I got no dog in this fight but the thread is funny as **** to me. Especially when I read comments like "He didn't get any tackles". The first thing I think reading that is how many snaps did he play and of those plays, how many times was it his responsibility to make the tackle on a play. So, for fun, I decided to run the replay and watch Oliver. I don't care if he looks good or bad, I just watched. I didn't watch the first game but he was going up against a pretty fine OG in that game (Quenton Nelson). My notes on the Carolina game:
1. Defensive right, three technique. Line slides his way and back threatens sweep to his side. He honors his running lane nicely and in perfect position to spill the ball carrier to the sidelines. However, it was play action and the QB bootlegs the other way looking to throw. Oliver did his job perfectly on this play.
2. Defensive left, 3 tech. Pass play he draws a double team initially. OT eventually slides off to pick up another defender. OG is able to keep Oliver at bay at this point, but there isn’t a lot of places for him to go and he appears to be honoring the inside scramble lanes though. Pass is incomplete
3. Defensive right, 3 tech. Draws an initial double team. His left hand "punch" to the guard knocks the guards helmet off. Oliver gets hands high and gets one paw on the pass ending the play and the series. Carolina has to punt.
4. never get a clear look at a number, but I think it is him in a 3 tech on the defensive left. If it is him, he crashes down but the guard is pulling and the OT has the angle and locks him up. Oliver is pretty strong and giving a decent battle but gets folded backwards. First look, I thought OT folded him, but second look I see a Panther on the back of Oliver’s legs that collapses the back of his knee.
5. Defensive left, 3 tech, Offense pulls guards again so Oliver is crashing the B gap giving the OT the angle on the down block. Oliver recovers and stays locked up with the OT. This is a win for the OT, but he has a big advantage on the DL with the down block.
6. Def right, 3 tech. Draws initial double team on the backside before one blocker slides off. Run play is away from Oliver.
7. Def left, looks like a wide 3. Line showing high hat so he is in pass rush mode. Keeps to his lane and the pass is out quickly away from him.
8. D-right, 3 tech. Draws initial double team trying to seal him towards the center. Backside OG is pulling to help that side and its a train wreck in front of Oliver. Pass is out quickly to Oliver’s side but falls incomplete.
9. D-Right, 3tech. Pass play, Oliver gets stood up on the pass rush. QB is flushed and scrambles the other way.
10. Looks like wasn’t in for the next run play, but returns for a second down pass. D-right, 3 tech. He gets upfield on the high hat block of the guard; looks like he gonna get the better of the OG, but OC comes down and hits Oliver from the side. Oliver goes to the ground but bounce up pretty damn fast. Pass is already out though.
11. D-right, 3 tech, fires up field and is on the outside shoulder of the OG (the b-gap). Panthers show inside handoff with back attacking A gap. Oliver gets across the OG’s face and dives at back cutting at his legs. Had it been an handoff, the disruption to the back would have been significant and the backer would have dropped him for a loss. Oliver back on his feet instantly and sees QB release the ball and reacts that way. The pass was intentionally thrown at RB’s feet due to outside pressure on QB.
12. DR 3tech, ol shows high hats and Oliver motors upfield putting the OG on skates. OG is darn near driving into the QB. Allen gets the pass off but high and incomplete. Olivers hands up in the pass lane very quickly.
13. DR 3 tech. Its a pass and they have him gaming over to the left. He hits a little spin move and runs into the back working through the line to his underneath pass pattern. Pass is out to that back very quickly but Oliver still got his hands up.
He isn't in the game on the next two Carolina possessions so I assume he did not play the rest of the game. There you have it, 13 total plays, no tackles, and a third down pass tipped. Getting away from stats, the eye test is that the kid is both strong and fast but his play is disciplined. By that I mean he honors his run/pass lane responsibilities which doesn't always get you tackles, but it is correct play for the DL. If I had any real criticism of his play it would be his hand fighting. He is fast upfield and strong, but he will need to develop some hand techniques (which is normal for a rookie DL). Of course, I only saw 13 plays and 13 preseason plays is a really small sampling. One thing is clear, kids is a baller; good chance he will develop into a darn fine DL for the Bills.
1. Defensive right, three technique. Line slides his way and back threatens sweep to his side. He honors his running lane nicely and in perfect position to spill the ball carrier to the sidelines. However, it was play action and the QB bootlegs the other way looking to throw. Oliver did his job perfectly on this play.
2. Defensive left, 3 tech. Pass play he draws a double team initially. OT eventually slides off to pick up another defender. OG is able to keep Oliver at bay at this point, but there isn’t a lot of places for him to go and he appears to be honoring the inside scramble lanes though. Pass is incomplete
3. Defensive right, 3 tech. Draws an initial double team. His left hand "punch" to the guard knocks the guards helmet off. Oliver gets hands high and gets one paw on the pass ending the play and the series. Carolina has to punt.
4. never get a clear look at a number, but I think it is him in a 3 tech on the defensive left. If it is him, he crashes down but the guard is pulling and the OT has the angle and locks him up. Oliver is pretty strong and giving a decent battle but gets folded backwards. First look, I thought OT folded him, but second look I see a Panther on the back of Oliver’s legs that collapses the back of his knee.
5. Defensive left, 3 tech, Offense pulls guards again so Oliver is crashing the B gap giving the OT the angle on the down block. Oliver recovers and stays locked up with the OT. This is a win for the OT, but he has a big advantage on the DL with the down block.
6. Def right, 3 tech. Draws initial double team on the backside before one blocker slides off. Run play is away from Oliver.
7. Def left, looks like a wide 3. Line showing high hat so he is in pass rush mode. Keeps to his lane and the pass is out quickly away from him.
8. D-right, 3 tech. Draws initial double team trying to seal him towards the center. Backside OG is pulling to help that side and its a train wreck in front of Oliver. Pass is out quickly to Oliver’s side but falls incomplete.
9. D-Right, 3tech. Pass play, Oliver gets stood up on the pass rush. QB is flushed and scrambles the other way.
10. Looks like wasn’t in for the next run play, but returns for a second down pass. D-right, 3 tech. He gets upfield on the high hat block of the guard; looks like he gonna get the better of the OG, but OC comes down and hits Oliver from the side. Oliver goes to the ground but bounce up pretty damn fast. Pass is already out though.
11. D-right, 3 tech, fires up field and is on the outside shoulder of the OG (the b-gap). Panthers show inside handoff with back attacking A gap. Oliver gets across the OG’s face and dives at back cutting at his legs. Had it been an handoff, the disruption to the back would have been significant and the backer would have dropped him for a loss. Oliver back on his feet instantly and sees QB release the ball and reacts that way. The pass was intentionally thrown at RB’s feet due to outside pressure on QB.
12. DR 3tech, ol shows high hats and Oliver motors upfield putting the OG on skates. OG is darn near driving into the QB. Allen gets the pass off but high and incomplete. Olivers hands up in the pass lane very quickly.
13. DR 3 tech. Its a pass and they have him gaming over to the left. He hits a little spin move and runs into the back working through the line to his underneath pass pattern. Pass is out to that back very quickly but Oliver still got his hands up.
He isn't in the game on the next two Carolina possessions so I assume he did not play the rest of the game. There you have it, 13 total plays, no tackles, and a third down pass tipped. Getting away from stats, the eye test is that the kid is both strong and fast but his play is disciplined. By that I mean he honors his run/pass lane responsibilities which doesn't always get you tackles, but it is correct play for the DL. If I had any real criticism of his play it would be his hand fighting. He is fast upfield and strong, but he will need to develop some hand techniques (which is normal for a rookie DL). Of course, I only saw 13 plays and 13 preseason plays is a really small sampling. One thing is clear, kids is a baller; good chance he will develop into a darn fine DL for the Bills.
