It's time fo stop using "rookie QB" and "new system" as excuses for losses.

[Happy Panther]

Ever thought that maybe we just aren't good enough to win the games??

This is a scary thought.

We reupped all our vets and added a rookie who looks like a 5 year vet.

How many former pro-bowlers do we have on our roster right now? Smith, Gross, Williams, Kalil, Beason (inj)... any others?

[Dpantherman]

I mean, there is no doubt that we have plenty of talent, but for example look at the defense. Really young and inexperienced, they aren't ready. As we grow as a team we will be able to win games like yesterday. Yea we should have won, but we didn't, we aren't good enough yet.

Reminds of the 2008 packers/ last year's bills.

[SpeedOFLight]

I think we are going to be fine. It's easy to get upset about these games we lost because we were in every game. We just need to execute better in the end. I am not one of the those that holds on to the excuse that this is a rebuilding year. You really think the coaches and players feel that this is a rebuilding year? We are good enough to win this year. Sure the defense needs to step up but have you noticed that this season it seems that team's offense is so much ahead of their defenses? Well except a few lol. Reality is that we ate 1-3. This is still an early season. It is not how you start but how you finish. Now let's get the Saints!

[MadHatter]

The offense has done their part. Add another WR like Gettis to the mix and this offense can play with ANYONE in the league.

The defense was a ? before the season...and losing your starting NT and two pro-bowl LB's has killed them.

We will continue to struggle on defense this season. However, given Rivera's ability to turn a defense to a top one in a season, this team will be absolutely nasty next season....once the defense catches up to the offense.

[CLTPanther]

ST and run D are costing us games, at least yesterday. Jason Baker, why on gods green earth would you punt that damn ball to Hester and NOT out of bounds????

[Mr. Scot]

I can easily say I am less worried about this team's future now than I have been probably since 2005.

[monstercat]

What is so magical about next year. Why not 2 years?

Well history tells us that it almost always takes a year for a brand new coaching staff and a rookie QB to start winning consistently.

Whether you call it an excuse or not, having new coaches and new systems in all three phases of the game with a bunch of young players starting in key roles after a shortened off season, is a disadvantage. There is just no way around that annoying little fact. There is also a very good reason why first year HC's are normally allowed extra practice time before TC starts.

[Cat'sGrowl]

Well history tells us that it almost always takes a year for a brand new coaching staff and a rookie QB to start winning consistently.

Whether you call it an excuse or not, having new coaches and new systems in all three phases of the game with a bunch of young players starting in key roles after a shortened off season, is a disadvantage. There is just no way around that annoying little fact. There is also a very good reason why first year HC's are normally allowed extra practice time before TC starts.

It really doesn't. Not in the modern NFL.

[blackcatgrowl]

this.

You people are demanding high performance when you haven't even given the team time to gel yet.....who expected them to be as good as they are now? We see the potential but we can't improve until we solve the problems and learn to play together.

that's just the way it works. its football. building period. just be glad we aren't the lions or saints....we had a couple of really bad seasons, we are going to be better. just chill for now.

Agreed 100%.

What the team needs to do now is learn from their mistakes and build on them.

Like defense and special teams "giving up the big play". They need to learn how not to. Because 25 minutes of good defense is useless if you let the other team score 4 TDs in a handful of busted plays.

[Happy Panther]

Well history tells us that it almost always takes a year for a brand new coaching staff and a rookie QB to start winning consistently.

If anything is is the opposite. First time/first year coaches have been amazingly successful recently.

[monstercat]

It really doesn't. Not in the modern NFL.

Really? Name all of the first time HC/ rookie QB combos that have won the Superbowl in their first year together. Maybe some have made the play offs, but I guarantee you those teams had an established defense and relied heavily on the running game too. We have neither of those things, even though the running game woke up a little bit yesterday.

Again though, we're only 4 games in to this thing anyway so this season is not a lost cause by any stretch.

[AceMan]

I don't mind when some of us complain about losing.

After the last two seasons, people are just tired of losing...period. I am too.

[Peppers90 NC]

If anything is is the opposite. First time/first year coaches have been amazingly successful recently.

I wont say rookie QB or new system because Cam has proven those terms dont matter for us. I will say holes on defense, injuries and not enough time to gel has held us back. But still, those you are referring to had either exceptional talent on defense and/or on offense. We are on the short end of the stick for the defense part.

Of course as players, they play to win and expect to, which is how they should feel going into every game. As a fan, I can tell we have some holes and are just a notch below the playoff teams THIS YEAR. I can have that mindset b/c I dont have to go into the games and play. Realistic expectations folks, you will be a lot happier and save you from some grey hairs.

[teeray]

Rome wasn't built in a day. We have had a chance to win some games and that is nice. But we have to allow them time to grown and be patient. These little mistakes that are costing us games are things that will get ironed out.

It isn't an excuse, it is reality. And I can't wait to see where we are when this team finally starts to put things together. Unfortunately it might not be this year.

We are so close though it is really easy to get restless and we need to remember that we are a growing team with a growing coach.

This is only the beginning :thumbsup: