Skip to main content

I keep reading on X4 that EDS is a problem... he sucks, he's this or he's that.  I don't see it when I watch the games.  What I see is an adequate starting NFL Center who has been playing pretty good football.  Then after each game I look at reviews around the internet and come across game reviews that indicate EDS played well.  Here's the latest:

 

One reason the Packers averaged a whopping 6.1 yards per rush (182 yards) was the ability of Evan Dietrich-Smith to eliminate penetration one week after Washington NT Barry Cofield got the best of him. He did allow one sack on a bull rush by NT Domata Peko, but the first sack wasn't his fault because Starks made a bad decision cutting blitzing LB Taylor Mays and knocked Dietr-ich-Smith off his block.

 

Mind you, none of the reviews I read are glowing, but they are nowhere near as dismal as one would believe if he formed his opinion on message board posts alone.  

 

Slodum, Bush, Campen, Finley, EDS... We just gotta have a whipping boy don't we?

Original Post

Replies sorted oldest to newest

I've seen some bad plays, but he seems to generally run block well.  I think Packer fans are just not used to seeing run blocking period. 

 

Obviously Ted brought in Saturday last year to help with the problem, only EDS outplayed him (might be just as much a reflection on Saturday's failure than EDS's success).   Still, they saw enough last year that there were other priorities beyond center.  I also don't even see a failed exchange, so he's got that going for him. 

 

There are bigger concerns than EDS in my opinion, but I also think that there needs to be some more grooming of the next snapper pretty soon. 

EDS' reputation suffers from the fact that he was an UDFA and was also cut by both the Packers and the Seahawks earlier in his career

 

That's tough to shake for many posters...and he makes enough mistakes to continue fueling the "EDS-sucks" fire

 

If you watch him vs the Bengals, he whiffs on several occasions in pass pro - often when there is a stunt or twist by the DL. He is just standing there while a DL goes swimming by. It happens.

He struggles with the big DTs (as do most centers) but Wells was so sound in his technique that he did quite well against them

 

The other problem for EDS is that those interior DTs are the shortest distance to Rodgers, so his mistakes are always front & center

 

Plus, none of us knows jack-diddly-squat about playing the center position so we're left with our impressions, right or wrong

 

I wouldn't worry too much about what some fans at X4 think, this place is loaded with dumdums

 

 

This is also only his 9th start at Center and only his 3rd year in GB. It takes time to learn such an important position and he doesn't have that veteran savvy that guys like Scott Wells or Matt Birk (whoever that is) have. 

 

I would, however, like to give props to both EDS and TJ Lang for controlling Geno Atkins. Did anyone here his name called all day? 

His run blocking has been pretty good this year.   It's when he gets in space or in pass pro that we see the complete melt downs.   

 

All in all he is adequate but has a propensity for the glaring error and that makes him stand out.  He will have 5 great run blocks in a row, then look like a bufoon against a stunt in pass pro.  If he cuts down on those the negative attention will go away. 

He has given up several sacks this year that might not go on his stat sheet, but if you review the play, you can see he is at fault. 

Originally Posted by Henry:

He's a backup.  Get over it.

 

You may be wrong. Consider it.  

 

 

As has been noted here and on the interwebs, EDS is better than average in the run game and needs work in pass protection. He may never improve in pass pro, and if he doesn't I'll admit he's a solid back up and get over it.

 

 

Originally Posted by Hungry5:
Originally Posted by Henry:

He's a backup.  Get over it.

 

You may be wrong. Consider it.  

 

 

As has been noted here and on the interwebs, EDS is better than average in the run game and needs work in pass protection. He may never improve in pass pro, and if he doesn't I'll admit he's a solid back up and get over it.

 

 

 

 

No way I'm letting off the Big Ern schtick.  

Originally Posted by Henry:
Originally Posted by Pakrz:
Originally Posted by Henry:

The man is a pro bowler.

No.  But he is a starter...and an ok one at that.

 

This is the biggest non vote of confidence ever.

 

 

How many ways do I have to say it?  I think he's an adequate football player that's fallen victim to group think on an innerweb message board.  

" What I see is an adequate starting NFL Center who has been playing pretty good football."

 

Very adequate of you.   

 

Of course you lose the argument at "starting".  I can run off a list of "starters" for you.  Difference was they showed something to get them to the starter position instead of defaulting into the position and continuing to show "ok", which is generous, performance over 4 years of development.  

 

 

Last edited by Henry

I am impressed that we are second in yards per carry at 5.3 with two rookies and our oft injured Starks.  We have attained this against two of the better defenses in the league in SF and Cincinatti.  I don't know who on the OL deserves credit for this but the production is there.  EDS is definitely a big upgrade over Saturday and it was interesting to watch the Niners throw Wells around like a rag doll.

Good breakdown on the defensive looks they've received here.

According to ESPN Stats & Information, the Packers have faced six or fewer defenders in the box on 161 of their 201 snaps this season.

On those 161 snaps, they have run the ball on 56 of them, and have been productive, averaging 6.1 yards per carry on those plays. They have faced seven or more in the box on just 40 plays, fewest in the NFL, according to ESPN Stats & Information. They also have the fewest rushing attempts (14) against seven or more in the box and have averaged just 3.1 yards on those runs.

We don't know truly how good/bad our Oline is on running plays until MM commits to it and runs the ball enough to bring those safeties up. If he does that and we still gain 5 yards, then I'll be impressed. Running against only six in the box we SHOULD gain 6 yards a pop, which shows our Oline is at least not getting beat one-on-one. But DCs know MM abandons the run and throws even with six in the box, so why bother putting more players in the box? Until MM plays more smash-mouth football and commits to running with at least seven in the box more than once or twice a game, we really don't know how good/bad our Oline is on running plays. EDS included.

I was listening to a radio interview about the Packers offense and the Lions DB said:

 

"We're always much more concerned with stopping Rodgers than anything they do on the ground"

 

All the running game has to do is penalize the defense for playing 100% pass

 

On top of that, the play called is open to change based on what Rodgers sees at the LOS

Aaron isn't going to run into a 7 or 8 man front when he can kill them with the pass

 

IMO - They aren't  putting all this effort into enhancing the running game... to run the ball.

 

They are doing it so they can pass easier

 

Add Reply

×
×
×
×
Link copied to your clipboard.
×