Sometimes it’s important to get an outsider’s eyes on the team to gain proper perspective. In that spirit, I eagerly anticipated the latest offensive line analysis at Trench Warfare, which spotlights individual line play as well as any resource out there.
Trench Warfare creator and offensive line expert Brandon Thorn broke down Sewell’s game against the Bengals and came away quite impressed.
“I thought Sewell played pretty well in this game,” Thorn stated as he broke down several examples of Sewell dominating his defenders in the run game. It’s a clinic in using his powerful punch and catching the defenders when they’ve vulnerably between motions.
Pass blocking was a different story. But it needs the proper context, and Thorn helps provide that. In the pass protection, Thorn began with a cautionary note.
“You’ll really see the difference in how well a scheme can set up a rookie and how it can not,” Thorn said before giving a great example.
The play in question is one where Sewell gives up a pressure and a QB hit to Bengals EDGE Trey Hendrickson. But as Thorn points out, the blame for the pressure is on quarterback Jared Goff, not Sewell. Goff drops back too far, three steps too far to be exact. The play is designed for a seven-yard drop behind center. Goff is at just over 10 yards when Hendrickson hits him.
This clip is used with Thorn’s permission (and play with sound on):
I would also point out that TE T.J. Hockenson’s alignment in-line between Sewell and Hendrickson effectively forces the pass rusher to go outside. In that regard, the alignment scheme here helps protect Sewell where he’s been struggling with rushers attacking his inside shoulder. Goff just drops back too far, spoiling the designed blocking scheme. Center Evan Brown getting worked backward certainly doesn’t help, and it likely plays a role in Goff taking those extra depth steps.
The point: while this rep looks bad for Sewell, it’s other Lions failing to execute their assignments that makes him look bad.
Thorn then rolls into another rep where Hendrickson does beat Sewell around the edge, but Goff properly steps forward and helps out his rookie tackle. As third points out, “It doesn’t really matter that Sewell loses the edge at 11 yards (deep).”
He also points out how the crafty Hendrickson makes it look like Sewell is holding, trying to draw a call.
Overall it’s a very favorable review of Sewell from someone outside the Lions and it provides better context to what we’re seeing–and not seeing–from the overall Anthony Lynn offensive experience.