Huckabee Interview with the Tuohy family who adopted Michael Oher - Blind Side 1
WHY ITS IMPORTANT
Ware remains one of the games elite pass rushers and Oher might have to block him with little help if Carolina decides to use a running back/tight end to help on Von Miller.
ABOUT WARE
Now 33 years old and appearing in his first Super Bowl, Ware is still able to flash. In the second season of a three-year, $30 million contract, Wares 134.5 sacks are 11th-most in NFL history and he had 7.5 this year to go with 16 quarterback hits and 25 tackles. He plays 36.4 percent of the snaps so Denvers coaches are smart in not over-working him. Ware can still get around the edge against a left tackle.
ABOUT OHER
A year ago, Oher was on his way to the street after flaming out as an expensive free-agent addition by Tennessee (four-year, $20 million contract) when Baltimore let him walk in favor of former Jaguars left tackle Eugene Monroe. Oher signed a two-year, $7 million deal with the Panthers to replace Byron Bell, who ironically ended up with Tennessee. Oher (6-foot-4, 315 pounds) had only three penalties. He plays tall, which allows opponents to bull-rush him, but hes been good enough for Carolina.
WHO HAS THE ADVANTAGE
Ware. For sure hes benefited playing opposite Miller, but also effective interior pass-rushers Derek Wolfe and Malik Jackson.
CHARLOTTE, N.C. Carolina Panthers general manager Dave Gettleman was quick to remind that media and fans killed me" during the offseason when he signed Michael Oher to play left tackle.
He was just as quick to say that Oher was his best offseason move.
One of the things you have to do, you have to understand, is you cant always go from A to Z," Gettleman said on Thursday. Sometimes, when youre evaluating players and youre looking at them, sometimes you can only increase incrementally.
Michael has been a huge [addition] for us and settled us down."
Oher didnt look like much of an upgrade over Byron Bell when the Panthers signed the 2009 first-round pick after the Tennessee Titans released him. Critics insisted Gettleman should take a tackle with the 25th pick of the draft.
Gettleman took a linebacker, Shaq Thompson.
Pro Football Focus ranked Oher, the player that the 2009 Hollywood movie The Blind Side" was written about, 75th among 84 eligible tackles.
PFF gave Oher a grade of 53 out of 80 tackles in 2012, when he played left tackle for the Baltimore Ravens Super Bowl team.
Critics pounced on the Panthers" signing of Michael Oher last year, but he"s protected Cam Newton well.Bob Leverone/AP Photo
Oher"s high mark was 15th in 2009, with a grade of plus-17.1.
But Gettleman studied almost three seasons worth of film on Oher. He was convinced that reuniting Oher with former Ravens offensive line coach John Matsko and getting him fully recovered from a toe injury that was a factor in 2014 would pay off.
He was convinced Oher could protect quarterback Cam Newtons blind side.
He was right.
Oher had a PFF pass blocking efficiency of 95.7 -- four sacks, three hits and 24 hurries to rank 17th among the 59 eligible tackles.
That made Ohers two-year, $7 million contract a bargain, considering the 17th-best-paid left tackle (San Diegos King Dunlap) made $7 million this season.
Oher played his best in the regular-season finale against Tampa Bay, earning a grade of plus-3.4, not allowing a single quarterback pressure. His previous high was 0.5 in Week 8.
You guys see it," Gettleman said. You guys have been around Cam his whole career. You see the confidence he has when he sets up behind those five hog mollies. ... Its a sight to behold."
Oher wasnt aware of how much heat Gettleman took for signing him. He was more focused on the way his new teammates and the community welcomed him after a tough season at Tennessee.
All that stuff motivated me with the players and the city," Oher said. I didnt want to let the guys down."
He hasnt. Tight end Greg Olsen said Oher has been huge for us."
We learned that pretty fast," the Pro Bowl tight end said. Just the way he conducted his business."
One of Ohers strengths has been his work ethic. Hes one of the first to arrive at the stadium during the week, often getting there before daybreak.
He spent most of this bye week trying to improve as the Panthers (15-1) wait to find out who they will play on Jan. 17.
Ive still got to get a lot better," Oher said. People around me have helped me out a lot this year because theyve done so well. Me as a person, as a player, I still have to get a lot better, just looking at me on film."
He doesnt want Gettleman or Newton to get killed because of him.
