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Olsen showed what he can do last night. This guy has the making of a top TE for years. He's got the speed to run away from linebackers and the size bully defensive backs. You can split him out wide or put him on the line, and it's not like he can't block either.

All of the above aside, Desmond Clark is a very good tight end in his own right as well who can get open over the middle of the field.

Put those two together with:

1. QB who has a sub-par arm and likes to work the middle.
2. A team which likes to revolve the offense around the running game.
3. Questionable receivers outside of Berrian.

...and Cliff Levingston thinks you've got a recipe for success. Work the tight ends all over the field out of the play action and ICLO we could maybe have a semi-efficient offense somewhat in the mold of the Chargers (who like to run the ball and work the middle with Gates).

You can't go to anything exclusively. Use Olsen a lot, but mix up formations and all that like always.

cliff, i think after mercilessly ripping ron turner, you should give him a little credit this week.

TylerB wrote:You can't go to anything exclusively. Use Olsen a lot, but mix up formations and all that like always.

"Almost" exclusively. You could also vary your looks, perhaps keeping the better blocker Clark off tackle all the time but sometimes splitting Olsen out wide.

In other words, we've established both Olsen and Clark as good receiving threats. Having a first down set with Olsen, Clark, Moose and Berrian with the single back Cedric provides you with good blocking for the run or good receivers for the pass... as opposed to something like Moose and Berrian out wide with Clark on one side of the line and McKie in the backfield.

richard wrote:cliff, i think after mercilessly ripping ron turner, you should give him a little credit this week.

He had one of his good games that comes in about every 5 or 6. Cliff Levingston would like to see us keep doing some of the things we were with Olsen and Hester, cause Turner tends to only be creative when there's no other alternative.

In other words, if our season isn't in jeopardy, Cliff Levingston has no confidence in Turner to try some different things on offense. Don't be surprised to see Olsen and Hester relegated to the bench next week.

Cliff Levingston wrote:-= original quote snipped =-

Having a first down set with Olsen, Clark, Moose and Berrian with the single back Cedric provides you with good blocking for the run or good receivers for the pass... as opposed to something like Moose and Berrian out wide with Clark on one side of the line and McKie in the backfield.

How does that provide good blocking for the run? The 5 guys with ineligble numbers still suck. Also two tight ends and a single back gives you one less blocker in the run game if you balance it.

I agree it is something we can use, but I would prefer we just start giving Olsen more and more playing time than go with double tight "almost exclusively"

I would say we should go 3 wideout and spread the ball around with the only players playing everydown being the O-line and QB.

Use the little dump passes to the backs and shuffle those receivers and backs in every other possession to keep everyone fresh.

i agree, a lot of run teams like the chargers will got 2te often. WE should as well. Sorry to say, our fullback is so so. That and more I formations to help the run game.

We keep running thomas jones formations for cedric benson.

Darth Celtic wrote:i agree, a lot of run teams like the chargers will got 2te often. WE should as well. Sorry to say, our fullback is so so. That and more I formations to help the run game.

We keep running thomas jones formations for cedric benson.

Yeah, I've noticed that too. Jones has the ability to bounce around and make people miss. Benson just runs headlong into people. It's time that plays were run that open up holes in the middle of the line, not provide blocking at the corners.

Cliff Levingston wrote:Olsen showed what he can do last night. This guy has the making of a top TE for years. He's got the speed to run away from linebackers and the size bully defensive backs. You can split him out wide or put him on the line, and it's not like he can't block either.

All of the above aside, Desmond Clark is a very good tight end in his own right as well who can get open over the middle of the field.

Put those two together with:

1. QB who has a sub-par arm and likes to work the middle.
2. A team which likes to revolve the offense around the running game.
3. Questionable receivers outside of Berrian.

...and Cliff Levingston thinks you've got a recipe for success. Work the tight ends all over the field out of the play action and ICLO we could maybe have a semi-efficient offense somewhat in the mold of the Chargers (who like to run the ball and work the middle with Gates).

Couldnt agree more, i really dont think any of the receivers are all that great but you watch them closer than i do. Speaking of Olsen i guess they can cancel the amber alert because he is alive and well. I would go with two TEs but would probably use Greg as an H-back, sort of like they do with Cooley in Washington.

richard wrote:cliff, i think after mercilessly ripping ron turner, you should give him a little credit this week.

I'm with cliff on this one. Turner did a better job this week, but the running game is still stuck in first gear. We did get a few downs but we still lost the time of possession battle. We didn't set the world on fire with 285 yards of offense and we only converted 3 of 14 first downs. It seemed like our first couple of possessions the Pack knew exactly what we were going to do and stuffed us pretty good. I'll give credit for making some adjustmentsand we did score enough points to win most games so I will give Turner a little vredit this week but just a little....