value.

Right, and along with killing drives comes killing the emotional momentum and confidence with which they play. Frustration and doubt set in. Don’t underestimate the psychological factor. (A more extreme example would be the kicker who misses a crucial field goal: hey it’s only 3 points, but the miss is going to be on his and everyone else’s mind mind until he makes one).
Typically, lines only do well when they’re disciplined, cohesive units. Get a few subs going in and out and the inconsistancy goes beyond the name on the jersey.

I will not be happy. Don’t need a guy like him in STL – same with Plax.

Barron just doesn’t seem to have it. But then again went you have health problems around you on the line you start feeling like you have to do more. I think with the new linemen around him he will do better this year.

I’d be willing to forget a few of the flags. If Bulger gets the protection he needs, then I’d forgive even more. I hope to see both Allen and Feinga and also Trautwein make the squad. If they do, I’d be real happy with our O-line improvements. I didn’t realize how strong Allen is, (38 reps on the bench), and Feinga and Trautwein both have a little nastiness as well as good size and skills. What this means is; we may not have to put up with the flag problem.