Shula: Finally getting it?

[top dawg]

What a difference a month makes! As one who has been highly critical of Mike Shula, the past three games have given me pause. Perhaps I was a bit premature in my assessment of his inability to design effective plays, and manage a game.  His play calling no longer reminds me of watching the same rerun over and over during the game, much less multiple games in a row.  I don't know about you, but the play where Smitty basically took Revis out the play while Ginn came across underneath (and Cam hit him in stride) was a thing of beauty.  Perhaps he just needs more time (just like Rivera, Cam and the rest of the team) to develop, or gel (if you will) with the personnel, as the OC. He's learning the potential of all his pieces---in part, and as a whole ("playing chess instead of checkers"). I want to see how he handles his duties when we get to the "meat" of our schedule, and whether or not his game plan adapts to the game under tough conditions, but I am encouraged from what I've seen as of late. His "situational awareness" (as well as Rivera's and Cam's, seems to be improving with each week. 

[Peppers90 NC]

what a difference execution and oline continuity makes!  The Amini injury only caused us to solidify the lineup on the oline and not rotating Wharton and Scott.  they are in a groove, Cam is checking down.  Shula has improved but I never saw him as the problem.

[Mr. Scot]

Honestly, I've actually been on board with most of his playcalling from the beginning.

 

You can call a good game and still lose.

[panther4life]

I think Shula has done a great job the whole season. I didn't remember him from his Tampa days so I had no bias for or against him. I think a lot you were brainwashed by Zod but Shula has done a terrific job all season. No he hasn't been perfect in every game but I really like what I have seen from him so far.

[Peppers90 NC]

Honestly, I've actually been on board with most of his playcalling from the beginning.

 

You can call a good game and still lose.

correct, the only game i had a problem was the lack of adjustments in the Arizona game.

[TylerDurden]

Honestly, I've actually been on board with most of his playcalling from the beginning.

You can call a good game and still lose.

This.

QFT.

I'm happy for Shula, and happy for us

[Tarheels23]

Shula has only called one bad game, which was the Bills game. He totally abandoned the run, which is what really did us in.

 

Let's be honest, we all passed out grades on Shula before the season even started, kinda like the Ginn thread, where some of you are claiming he drops to many passes, when the actually truth is, the deep ball last night was his first drop.

[CRA]

Is what we have been doing any different than what Shula did week 1?

Bills game was the only off game and you never know how much was Cam vs Shula.

[Peppers90 NC]

Is what we have been doing any different than what Shula did week 1?

yes, executing.

[Udogg]

What a difference a month makes! As one who has been highly critical of Mike Shula, the past three games have given me pause. Perhaps I was a bit premature in my assessment of his inability to design effective plays, and manage a game.  His play calling no longer reminds me of watching the same rerun over and over during the game, much less multiple games in a row.  I don't know about you, but the play where Smitty basically took Revis out the play while Ginn came across underneath (and Cam hit him in stride) was a thing of beauty.  Perhaps he just needs more time (just like Rivera, Cam and the rest of the team) to develop, or gel (if you will) with the personnel, as the OC. He's learning the potential of all his pieces---in part, and as a whole ("playing chess instead of checkers"). I want to see how he handles his duties when we get to the "meat" of our schedule, and whether or not his game plan adapts to the game under tough conditions, but I am encouraged from what I've seen as of late. His "situational awareness" (as well as Rivera's and Cam's, seems to be improving with each week. 

 

I think Shula has always got it. Everyone especially Cam have said that it's preparation and execution. There hasn't been a major change as far as philosophy.  The team just wasn't executing properly.  A lot of people were predetermined that Shula sucks and were conditioned to see the bad over the good  We all are guilty of it. 

 

From Ron Rivera is going to make a bad decision to Deangelo Williams isn't a good running back to Cam needs to be traded.  Preconceived notions are hard to discard.  Especially when you care about the team and realize we wouldn't have lost a game this year if we have played like this the whole time.

 

I rewatch all the games on NFL rewind and have never seen a play that was just a "bad" call.  I have seen lots of bad results, but not really bad calls.  Running plays on 3 and 1 that are working now are the same running plays as before except for the fact that someone didn't miss a block.   Passing plays that were thrown high or picked off before are now between the numbers and blocking (especially pass blocking) has been much improved.  Shula was never a problem,  Cam, Oline, WR/TE dropping balls, bad route running were the problem.

[CRA]

yes, executing.

That is players.

Shula called a a comparable game against Seattle as his recent praised ones. Fans were just in shock we weren't attempting bombs all game.

Fans asked for the Bills debacle......Shula/Cam simply weren't back to the Seattle game model and we are rolling

[carolina-chuck]

I still wanna see more from Shula and including McDermott.

I think it's still too conservative. I want Shula to open up the offense.

[top dawg]

I think Shula has always got it. Everyone especially Cam have said that it's preparation and execution. There hasn't been a major change as far as philosophy.  The team just wasn't executing properly.  A lot of people were predetermined that Shula sucks and were conditioned to see the bad over the good  We all are guilty of it. 

 

From Ron Rivera is going to make a bad decision to Deangelo Williams isn't a good running back to Cam needs to be traded.  Preconceived notions are hard to discard.  Especially when you care about the team and realize we wouldn't have lost a game this year if we have played like this the whole time.

 

I rewatch all the games on NFL rewind and have never seen a play that was just a "bad" call.  I have seen lots of bad results, but not really bad calls.  Running plays on 3 and 1 that are working now are the same running plays as before except for the fact that someone didn't miss a block.   Passing plays that were thrown high or picked off before are now between the numbers and blocking (especially pass blocking) has been much improved.  Shula was never a problem,  Cam, Oline, WR/TE dropping balls, bad route running were the problem.

 

I will defer to your thought process, in general, because you have re-watched the games, but I remember some bad play calls (like unnecessarily running the Wild Cat), and running D-will (or Tolbert) into the middle of a pile repetitively. And let's not forget the god-awfully slow developing read option that was reminiscent of the first part of last year (granted, this may have been solely Cam's problem, but I doubt it).

[Peppers90 NC]

That is players.

Shula called a a comparable game against Seattle as his recent praised ones. Fans were just in shock we weren't attempting bombs all game.

Fans asked for the Bills debacle......Shula/Cam simply weren't back to the Seattle game model and we are rolling

yea i meant the main difference is the players are putting it all together now.  the scheme and play calling is very similar, he just knows our strengths and weaknesses a little better.  people here find it much easier and bearable to blame coaches because they are easier to replace than the players, therefore instead of admitting we were playing with deficiencies, folks just ignorantly pointed the finger at Shula because it is so easy.