Guest blogger Paul Shepard offers an interesting take on Drew Bledsoe's play before and after Flozell Adams' knee injury and sees potential for a rapid o-line turnaround with just one quality veteran signing:
The [offensive line] situation isn't as dire as it's been painted at times. With a healthy Flo (and Rivera to a lesser extent) returning to the mix, and a minor upgrade or two at RT and/or C, there's no reason we can't contend for a title in '06.
Before Flozell was lost for the season Drew was completing 63.3% of his passes for an average of 277.2 passing yards per contest, he had a TD-to-INT ratio of 11:4 and was being sacked 2.2 times per game.
In the ten games Tucker started Drew completed just 58.1% of his passes for an avg of 197.6 passing yards per contest, had a TD to INT ratio of 12:13 and was being sacked 3.6 times per game.
In his six games with Flo at LT Drew threw just one less TD than he threw in ten games with Tucker at LT. In his six games with Adams, Drew had two 300+ yard games (including a season high 363) and all six were over 200. In the following ten games with Tucker at LT Drew threw just one 300+ yard game (332), and only five of those ten games went over the 200 yard mark.
Drew is more than a serviceable NFL QB. How many other players who won two+ Offensive- Player-of-the-Week awards won't be playing in Hawaii this February? Even after playing ten games with a matador at the most critical position on the OL, Drew posted Pro Bowl-caliber numbers.
We don't need a complete overhaul. Add a quality RT and/or OG/C with our first two picks (or in free agency) along with making whatever upgrades we can at K, LB, S, DL, etc., and we've gotta legit shot at this thing. -- P.S.
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