- Joined
- May 25, 2013
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- 1,294
I've finally recovered long enough to think football again. I unapologetically drink the Kool-Aid every offseason but the last ten years have taken their toll. The last two games were eerily reminiscent of the hopelessness that grips this team when there is that point of the game when everyone KNOWS the outcome way too early.
My faith in the young talent is threatened by game plans that make no sense to me. I get that the Falcons, Cowboys, and 9'ers were all in must win mode loaded with superior vets, but I haven't seen poorer defensive play calls since Haslett was here. Although I'm tempted to give Schotty a pass because the O-line was thoroughly outclassed two weeks in a row and the young skill position players are making the number of mistakes you'd expect, the schemes are so predictable that even I can usually guess where the ball is going by the time the ball is snapped.
The fire from this team last year was evident in players like Finnegan, H. Dahl, Dunbar, Jackson, Long, and Laurinaitis. This year, Finny and Harvey are getting beaten too often to brawl, Dunbar is just getting back without the juice, Jackson is in Atlanta, and the tattooed white boys are suffering through the S,O.S. There is ZERO physical presence on offense! I'm a 48 y o lifelong fan and this is the softest O in the history of the team. On defense, McCleod, Quinn, Jenks, and Alec inspire me. But what happened to Brockers? Langford actually looks better than last year. If we can get these players in the right positions to make plays, there might develop a team personality but not if they have to suffer numerous 3 and outs by the offense.
Bottom line, the only way I see a winning record this year is by selling out as a spread passing team because that's all this line can do. If that's all they practice, maybe there will be fewer errors. Maybe the kids will learn faster. Hopefully Sam survives. But every time they line up in 12 personnel and try to run up the gut, well, let's just say our opponents chuckle while I resist the urge to throw my TV out the window.
Thanks for letting me rant. I'll still sit in eager anticipation Sunday drinking my Kool-Aid, it's just so early in the season for me to be spiking it with vodka to kill the pain
My faith in the young talent is threatened by game plans that make no sense to me. I get that the Falcons, Cowboys, and 9'ers were all in must win mode loaded with superior vets, but I haven't seen poorer defensive play calls since Haslett was here. Although I'm tempted to give Schotty a pass because the O-line was thoroughly outclassed two weeks in a row and the young skill position players are making the number of mistakes you'd expect, the schemes are so predictable that even I can usually guess where the ball is going by the time the ball is snapped.
The fire from this team last year was evident in players like Finnegan, H. Dahl, Dunbar, Jackson, Long, and Laurinaitis. This year, Finny and Harvey are getting beaten too often to brawl, Dunbar is just getting back without the juice, Jackson is in Atlanta, and the tattooed white boys are suffering through the S,O.S. There is ZERO physical presence on offense! I'm a 48 y o lifelong fan and this is the softest O in the history of the team. On defense, McCleod, Quinn, Jenks, and Alec inspire me. But what happened to Brockers? Langford actually looks better than last year. If we can get these players in the right positions to make plays, there might develop a team personality but not if they have to suffer numerous 3 and outs by the offense.
Bottom line, the only way I see a winning record this year is by selling out as a spread passing team because that's all this line can do. If that's all they practice, maybe there will be fewer errors. Maybe the kids will learn faster. Hopefully Sam survives. But every time they line up in 12 personnel and try to run up the gut, well, let's just say our opponents chuckle while I resist the urge to throw my TV out the window.
Thanks for letting me rant. I'll still sit in eager anticipation Sunday drinking my Kool-Aid, it's just so early in the season for me to be spiking it with vodka to kill the pain