C Gino Gradkowski

[Guest RBates]

Gino will be fine he just needs to hit the weight room.  I would like to see an increase in his frame next season.

[gabefergy]

Gino was fine in pass-pro, he needs to get better in run blocking though. However, the real culprit was KO but he gets a pass from fans for whatever reason. He was awful last night just like the preseason.

[jimmypowder]

[quote name="gabefergy" post="1573784" timestamp="1378506998"] Gino was fine in pass-pro, he needs to get better in run blocking though. However, the real culprit was KO but he gets a pass from fans for whatever reason. He was awful last night just like the preseason.[/quote] You are right ! . I just don't get KO right now after ending on a strong note last year .

[codizzle]

They came right at Gino and KO all night..

Gino will be fine.. I think he did an okay job for his first "real" start..

As already mentioned, KO doesn't get that same pass.. Tired of hearing him say crap about having the "best guard tandem" when he has games like that

[izvoodoo]

I remember a play where Wilfork pick Birk up by his shoulder pads and chucked him into Rice.  Gotta give Wilfork some credit, great player.

I think Wilfork is a hall of fame ballot player.

[GrimCoconut]

I'm a bit disappointed with KO as well. He needs to get his game under control.

[ratedr]

True KO was really bad too. I feel like there's a thread on him already...let me find it.

[T3hRaven]

Gino was fine in pass-pro, he needs to get better in run blocking though. However, the real culprit was KO but he gets a pass from fans for whatever reason. He was awful last night just like the preseason.

 

He certainly hasn't looked like an elite center, but it's hard to judge at this point in the season.  Average is ok though, if Osemele is playing at the level he's supposed to play that it's not an issue and the unit as a whole will be fine.  I completely agree though, KO was horrible.

[Ravenseconbeast]

I miss Matt Birk

Me2. This board killed for saying we shouldve tried to keep birk. Considering how cheap his contract was...

Gino lost his motor after 1st quarter. He was great for few minutes than he dropped off quickly. I see why coaches are sauing AQ shipley(stinks) is still competing w/ gino.

[Ravenseconbeast]

Btw Birk wanted to play. He said it himself @105.7 the fan with zino that he felt great and he wanted to play for remainder of the contract. It was a forced retirement. He didnt make a fuss b/c he wanted to leave gracefully.

[GrimCoconut]

Btw Birk wanted to play. He said it himself @105.7 the fan with zino that he felt great and he wanted to play for remainder of the contract. It was a forced retirement. He didnt make a fuss b/c he wanted to leave gracefully.

I would've preferred another year with Birk than Shipley & Gino. 

[Edgar]

This guy is killing the run game. Thoughts?

I wish I remember the person whose post referred to me as silly for suggesting we draft a center because "We have Gino". 

[jimmypowder]

The Gino draft pick , like the Jimmy Smith & Doss picks will , I'm sad to say, go down as a bust . He doesn't have the size or strength to get push off the line . He was getting manhandled most of the game . You can't teach size and strength .

[Ravensfanspls]

One game guys.. And he is a rookie. All i am gonna say.

[Bullrush]

Just watched some coaches tape on him from the last game. He's destroying the inside running game, the guy gets absolutely zero push, he actually gets pushed back! If you can't run inside you really can't win any games unless you have Peterson at RB or Peyton throwing the ball. We need to get this guy out of there and slide over somebody to the middle that can run block.

 

By the way he's terrible in pass protection as well. Doesn't help that Osemele is also struggling bigtime, not knowing which blitzers to pick up. The Broncos really confused those young guys on our O-Line. Wagner was also awful.

[ratedr]

Nixing Birk was a huge mistake.

This guy is too small, and everyone knew it except the FO.

[Cawtious]

The Broncos really confused those young guys on our O-Line. Wagner was also awful.

If I am not mistaken, Wagner is more of a LT.  With Oher going down, and 7 OL active in that game, Wagner was forced to work outside of his comfort zone, and a rookie at that.  I think we need to demonstrate a little more patience with the rookies.   I seem to remember a rookie QB that was absolutely terrible his first two years.  He fielded a team on Thursday night that beat our butts. (John Elway)  

 

As for help on the OL.....I believe there is a reason that Jensen is not on the IR right now.  Someone believes he is worth the wait.

[SecretAgentMan]

Nixing Birk was a huge mistake.

This guy is too small, and everyone knew it except the FO.

Quit it with the FO hate. They are the ones getting paid, you are not.

If the FO and coaching staff knew that there was a problem we'd bring in Velasco.

I'd actually like Velasco tho lol

[ratedr]

Quit it with the FO hate. They are the ones getting paid, you are not.

If the FO and coaching staff knew that there was a problem we'd bring in Velasco.

I'd actually like Velasco tho lol

I could just as easily say stop the FO love. They are good but they too make mistakes.

Our run game has sucked since preseason. Everyone saw it.maybe they thought the problem would fix itself.

[billick]

How long have we needed a left tackle.

 

If we have been drafting properly, we would not have to sign so many free agents.

[The Raven]

How long have we needed a left tackle.

 

If we have been drafting properly, we would not have to sign so many free agents.

 

Is McKinnie not good enough for you? Get a clue.

 

Yeah guys, Gino had a bad game. Woop de doo. It's over with. It's ONE bad game. Oher didn't get any push off the line either, and his ass got an appreciation thread. Gino got a lot of push against a great dline in Cincy last year. Shit happens. Time to move on.

[Moderator 3]

Nixing Birk was a huge mistake.
This guy is too small, and everyone knew it except the FO.

We didn't "nix" him. He retired.

[ratedr]

We didn't "nix" him. He retired.

Someone mentioned that Birk said he was still willing to play. Maybe he wanted to only play for the Ravens.

[Bltravens]

Just watched some coaches tape on him from the last game. He's destroying the inside running game, the guy gets absolutely zero push, he actually gets pushed back! If you can't run inside you really can't win any games unless you have Peterson at RB or Peyton throwing the ball. We need to get this guy out of there and slide over somebody to the middle that can run block.

 

By the way he's terrible in pass protection as well. Doesn't help that Osemele is also struggling bigtime, not knowing which blitzers to pick up. The Broncos really confused those young guys on our O-Line. Wagner was also awful.

Said it before but I felt while watching the game live that Gradkowski's protection calls were beyond brutal.  The A gap pressures he aparrently couldn't see were killing us and that will screw with Osemele as well.

[PurpleCityLights]

I wish I remember the person whose post referred to me as silly for suggesting we draft a center because "We have Gino".

Im trying to remember the guy who got mad at me for saying Gino was undersized & not strong enough to blow people off the ball when we first got him.

[Moderator 3]

Someone mentioned that Birk said he was still willing to play. Maybe he wanted to only play for the Ravens.

The was a "tongue in cheek" article about him saying he's sorry he retired because he wished he could play Thursday night. Truth is, he was pretty well done, anyhow. His legs were shot.

[Edgar]

I always thought it a little strange that each time I heard  Birk asked about how Gino would fill in for him, he responded, "Gino will be fine".   Uh, OK. Not much of an endorsemesnt...

[The Raven]

Gino played great in Cincy, and in the preseason, mostly. This game was an aberration.

[Edgar]

Gino played great in Cincy, and in the preseason, mostly. This game was an aberration.

I thought he did great in Cincy also. Not so much in pre.  Hope you are right.

[berad]

RBates revived this months-old thread for some comment on Gino. Moved it to on of the existing OL threads and closed this one.