Primary Concerns: Coaching & Defensive Playmakers

[davos]

The fact that we did not plug all the holes one year after a 2-14 season is absolutely inexcusable.

...and I didn't mention what my expectations even were or that we should have gone out and gotten more talent. I think we should definitely target one though going forward. You work with what you have and I'm not one trying to look back on what could have happened.

[davos]

Red zone penalties are a killer

All of our penalties are. Bottom line is that we play kinda sloppy midst the high powered offensive style Chud has created. I just think the lack of discipline couldn't be more clear.

Like I've said, its expected given a young and inexperienced team, but it something that should definitely be acknowledged so they can improve.

[rodeo]

It seems lost on people that the reason the team is on the cusp of awesomeness is because of the top notch coaching. You can say they can't get over the hump due to coaching until you're blue in the face, but the fact that the team is even approaching the hump after being the worst team in the league last year speaks volumes to the job Rivera has done with this team.

[davos]

It seems lost on people that the reason the team is on the cusp of awesomeness is because of the top notch coaching. You can say they can't get over the hump due to coaching until you're blue in the face, but the fact that the team is even approaching the hump after being the worst team in the league last year speaks volumes to the job Rivera has done with this team.

Let me reiterate my point and add some things:

I think Rivera has done a great job in bringing us out from where we were. I didn't feel the need to acknowledge that, but yeah he's done well leading us out of the gutter.

As mentioned, you can only expect so much given our situation, but I'm saying he's clearly missing something when it comes to creating a well disciplined team. I think that's a reasonable statement to make.

That doesn't have much to do with the team "gelling" and taking time to really get going, it deals with not making irrational moves & pointless penalties as a professional football player. I'm staying optimistic about us, but I'm also just saying we could be doing a lot better right at this moment.

[davos]

I know its hard for some of you to grasp but it all starts up front. 3 of the 4 linemen are first time starters and 2 of them are rookies. Rivera cant stop the oline from blowing up the front and letting OL eat up our scrub LBs. There are allot of one on one battles being lost up front and there is no quick fix for that. Next year we look for help but this year its just going to be that way.

I think you're under the assumption that I want a quick fix. I'm acknowledging what I think are valid concerns. Its not hard to grasp. I know the defensive interior is the problem I never tried to discount that notion.

And I actually completely agree with you and that's why I even mentioned in my OP that we may need to get help up front by either developing these young DTs further or grabbing talent in the offseason.

[Mr Mojo Risin]

McDermott needs to go by at some point before next season he was terrible with Philly and now that he is here we have a terrible defense

[rayzor]

poo. lol

[nickzz]

i'm starting to think it's not all personnel problems... we SHOULD be winning more games, period. for whatever reason, we find ways to lose most of them. every team has weaknesses, we shouldn't have to obtain off-the-chart talent all over the team to be competitive...

[rayzor]

talked about in another thread that the coaching staff is still growing as well and still trying to find their identity.

the only real complaint that i have is their tapping on the brakes offensively. you can't win games trying to manage the clock rather than run up the score. not in today's NFL, anyway.

they'll get it worked out, though. just like newton. there has been plenty of flashes of brilliance and that is enough to give me confidence in them going forward.

i do agree about needing to add another playmaker on defense. i would like for that guy to take the place of TD and play the Will. with the LBs solid once again and beason in there to tighten things up on defense, our defense should be a lot better.

[nickzz]

holding calls completely kill drives and cam is forced to deal with these extremely long conversions. he's been doing a fantastic job, but imagine what these drives would look like without all the drawbacks. imo, our #1 problem is penalties, whether that's on the players or coaches has yet to be determined. you would think we'd, at the very least, cut-back on them... it's just not happening.

[rodeo]

These players committing all the holds (Byron Bell aside) are not rookies, and they're not new players. Jordan Gross, Steve Smith, Travelle Wharton... these are not players who have suddenly been influenced to hold by something about Rivera's coaching after nearly a decade in the league. I think the major difference is in what is being called vs. what is not being called.

[bleys]

We go from one of the worst offenses in modern history to top 5 in one season and all anyone wants to do is bitch about the coaching staff and FO for not accounting for 3 defensive starters going down in the beginning of the year.

:lol: seriously...

I look forward to the future, it looks bright...

I love how people are so quick to judge this coaching staff yet blatantly ignore the problems with the last one..

[bleys]

I love how people are so quick to judge this coaching staff yet blatantly ignore the problems with the last one..

[frash.exe]

It seems lost on people that the reason the team is on the cusp of awesomeness is because of the top notch coaching. You can say they can't get over the hump due to coaching until you're blue in the face, but the fact that the team is even approaching the hump after being the worst team in the league last year speaks volumes to the job Rivera has done with this team.

NOooo

Coach Rivera just doesn't look like a good HC to me by, you know, just the way he looks out there and his clock management and other things. Also I have a bad feeling about McDermott, which means I think he's the DC version of Jeff Davidson. Also John Fox is a helluva coach

/cyberjargon