Khyber53

Right now, all that means is that an option is likely to be exercised. We were keeping him for year four no matter what and we will probably keep him around for year five. Both of those years would be at what could be considered reasonable fees for a QB. What kind of QB? Where on the depth chart? Doesn't say a thing. Not one damned thing about it. And that's because we don't know what we have yet from Bryce, still. But let's be honest about a few things since Canales came along. We are actually showing the kind of progress you want from a head coach. He inherited a run down, poorly assembled team that was more used to being doormats and losers than anything else. And he elevated the squad with limited resources last year, even at one point benching the starting #1 pick QB for poor performance and keeping him from starting until another injury forced his hand. And somehow, with a historically bad defense, we managed to win some games that we had no right doing and playing a couple of other championship level teams to a near deadlock. And we moved into this season with Bryce back under center and we've had some serious ups and downs for the third year QB. And the rest of the team. We're getting better but we are far from a finished product, especially at QB. But we are sitting here with a winning record and two wins against teams where the betting line had us at 10 point underdogs. We actually have a shot at the playoffs. Last year, that would have been completely unbelievable. So, here we are looking at giving Bryce that coveted 5th year option and the money and commitment that comes with it. What does that do? Well, it gives Canales and Bryce another season to fix what is broken and to grow, which he is (in fits and starts). Can Canales coax that record setting Bryce out a bit more? He did against LA last week. Maybe there's more growing to happen there. And well, as much as we might kick the walls at that thought, it would be good for everything to finally pay out on that gamble we made. But what it doesn't do... It doesn't lock us into not drafting a QB again, possibly one on Day 2 or 3 of the draft to keep Bryce's seat warm and to groom for the future. It also doesn't prevent us from snagging a FA QB out there if the right one comes along that Canales feels more confident. And if another team with a desperate need at QB or a good team in need of a quality back up comes sniffing around, there are two years on a decent contract available for trade. There's no lose in exercising the option. There are some opportunities.

This 100%. The "nobody saw this coming" game. Okay, Jake apparently believed it could happen.

Pay it now rather than later. Steady has a value all on its own and that means if you have a top 12 LT, they are probably going to need to be paid like a top 5 LT just to hang onto them. Give him top 5 salary today and it'll be a bargain compared to what it will be next season.

More than people, myself included, want to acknowledge. It's not just a coach that players need to want to run through a wall for.

Those three touchdown passes were pretty decent, though. Even the most cynical has to agree to that.

It's been many a year since we were in December talking about how games mattered for something other than draft order. This crazy, mixed up, unpredictable, maddening, uplifting and teeth gnashing season has certainly not been boring.

This is maddening because, well, it's so up and down. When the kid's on, he can be great. When he's mediocre, we can still win based on a strong running game and good defense. When he's bad, and over his history he's this more than not, then it's a sad show that no one could win with. How can anyone know what is going to happen right now? Really. It's like picking one flake in a snow globe and shaking it once a week... there is no telling where it will end up. Things I did see on Sunday from Bryce: his teammates love him; he can make the big throws with good protection and good effort from his receivers. He isn't afraid to run. He can rise up against the best in competition (but he can also sink to the level of bad competition). All I can say is if Canales goes with an aggressive game plan for Bryce that leans on a hot-hand running game, the team can beat anyone. If there's any wishy-washy play calling, then Bryce melts and couldn't beat anyone. Maybe the person Bryce needs to win over more than anyone is Canales.

Sunday threw another monkey wrench into the equation.

Evaluating Canales right now is like evaluating our WR corps. You can't take Bryce out of the equation, so you can't give it a fair judging. Bryce just throws the math off. And no, Andy Dalton games don't count. As good as a guy as he is, I think all the tread has worn off of his tires. Keep Canales and let him go into next season picking the QB he wants, either in the draft or free agency.

Here today it's ground lamb burritos for the feasting on the foes exercise. And changing it up a bit in hope of luck with Nacho cheese-flavored Bugles.

Oh, I agree on many things there. And Fields is mainly enjoyable because he plays on other teams. Yeah, this experiment has gone on far too long.

Sheeesh, he's a disappointment, but there are soooo many worse football players, judged by on or off field attributes.

Here's my deal. I hate the whole "Alpha" bullshit, because it has been turned into an act, a marketing ploy and a wonky set of qualifications. What I think you need as a QB for your team is the happy, smart leader that brings his teammates along rather than throwing them on his back. And they need to be a stone cold killer when they get to the field. As much as I dislike the guy, it's Brady over the Mannings. It's Montana over Marino. It's Bradshaw over Staubach. And here's the one that'll get me killed around here: It's Jake over Cam.

Canales has the problem of an amateur lifeguard. He's trying desperately to save the career of a floundering young QB, not realizing that he is being pulled underwater by the kid and that there are 52 other players who are about to be pulled under as well. Sometimes you have to let the one go to save yourself and get to the others.

I think he's been trying to prove a point and also allowing it to play out in case his team owners were right. Also, by listening to him, he doesn't give up on people and wants to keep at it until there's a breakthrough. And I think that it's come to that undeniable spot, the lynchpin of the entire exercise. This team would be playoff bound without a doubt with a QB that had been in the top 24 of the league. Not top 4, not top 10, not even top 20... but a QB that was barely better than the bottom quarter of the league as a passer. He's given everything here and we had that moment against Atlanta where Bryce shined in a desperately dark moment. But this week showed that he can't push the rock over the finish line. He just can't compete at the level needed. Canales got the defensive performance he needs as a HC to win and we've seen Evero get that out there (surprisingly) on a number of occasions this season. And Canales called his own plays against SF, called a pass heavy game like he did in Tampa and Seattle. That's his bread and butter. Bryce couldn't bake the bread, though. It's as simple as that. We have the rest of the team pretty much. We've got a good receiving corps (I'd think given better passing). We have a better o-line than we're given credit for had the QB behind them been braver, taller and more decisive. We have an excellent running backs group. Our defense is strong on the back end, needs linebackers and a better rush, but it's marginally okay and sometimes surprisingly effective. Got a first class rookie kicker and a solid punter. If you evaluate the team and put just a marginally, even average QB in the mix and we'd be two to three games ahead of where we are now. So the math is simple. The only question remains: draft QB and start at square one again, or has Canales got his next QB reclamation project already in mind?

Head coach keeps calling passing plays, even when the running game shows some promise in the face of adversity. Coach is giving the QB every, every, every chance to prove he can be the guy that is needed to fulfill what he needs from the position. And it just is disappointment after disappointment. One big game and the rest are nothing burgers except for a twinkle of light here and there. You just know Canales is looking at Bryce going, "He's just such a great kid, I'm giving him every chance, but..." Prepare for a change next season in QB. Bryce will end up as the QB2, a role he will be pretty darned good at, here or wherever. And I think his teammates are in the same boat as the coach. They love the guy but they are chained to him right now.

New one's up. It's a longer one. Tough one to do, hopefully it turned out well.

Young men playing a violent game for our enjoyment, just got to pray that he and they all make it through this. And save a prayer or two for the day to day working folks going through countless injuries and illnesses without these resources available to them.

Gochujang. You can find it in the Asian section of most grocery stores now. Comes in a red plastic box with a flip top lid. Warning: Once you start using it, it's hard to stop using it.

There's just not much left to say is there? Our defense gave us every chance we needed to win that game. And we really couldn't do anything with it. Lot of folks injured for such a let down. It's time to look down the road and let him play out whatever happens.

Can't argue with that.

My biggest thing is that down the stretch we could be facing three different QBs that have revenge on their minds for us jettisoning us: Bridgewater, Mayfield (assuming they split the two due to Baker's injury) and Darnold. Add in that we have McCaffrey that we traded away for peanuts. It's bad karma. But we're also the black cats, so maybe that bad karma whips back around and works for us. Oh, who the heck knows. We're competitive and there are opportunities ahead of us if we can make it through tonight. I mean, when was the last time we were in first place in the NFCSouth past the second week?

Going with fish sandwiches on sourdough here to keep with the Feasting on the Foes tradition going. Will serve with a side of 49er fries (steak fries). And of course, Bugles during the game.

We're banged up, they're banged up. Their stars available are better than our stars available. To win this one, it's going to have to be a gameplan a lot like we used against Green Bay... drag them down into the mud with us and see who has the ball when it gets to the end.