Week six of the NFL season is over and we are now sitting at two undefeated teams, both of whom reside in the AFC West. However, even both of those teams have flaws themselves. Six weeks is enough to really see who a team is and what the strengths and weaknesses of each team are. Some teams have holes that even a first time football fan can pick out, while others are a little harder to notice. I’m going to go with only teams that need either a left tackle or a quarterback this week. Let’s take a look at which teams need those two positions.
Miami Dolphins – Left Tackle
The Dolphins have a lot of things going for them. Ryan Tannehill is looking like a franchise quarterback in the making, they have playmakers on offense and they have one of the better defenses in the league. However, the one glaring problem they have is Jonathan Martin playing left tackle. He run blocks well, but he isn’t very good at all in pass blocking. He would be a prime candidate to play right tackle, but he is a hindrance at left tackle. If they want to take the next step and be able to surpass the New England Patriots, they have to be able to protect the quarterback.
Houston Texans – Quarterback
Up until recently everyone thought the Texans were a Super Bowl contender and then the wheels started to all off. Matt Schaub has been terrible this season and when he got hurt in this past game, T.J. Yates wasn’t any better. The Texans have an extremely talented team, but the quarterback position is holding them back. If Schaub or Yates doesn’t turn it around this season, the Texans will be taking a quarterback early in the draft.
Pittsburgh Steelers – Left Tackle
The Steelers benched Mike Adams and traded for Levi Brown this week, but then Brown had a triceps injury warming up for his first game as a Steeler and was put on IR. Every year Ben Roethlisberger is one of the most hit quarterbacks in the NFL. Much like Aaron Rodgers and the Packers who I will talk about later, the Steelers never seem to have a good offensive line. If they want Ben to last much longer, they are going to have to start protecting him better.
Cleveland Browns – Quarterback
The Browns thought that they might have had their quarterback of the future in Brian Hoyer, but he went down with a season ending knee injury earlier in the season. This past game against the Lions proved that Brandon Weeden isn’t the quarterback of the future. He threw some passes that no starting quarterback in the NFL should make. The Browns have an outstanding defense and some weapons in the passing game, they just need a quarterback to take advantage of that.
San Diego Chargers – Left Tackle
The Chargers went with an offensive lineman in the first round of this past draft when they took D.J. Fluker, but Fluker is a right tackle only. On the otherside of the line is King Dunlap and he has to be replaced. Philip Rivers is having his best year that he has had in a while, but he could be even better if he got the protection he needs. Putting one of the top left tackles in this upcoming draft across from Fluker would give the Chargers one of the best young tackle duos in the league.
Tampa Bay Buccaneers – Quarterback
The Tampa Bay Buccaneers are sadly more of a laughing stock than the Jacksonville Jaguars are. Greg Schiano has dragged that team down and Mike Glennon isn’t a good enough quarterback to bring that team out of the gutter. The Buccs have built a good team there, but without a quarterback to lead them and distribute the ball. Glennon has shown some nice tools, but he hasn’t shown enough for them to pass on a top flight quarterback when they get a top five pick.
Green Bay Packers – Left Tackle
The Packers have been one of the only teams that I can remember that just seemingly never get any better on the offensive line. Aaron Rodgers has been hit, hit and hit some more while playing there. It’s a wonder he hasn’t been hurt more often than he has. Rodgers is one of, if not the best quarterback in the NFL and it’s a shame that the Packers front office hasn’t done more to protect him. The Packers have to protect him better if they don’t want his career cut short because of injuries.