02-10-2018, 02:20 PM
(02-09-2018, 12:22 PM)depthchart Wrote: Giving Marvin the Steeler game that he was oh so close on would have killed the "no playoff win" chants.
People have a right to make those chants but in my mind it oversimplifies a bigger issue.
The same people can chant the same "no playoff win" chants about Dalton, yet Dalton didn't even get to play in the playoffs with what would have been his best team in 2015. Marvin without Dalton for his 2015 team.
I see things more in Ranges.
Say a Range of Aptitude for Mike & Marvin.
7 to 10 wins with 11 to 12 possible in the Regular Season. (12 and 4 in 2015)
In my mind, teams that win 10 to 12 games in a Regular season are more than capable of winning a Playoff game.
It would not surprise me one bit if Mike & Marvin win a Playoff game within the next two years because they have been on that Bubble quite often. The chanters imply it to be an impossibility and that the 2015 team even with a healthy Dalton was incapable.
I see a glimmer of Hope here but Mike & Marvin's Range of Aptitude may not extend much beyond say getting that controversial Playoff win someday.
So in short, I think they can build a Playoff game winning team someday and had at least two in the past that were capable. (2015 & Palmer/Henry team)
I am not as hopeful that their Range of Aptitude would extend much beyond a Playoff win or maybe even two, however.
They do not go for it enough with personnel moves to go much further than that and Marvin may not be in the caliber of many of the successful playoff coaches he competes against.
I am trying to dial in a Range of what may be hoped for in a realistic way while having 0 and 7 chanters in my ear.
I don't include you as a chanter. I have found you to be very realistic.
Like I said man...would coulda shoulda. We're going into year 16 for Marv and year 27 for Mike. They are what they've been.
I appreciate the attempt at offering hope, but I'm way past tricking myself into believing in the guys up top. I respect that some need that fuel to keep their fandom going. I don't. I'm more of a "lets call a duck a duck and talk realistically about what the team can do to overcome those shortcomings" type.
In 7 attempts, Marv should've lucked into a playoff W...and he almost did against the Steelers, but even in that game I didn't see any reason to believe this team could go on a run. The defense finally showed, but the offense was abysmal for the 7th time in 7 trips with 4 different QBs, 3 different OC's, and many different faces at other spots. Marvin can't get a good offensive showing to save his life.
This is why I wanted an offensive guy...but here we are. If we get the line fixed, I can see 8-11 wins...and a swift playoff embarrassment. No reasons to believe otherwise.
The training, nutrition, medicine, fitness, playbooks and rules evolve. The athlete does not.
