These Aren't the Hogs

You wanna know why the Skins stink?  Go back to last season, and the team's 2-6 collapse.  Why did that happen?  Well, it was a lot of things, but the main one: the offensive line fell apart.

With that being key to so many things that Jim Zorn tries, it's clear that it was a top off-season priority.

So what'd they do?  Signed an overpriced glory-hogging defensive back (who, admittedly, does have the team's only interceptions, but also had a horrid whiff of a tackle against a crappy QB in the open field), and a behemoth of a defensive tackle who couldn't make it through the first series of the game without tapping out.

Makes perfect sense, right?

Oh, to be fair, they did bring in Derrick Dockery, a guard they thought was too crappy to keep a few seasons back, and who was given up by his last team (and when Buffalo's cutting players loose, that should tell you something).

But the rest?  Chad Rinehart? Blech.  Mike Williams? Ooof.  And yesterday's "hero," D'Anthony Batiste?  Who?  Seriously?  Who is that guy?  Did they sign him from the UFL? 

And that's not counting holdover Stephon Heyer who... well... let's just say, we hope he's made some wise investments of his bonuses.

With the injuries to Randy Thomas and Chris Samuels, this ragtag bunch of no-name, waiver-wire stiffs were thrust into the lineup as quickly as the Panthers' defensive line was able to thrust into the backfield.

If one play serves as a microcosm of the Skins' season, it was the s-t-r-e-t-c-h right out of the Panthers' end zone.  The team ran laterally inside the end zone, expecting the line to be able to be agile and athletic, picking up blocks as the play pulled outside.

Not only could the line not hold their blocks, most of 'em didn't even have the athleticism to get TO their blocks.  The Panthers' defenders ripped through the line, bringing Portis down in the end zone for a safety.

Wrong players, clearly.  But also the wrong call, asking players to do things they're not capable of doing.

Somewhere, the Hogs are rolling around in their slop, oinking away at the set of piglets the Skins have become.