Bucs Must Stop The Kruger Slash
October 30th, 2014
Much like the Vikings’ Everson Griffen, the Browns have their own dangerous, late-blooming pass rusher, former Super Bowl hero Paul Kruger.
Kruger, a 3-4 rush linebacker, ripped off three sacks against the Raiders on Sunday (none against Donald Penn).
He comes off the left edge and Bucs right tackle Demar Dotson will have his hands full. Kruger, 28, is well known for his two sacks in the Super Bowl for the Ravens a couple of years ago.
The Browns’ official website did one hell of a film analysis of Kruger’s three sacks Sunday. You can check it out here. Kruger leads the Browns with five sacks.
Keep in mind the Raiders’ offensive line has been a strength in Oakland. Rookie QB Derek Carr has only been dropped seven times all season. Bucs quarterbacks have eaten 19 sacks.
Interestingly, Kruger, like Griffen last week, is another pass rusher who didn’t blossom until his third season. He was a second-round pick of the Ravens in 2009. Two years later, he recorded 5 1/2 sacks as a situational pass rusher off the bench. And in 2012, he broke out with nine sacks plus the strong postseason.
Joe hopes the Bucs offensive line can step up. Joe feels a little better about their prospects given that Kruger likely will matchup with Dotson versus Anthony Collins.
October 30th, 2014 at 10:41 am
Joe
I agree and have a question, why can everybody double and triple team GMC and we can’t do anything to anyone the same way or is it that we are and we are so bad we can’t stop them?
If it was me coaching the other team, I would move Kruger to the other side against Collins, what say you?
October 30th, 2014 at 10:48 am
The K-Gun Offense worked great for Jim Kelley.
Shot gun – leave the running back in to block. If nothing is there, dump off to running back.
Shot gun gives Glennon a few more seconds to see the field and let the play develop.
Or just keep him under center and let O-line get run over and when Glennon gets set, he has 0.5 seconds to make a decision and then throw the ball.
October 30th, 2014 at 11:07 am
OB, don’t bet on that happening. Most players stay in their designated position. There are rare cases where players do move but they are like I said, rare.
Whatever his weaknesses are, Adrian Clayborns was drafted as a right defensive end. In his rookie season he had 7.5 sacks.
Injured early in his second season, when he returned the next season, they jammed him in at left defensive end where they also used him in zone coverage. As expected, his production dropped off.
This year he stayed at left defensive end so all world Michael Johnson could take over the right spot that was manned the season before by some ex eagle who had a “high motor” which resulted in only a couple of sacks.
I’m not sure if Clayborn can be a quality DE, but I do know in most cases if you change a players natural position, expect a drop off in production.
October 30th, 2014 at 1:12 pm
I really enjoyed reading the link above from the Browns’ official website did of the film analysis of Kruger’s three sacks Sunday.
More analysis like that Joe.
Joe’s always mixing things up. Thanks. –Joe