Khyber53

The injury bug nails a number of teams heavier than others each year. We seem to have been at the top of the hit list this season. It's a rough game, always has been, always will. It's kicking our butts right now, when we were already down, but in the end, it's just our turn.

While that is praise for Hurney, and he gets an awful lot of criticism, I have to agree just on the basis of how bad the rest of our managers have been. Still, under Hurney's drafting, we were competitive, or near champs, more often than not. Now, we're just the chumps sitting at the big poker table that are borrowing chips to try and fill an inside straight. We don't understand the game, we're behind and we're looking desperate.

And yeah, I did just praise Gettleman AND Hurney. That's how bad things are now.

I've been banging on this drum for about four years now. We once had decent scouts, and now, not so much. Actually, our scouting department seems to rely on Reddit rumor boards and grocery store newstand staples to do most of their work. It's hard to believe it, but the good ones left with Rivera and Hurney, leaving behind a patchwork of guys that couldn't get the job anywhere else. And then we brought in Fitterer and now Mushy-head Morgan to do the final picking. But let's not just slam our college scouting group. We've not been very good at grabbing and finding vet talent either. Heck, that was Gettleman's forte (he was a helluva dumpster diver) and Hurney wasn't bad at it either. But man, we've not had decent drafting in some time. We haven't had competent free agency work in some time either. And Lord, do we ever need it. Because what we have on the field right now, the survivors at least at this point, just aren't up to snuff. We look like a team picked up from a Goodwill Store and day labororers from the parking lot of Dick's Sporting Goods.

Tom Brady would have time winning when there are that many injured players on the team. Sheesh, it was like a bad day on M*A*S*H out there. Just devastating to see how long our injured players list is.

And here's the latest. A good portion of our crew is based in western NC in the Hendersonville area. Might see major delays in our videos coming up, but we're just glad everyone is safe.

I remember him as being a guy who was constantly on the cusp of becoming something. Apparently, he is again. Man, sure would be nice to see him get over that wall and run in glory for a bit.

I always said Darnold was better than people thought here. I'm glad to see him doing so well.

Competence, like incompetence, is contagious.

Looked good, but lost. About 15% of our starters went down and out, some for the season. Take another 9. We're up for revenge date with the Bears. No telling how this will look.

I've been pounding on that drum for years, no one listens.

All them sixes...

This ^100%. Just enjoy the possibility that we COULD win any game that we are heading into. We probably aren't winning most of them, probably not a lot of them, but definitely some of them. And that is an improvement over past years. We don't really have a shot at doing much, but we do have something watchable and a lot of growth happening. And that's something to hang our hat on. Oh, and I think we have the right coach in place to see us through this and onto better things. Feels a bit like 2002 again.

Actually, I think Jewell has been pretty decent. But Shaq, the team is going to miss him a lot. He's the on field leadership for the defense and there isn't a good replacement there.

We lost yesterday. I ain't even mad. That's still a better team out there than we've looked like for years. We got beat by a team that should have been better than 0-3. Now, about all those injuries... yikes.

The Bengals are pretty beat up, too. Looking over the league, most teams are really beat up right now. Really early in the year to have this many injury reports and issues.

Let's go for 2-2. We've not been at 50% wins since... poo I dunno when.

And about 27 teams in the league would give their eye teeth to have him.

We've won one game. They are all scary from here, at least from where we are looking right now. Ask me again after the Bengals game and I might be a bit braver. Right now I've still got that thrilling feeling of getting off of a roller coaster and I'm still alive.

Right now, it's just rumors.

Time to hunt tigers.

Chuba is playing like a man with a payday ahead of him. Great guy, amazing progress he's made here. I'd love to see Brooks and him doing the double trouble thing here a la Williams and Stewart. Right now, Chuba has the reins and he deserves them. Let Brooks come along as he heals and see what happens.

That really did look like he just glitched away from the tackler. Amazing move, might have even gotten past Luke with that one.

What I saw was an offensive line that played like a unit and one that had the proper pass protections called. it was also one that knew where the QB was and was supposed to be at all times. See, panic is contagious, so is competence. Veteran presence in the pocket is immensely important. And on the d-line... I was not expecting them to be nearly as cohesive and impactful considering the injuries. They played lights out.

Looking and playing five years younger. Absolutely in control of that defense out there. Guy's only 30 years old. Welcome back, man.