I don't think it's all injuries either - at least, it's not just guys that are 'playing hurt' right now.

Jenkins coming off the knee injury of a couple of years ago, it was clear he was never the same guy. And the move from G to C, he has taken another step downward in play quality. They thought he could be just as good at C as he formerly was at G. They were wrong.

Rhyan has taken a step backward from his play last year.

Morgan has just been bad, for a number of reasons. 1: Plugging a guy in at G after he spent all camp T will do that to you. 2: Playing four different positions in one freaking game, especially for a young OL, will do that to you also. 3: It's hard to get into any kind of rhythm on OL when they're stupidly rotating you in and out with another guy. 4: He isn't a G, period - just look at the way he plays. 5: He simply hasn't progressed like you would have hoped (due in at least some measure to #'s 1-4). Bottom line: they need to sit him until they're ready to either play him at LT or let him go - based on what I've seen, that's the only position he can play worth a damn (and that's only based on his stellar play at LT in the preseason). And that means, put him there at ONE position in camp, make him THE GUY at that position (no rotating with anyone else- sink or swim), and see what happens. Either he gets it, or he goes. Pretty simple.

Banks has been oft-injured, but even when healthy, he wasn't anything to write home about. That's a big FA signing that just hasn't panned out so far.

Walker looks to me to have taken a step backward from last year also - and he was barely adequate last year.

Tom is the only guy who has looked worth a damn at all on the OL - and he also has lost a game or two to injury.

Bottom line: whether through injury or just plain regression, the entire OL has ranged from barely mediocre to downright awful. And yes, that is a HUGE reason for the offense's struggles. I do think it is a reason for LaFleur's play calling sometimes - getting the ball out quick and not calling anything downfield mainly because he can't trust the OL to protect.

I would love to say "there's still time for them to get healthy and get it together", but I'm just not convinced that these guys, even if 100% healthy, are good enough as a group to get to where they want to go. Plus, it's November - it's getting awfully late for an OL to develop real chemistry in time for the post-season.

It's funny - during camp, we all thought the OL would be drastically improved... they brought in this guy and that, they were moving Jenkins to C which we all thought would be a pretty big upgrade at C, they brought in guys for depth, etc. Looked like they had just about addressed every issue with the OL. Instead, it has taken a pretty significant step backwards. Oh well.