David Bakhtiari as LT... What are the chances?

ExpatPacker

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I thought Bakhtiari had a reasonably good game for a rookie LT and he will only get better.

Barclay also played a decent game.

Someone who did not was EDS. He wasn't able to block a paper bag. EDS may be the weak link in this line. This team needs a good center.

After the preseason and the 1st game, personnel-wise we seem to be lacking at Safety, OC, ILB and WR. Yes the latter. After Nelson, Cobb and Finley who do we have? Jones was nowhere to be seen.
 

tynimiller

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I thought Bakhtiari had a reasonably good game for a rookie LT and he will only get better.

Barclay also played a decent game.

Someone who did not was EDS. He wasn't able to block a paper bag. EDS may be the weak link in this line. This team needs a good center.

After the preseason and the 1st game, personnel-wise we seem to be lacking at Safety, OC, ILB and WR. Yes the latter. After Nelson, Cobb and Finley who do we have? Jones was nowhere to be seen.

Yes safety was lacking...we had a starter out.
Nice to be able to complain about a 3rd WR not being productive, that's a luxury and one I have no doubt will pay off more than it won't for us in GB (Jones will contribute, always has). Finley is as Finley is, not worth the cash but could explode....he's like that roman candle you buy as a kid and keep holding praying it was not a dud...knowing the second you put it down it'll start going off...but it doesn't appear it ever will in your hand.
 
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easyk83

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That drive Finley killed with his drop and pick could have been the difference between a win and a loss.
 

easyk83

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Hardly. Worst case Bulaga goes back to RT where he was one of the best in the league. After Bakhtiari's ugly failed chop on Alden Smith early on, I think he was pretty decent in pass pro. His second chop block worked much better, which shows he learns from his mistakes.

You have to applaud the kid's short term memory as well, gives up a sack on his first NFL play and comes back to play a solid game against one of the game's best pass rushers and in a hostile environment. I don't think we'll have to worry about playoff or Monday night jitters with this one.
 

mradtke66

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Even his cut on the first play wasn't bad. It almost looked like there was a play change that Bak. didn't hear or Rodgers needed to get rid of the ball sooner.

If I see a tackle cut blocking, I assume quick hitting play. You're cutting because it is more effective/likely to work and the rusher will get his hands down. Downside is, of course, that it doesn't last as long as a traditional set. But that's okay--you're assuming the ball is gone before the rusher can resume his attack. Thus I conclude the call was a three step drop, throw on a rope kind of play.

That didn't happen. In fact, Rodgers hitched his throw and got dumped. Had he fired his first read or thrown it away, he wouldn't have suffered anything more than an angry shove.

I could be wrong, that's just what I saw. Bak could have messed up or chosen a bad play to cut on. We don't know the exact call, so it's all guess work.
 
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HardRightEdge

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Even his cut on the first play wasn't bad. It almost looked like there was a play change that Bak. didn't hear or Rodgers needed to get rid of the ball sooner.

If I see a tackle cut blocking, I assume quick hitting play. You're cutting because it is more effective/likely to work and the rusher will get his hands down. Downside is, of course, that it doesn't last as long as a traditional set. But that's okay--you're assuming the ball is gone before the rusher can resume his attack. Thus I conclude the call was a three step drop, throw on a rope kind of play.

That didn't happen. In fact, Rodgers hitched his throw and got dumped. Had he fired his first read or thrown it away, he wouldn't have suffered anything more than an angry shove.

I could be wrong, that's just what I saw. Bak could have messed up or chosen a bad play to cut on. We don't know the exact call, so it's all guess work.

Your points are well taken, but he cut early or shallow, choose your poison, and failed to achieve the objective. Chalk it up to early jitters. I think it is possible to like a player for what he does well while at the same time pointing out his miscues. One would hope that's what happens in the position room. Contrary to Donald Driver's recent comments, that's accountability.

I think he'll be a good player. Whether he'll ever be more than just adequate in run blocking remains to be seen.
 

TJV

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This is McGinn's review of his play:
LT David Bakhtiari's debut wasn't great but it was solid. The Packers kept sliding the line toward him and Josh Sitton, who was playing his first game at left guard. That made sense because DE Justin Smith and OLB Aldon Smith played most of the game on that side. Bakhtiari needs more strength, but at least he makes every effort to finish. He will get bounced or tossed but won't back down and battles to the whistle. That's his clear-cut advantage over Marshall Newhouse. Bakhtiari gave up 1½ sacks to Aldon Smith, including one on a cut block that needed to be executed better. He also allowed 3½ pressures, including a pair to strongman Justin Smith and 1½ more to Aldon Smith. He wasn't perfect on the back side by any means in the run game, but none of the four "bad" runs was his fault.
http://www.jsonline.com/sports/pack...49ers-anquan-boldin-b9994027z1-223075761.html

Considering it was his first start and the competition he faced I would grade his debut as a B+ and clearly much better than we should have expected from Newhouse. Considering Bakhtiari's maturity, IMO it's reasonable to expect him to get stronger and with experience, even better. The Packers may have found their LT of the "future" in the fourth round.
 

El Guapo

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I'm a bit surprised to hear that kind of early proclamation out of you TJV, after only one game and a B+. I'm excited too as this position has been not been solid for a long time, but it's way too early for me to crown his *** (thanks Denny Green). He definitely played well in a tough first game.
 

Shawnsta3

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A rookie fourth round pick comes in and goes toe to toe with Aldon Smith to protect Rodgers blindside? I'd give him an A-.

After Bulaga went down this could have been a huge problem to our team to plug back in Newhouse. Instead we got a performance (1 1/2 sacks) that's about what I would have expected from his predecessor--Bulaga!
 

TJV

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I'm a bit surprised to hear that kind of early proclamation out of you TJV, after only one game and a B+. I'm excited too as this position has been not been solid for a long time, but it's way too early for me to crown his *** (thanks Denny Green). He definitely played well in a tough first game.
I know what you're saying but hey, I have to venture out on that limb from time to time.

The reason I'm so high on him is he looks like a football player - he has the natural instincts necessary. He also has a nasty enough attitude to finish plays - unlike Newhouse. His biggest weaknesses IMO are lack of strength and lack of experience. The former is easy to correct for a player as dedicated as he appears to be and "all" he has to do is stay healthy to take care of the second. He lacks ideal size for a LT but I'm not as concerned about that as I am about technique - which he appears to excel at. And he's smart - McCarthy has remarked more than once how through all the installations of the offense through TC, Bak made one mistake. That's impressive.

The grade is based upon his performance and poise considering it was his first NFL start and the quality of competition he faced. But again, I understand skepticism after just one game.
 

Oshkoshpackfan

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He will indeed get tested facing off against some damn good pass rushers : Jared Allen, J. Peppers, Michael Johnson, Demarcus ware.....and that's just several, there are more but it's toooo early for my brain to function properly.
 

Shawnsta3

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Hardly. Worst case Bulaga goes back to RT where he was one of the best in the league. After Bakhtiari's ugly failed chop on Alden Smith early on, I think he was pretty decent in pass pro. His second chop block worked much better, which shows he learns from his mistakes.
Change your mind yet?

"David, you don’t even think twice about him over there." - Aaron Rodgers
 
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12theTruth

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The tackles performed remarkably well. We did get a break as Jason Jones is out for the season and the Lions basically revamped their entire DE group from last season. Cliff Avril would likely have given David B. a much more difficult time over there. Cliff Avril who was important enough for the Lions to place their franchise tag on him.

Still though the offensive line has really stepped up their play this season no question about it so far.
 
H

HardRightEdge

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Since no specifics were forthcoming, I guess I'll have to reply, guessing which point exactly I should be changing my mind about.

Here's what you said after week 1:

"Bakthiari is the man.. he keeps this up and Bulaga might be out of a job."

Here's my reply:

"Hardly. Worst case Bulaga goes back to RT where he was one of the best in the league. After Bakhtiari's ugly failed chop on Alden Smith early on, I think he was pretty decent in pass pro. His second chop block worked much better, which shows he learns from his mistakes."

I don't see any reason to change my opinion on Bulaga. To start with, you could comb this forum and you'll find no enthusiasm on my part for the Bulaga-Sitton line switch. It was more a "hold your nose" situation in my opinion; you'll also find no ethusiasm on my part for Newhouse's prospects for improvement. The idea that a 2014 Bulaga who is 100% healthy (which is certainly a question mark) wouldn't displace Barkley is far fetched. Other than that first half brain freeze against Seattle last season, he's been outstanding on the right side. If anything, Lang should be looking out for Barkley and his job if and when Bulaga returns to full health.

As for Bakhtiari, my comments were complementary, with the necessary reserve following one NFL game. I noted in follow-up to those observations his blowing a subsequent cut block...I believe it was a key play late in the Cincy game, but I'm just going on memory. You could look it up. He's a work in progress, he has upside, and he's certainly an upgrade over Newhouse, which is a damning with faint praise in any event.

I've not had a chance to watch the NFL Game Rewind yet to see what exactly in this last game provoked your comment, but it does not matter. It's about progression and the body of work over some time.

If you had been more specific, I wouldn't have written all that which I'm well aware will go broadly unread.
 
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El Guapo

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I think that we are all in agreement. The kid is good and getting better. He's a certain upgrade over Newhouse at this point and certainly no "whiff" by TT. Okay, time for the group hug
 

Einstein McFly

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The best guy in training camp will get the job. No one should be an automatic starter. If Tretter is a better center than EDS, he should start. If Barclay is a better guard than Lang, he should start. If Sherrod is a better tackle than Barclay or Bahktiari (this year) or Bulaga (next) then he should start.

I'm really curious to see if they bring Sherrod off IR. They were so vague for so long but towards the end of training camp it sounded like he was pretty close to giving it a try. Maybe nothing will come of it, but who knows. Neither Barclay or Bahk are perfect by any stretch.

To be clear though, I expect Bulaga to start somewhere next year for sure. I doubt there will be two tackles on the team next year who are better that he is.
 

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