[qwerty49]

I think the "slow mesh" is actually a pretty creative response to the fact that we no longer have Intellectual Brutality up front.  Our OL is IMHO serviceable in the sense that they can get in somebody's way long enough for a smart runner like Smith or Filkins to read the holes as they deveop and get quickly through them.  It's kind of like a draw play 3-4 yds closer up to the LOS.  Once opposing D's figure out that they just need to have a quick LB spy on our RB, it just becomes a shallow (and dangerous) pocket.  Shawvita probably figured that at 6-6, McKee wouldn't be bothered too much by being so much closer to the LOS.  But even with his height, we saw a few passes knocked down by DL, so maybe that part of it is not unfolding as well as they had hoped.

Patu is probably better suited to a more conventional RPO where his mobility could be a bigger threat.

[qwerty49]

I think the "slow mesh" is actually a pretty creative response to the fact that we no longer have Intellectual Brutality up front.  Our OL is IMHO serviceable in the sense that they can get in somebody's way long enough for a smart runner like Smith or Filkins to read the holes as they deveop and get quickly through them.  It's kind of like a draw play 3-4 yds closer up to the LOS.  Once opposing D's figure out that they just need to have a quick LB spy on our RB, it just becomes a shallow (and dangerous) pocket.  Shawvita probably figured that at 6-6, McKee wouldn't be bothered too much by being so much closer to the LOS.  But even with his height, we saw a few passes knocked down by DL, so maybe that part of it is not unfolding as well as they had hoped.

Patu is probably better suited to a more conventional RPO where his mobility could be a bigger threat.