Eugene Monroe

[Kinda_Dante]

Should we rush Monroe back to play on Saturday? I think Hurst has held up pretty well protecting Flacco's blindside with help from KO, and I remember many times throughout the season where I thought he was the weakest part of our line. Hurst is fresh to go down the stretch and I honestly don't think we should sit him unless Eugene is 100%. It's not that I think Hurst is better i just don't think there's much difference in the two besides experience, any thoughts?

[izvoodoo]

Should we rush Monroe back to play on Saturday? I think Hurst has held up pretty well protecting Flacco's blindside with help from KO, and I remember many times throughout the season where I thought he was the weakest part of our line. Hurst is fresh to go down the stretch and I honestly don't think we should sit him unless Eugene is 100%. It's not that I think Hurst is better i just don't think there's much difference in the two besides experience, any thoughts?

It's hard to say without seeing him practice.  Generally speaking I'd like to put Yanda at guard to help Zuttah deal with Wilfork.

[Kinda_Dante]

So you think if he can start then you put Hurst at RT and push Yanda back in to guard?

[jimmypowder]

It's hard to say without seeing him practice. Generally speaking I'd like to put Yanda at guard to help Zuttah deal with Wilfork.

Wilfork was a big reason why we lost the AFC championship game a few years ago , not including Evans and Cundiff.

Not a bad idea ,it may happen .

[Mt. Crushmore]

While Monroe has had his struggles this season, he is much better than Hurst.  I wouldn't say he is being rushed back.  He was limited in practice today and will likely play Saturday.

[Sami84]

Wilfork was a big reason why we lost the AFC championship game a few years ago , not including Evans and Cundiff.

Not a bad idea ,it may happen .

Wilfork isnt the player he used to be

[Mt. Crushmore]

So you think if he can start then you put Hurst at RT and push Yanda back in to guard?

 

If Monroe is back I would have the OL like this:

 

Monroe--Osemele--Zuttah--Urschel--Yanda

 

Urschel has played much better than Hurst this season.  Need to keep the best 5 OL out there, even if Yanda is still at RT instead of RG.

[izvoodoo]

Wilfork isnt the player he used to be

Right, but Zuttah struggles with larger NTs.  

[Kinda_Dante]

While Monroe has had his struggles this season, he is much better than Hurst.  I wouldn't say he is being rushed back.  He was limited in practice today and will likely play Saturday.

Do you really think he's that much better that playing through pain he would perform much better than Hurst? When we could rest him one more week for the AFC championship or super bowl games?

[Mt. Crushmore]

Do you really think he's that much better that playing through pain he would perform much better than Hurst? When we could rest him one more week for the AFC championship or super bowl games?

 

Yes.  Hurst has had some dreadful games (Colts, Falcons, Texans and Steelers in the wild card round).

[Kinda_Dante]

Yes.  Hurst has had some dreadful games (Colts, Falcons, Texans and Steelers in the wild card round).

Hasn't Eugene pretty much been negative all season as well? My argument is not that he's a lot better just that at this point it might be better to give eugene a little more time to get healthier.

[rmw10]

Eugene without question.  Give me the track record.  Hurst has played well at times but also pretty poorly at times.  Monroe hasn't had the best year for sure but I'd much rather see him out there than a UDFA that has had some huge struggles.

[K-Dog]

Wilfork isnt the player he used to be

thankfully...

[Kinda_Dante]

I mean hopefully he can do what Mckinney did on our last Super Bowl run and turn around to have a fantastic playoff run.

[rafahash]

It's hard to say without seeing him practice.  Generally speaking I'd like to put Yanda at guard to help Zuttah deal with Wilfork.

 

I completely agree with this. It's hard to say without seeing him practice, but I'd rather put Monroe at LT so we could put Hurst at RT and Yanda at guard. Zuttah has struggled in the last games without Yanda. Granted, Urschel is a good player and he's filled in nicely as a RG, but I think putting Yanda at RG would give this OL a little more balance, specially against Wilfork, who should be respected even though he's not the player he used to be.

[jimmypowder]

Wilfork isnt the player he used to be

I agree he's not but he is still can be disruptive .

[Kinda_Dante]

The only way I see it helping out really is if they do put Hurst at tackle and push Yanda back in. Fit that it makes sense

[ravensfan160]

My question is if Monroe is healthy does Hurst start at RT? It sounds a bit silly but it seems to me like he is better at LT than RT. The transition can be difficult and he was a 4 year starter on the left side in college. They probably wouldn't but I would prefer to see Urschel and Yanda on the right side again even if Monroe is healthy.

[GrimCoconut]

I'm not sure how much I like the idea of throwing Hurst at RT when he has taken all his game snaps from LT. It could be the beginning of another Michael Oher situation. Granted, he played there in camp and all, but that was so long ago. And then if Monroe needs to come out, we need to shuffle the whole OL again in an actual game. I'd rather Hurst be insurance than move to RT and then have to reshuffle an OL in an actual game. 

[PurpleCity5]

Monroe easily. Hurst struggles at RT. He played ok against Pitt, but against NE that's not what you want. I'd rather have the line up be Monroe--Osemele--Zuttah--Urschel--Yanda.

[52520Andrew]

Monroe if healthy, Harrison did really well, just couldn't finish saturday night thankfully although he gave me quite a few heart attacks. Depends how they view Monroe though, my guess is he goes but it could go either way.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

Sure hope Monroe can play, I'm sure he will give it a go if he practised (in albeit limited fashion) earlier. 

[BmoreBird22]

I think you play Monroe. This isn't the point in the season where a loss may or may not matter. This is a win or go home and you want to field the best players possible. If Monroe can go, you play him, unless he is seriously hindered. Monroe has never played in a playoff game before and this was his first winning season ever, so he's going to be hungry to go out there and perform. 

As for what to do with Hurst, you have to consider the upgrade and downgrade. How much of an upgrade is Yanda over Urschel? Well, Yanda is the best guard, regardless of side, in the entire league, so he's a massive upgrade over Urschel, even if Urschel has held up alright. Then, you have to think about how much of a downgrade is Hurst from Yanda at tackle. Well, Yanda is playing serviceably at tackle, but he's not the same run blocker and he certainly lacks the great foot speed to handle speed rushers on the edge. Hurst at least has played tackle. I think it's a downgrade, but not a detrimental one. You also have to weigh how much Zuttah struggles without Yanda. We saw how he struggled in the Pitt game and, if I remember correctly, the Cleveland game. So, in addition to being a huge upgrade over Urschel, he's going to improve the center position AND be able to help out Hurst at RT.  I think Yanda is just way too good of a RG not to plug him back in there. He would help improve two positions for sure and likely keep the third steady.

[Ed_Reed_Pick_Six]

I think you play Monroe. This isn't the point in the season where a loss may or may not matter. This is a win or go home and you want to field the best players possible. If Monroe can go, you play him, unless he is seriously hindered. Monroe has never played in a playoff game before and this was his first winning season ever, so he's going to be hungry to go out there and perform. 

As for what to do with Hurst, you have to consider the upgrade and downgrade. How much of an upgrade is Yanda over Urschel? Well, Yanda is the best guard, regardless of side, in the entire league, so he's a massive upgrade over Urschel, even if Urschel has held up alright. Then, you have to think about how much of a downgrade is Hurst from Yanda at tackle. Well, Yanda is playing serviceably at tackle, but he's not the same run blocker and he certainly lacks the great foot speed to handle speed rushers on the edge. Hurst at least has played tackle. I think it's a downgrade, but not a detrimental one. You also have to weigh how much Zuttah struggles without Yanda. We saw how he struggled in the Pitt game and, if I remember correctly, the Cleveland game. So, in addition to being a huge upgrade over Urschel, he's going to improve the center position AND be able to help out Hurst at RT.  I think Yanda is just way too good of a RG not to plug him back in there. He would help improve two positions for sure and likely keep the third steady.

 

Couldn't agree with you more. 

[BALTIMOREFLACCO]

Do you really think he's that much better that playing through pain he would perform much better than Hurst? When we could rest him one more week for the AFC championship or super bowl games?

 

One step at a time...we need our best players out there so we have a better chance at making those games you mentioned

[baltimorefan328]

Hasn't Eugene pretty much been negative all season as well? My argument is not that he's a lot better just that at this point it might be better to give eugene a little more time to get healthier.

my only question here is rest for what? We're not coming out cocky like the Steelers fans and saying even if bell could play rest him against the Ravens. This is the playoffs and there is no future. If he is healthy, he plays. Players gain respect by stepping up at the most important times. If its just a sprained ankle and Monroe has had this much time to heal and is playing through pain, not injured, but just playing through pain, then I want him to show me he deserves $7.5 million a year and get his butt in th game. If he is injured then we roll with Hurst, but Monroe is better than Hurst and if he truly means it when he says hes happy to be in baltimore to play in the playoffs then play through the pain and play 

[JoeyFlex5]

It's hard to say without seeing him practice.  Generally speaking I'd like to put Yanda at guard to help Zuttah deal with Wilfork.

never thought of that.. yea after reading this im no longer comfortable with urschel facing wilfork, but at the same time we have KO on one side of zuttah

[JoeyFlex5]

Wilfork was a big reason why we lost the AFC championship game a few years ago , not including Evans and Cundiff. Not a bad idea ,it may happen .

yeah we leaned on ray rice too much in that game and we fell behind too often, never got a chance to pull away because wilfork owned birk and ray rice in that game, if we didnt play right into bellichicks hands by running into wilfork every play, im not so sure that game even comes down to evans and cundiff.

[757RavensFan]

Do you really think he's that much better that playing through pain he would perform much better than Hurst? When we could rest him one more week for the AFC championship or super bowl games?

Uggggg...this is what A LOT of Steelers fans thought about resting Bell last weekend. Now he has all off season to rest. Please don't just look past the Pats like it's a guaranteed win. If Monroe at 70% gives us the best option to win, you play him.

[rmcjacket23]

Not rocket science. If he's healthy enough, he plays, because he's the indisputable best LT on this roster.

 

No remote chance that he's somehow "held out" to be healthier for later games, because as others ahve said, there's certainly no guarantee for more games regardless of who plays.