The offensive line started the season so well. Only five sacks in three games shocked us and made us think that things would not be so bad. But the truth came out -- 17 sacks allowed in two games. Apparently, the offensive line was doing it with smoke and mirrors before. Or we could say that with two new tackles the line is more like bubble gum and chicken wire -- relatively effective to start, but not a long-term solution.
And with the struggles, Russ Grimm, who coaches the offensive line, still has his job.
Is that right?
I say no.
The line's struggles is not a reflection of Grimm's coaching. The fact is that the line's struggles are the front office's fault.
The truth is that the team has not gotten him much talent. Before this year, they just haven't done much to improve the line substantially. And that isn't on Grimm.
Let me explain.
He is known as a well-respected coach. We see him as a guy that has failed to lead a successful line. He hasn't coached up any player. But if he has failed, why have no former Arizona linemen succeeded anywhere?
Herman Johnson and Trevor Canfield? Out of the league and never played a down. Brandon Keith? He's not in the league now, either.
Clearly, if Grimm just an ineffective coach, these guys would have made it somewhere else. They didn't, which means not enough talent. In fact, the mere fact that Brandon Keith was able to start for the Cardinals and not even get a backup job anywhere else shows that Grimm did actually coach him up.
So none of that is on Grimm. He has worked with the talent that he has.
The organization has not given him talent to work with. They have chosen to bring in younger veterans. They have drafted "best player available" rather than by need, which, if you all recall, has been lauded here on this site as being the best way to build a team.
You can't praise the team for doing that and at the same time get mad when linemen are not drafted.
So, before we get upset and want Grimm's head on a platter, let us recall first how the organization has chosen to wait until this year to bring in young linemen to develop. The team did this year, and now is where we will see how Grimm does, or if they leave and find success elsewhere.