Zak Taylor's replacement

[Nicomo Cosca]

(11-18-2020, 01:30 PM)Wes Mantooth Wrote: No offense, but there is no single thing I disagree more with this long outdated thinking.

People always say this, but this logic hasn't been true in forever.  People were still calling Pittsburgh a "smash mouth team" when they were near the top of the league in pass attempts under Arians.  They were throwing the ball more than almost every other team.  Ben was heaving the ball 500+ times a season.

Ben Roethlisburger is currently 7th in attempts this season.  The Steelers are 25th in rushing yards.  Pittsburgh hasn't been a smash mouth team in a long, long time.  Unless "smash mouth" has somehow morphed into just having a good defense.

The Ravens aren't a smash mouth team either.  They run a read-option for Christ sake.  They run a ton of shotgun, and employ a super modern QB.  This isn't smash-mouth football.  Again, unless smash mouth means having a good defense.

The Browns?  They run the ball well.  But also, not smash mouth either.  They employ one of the highest paid duo's of WR's in the enitre league.  They paid out the highest contract to a FA TE this season.  They have another 1st round TE they just drafted a couple of years ago.  They also drafted another one relatively high this year.  They employ a more than average mobile QB.  Their team is built with tons of weapons, not lets line it up and ram it down your throat smash mouth football.

And even if all the above wasn't true (it is), the idea that you have to build your team out to mirror your division peers is absolutely ridiculous.  You build the very best team you can, in the way you envision ultimate success.  You make, not only your division oppenents, but everyone else around the league.

We need to build the very best team we possibly can.  A team that cannot only beat Pittsburgh and Baltimore, but can also potentially beat teams like the Seahwaks, the Saints, the Chiefs, and the Bills.  I can't think of any other division, or team, that builds out their team with the thought process "this is NFC South football".

The AFC North isn't smash mouth and hasn't been in forever.  And even if it were (it's not), that doesn't mean we can't build out our team like any other successful team outside of the division.  The idea, that someone like the Chiefs or the Saints, couldn't compete in this division because they're not built for smash mouth football is the god damn dumbest thing I've ever heard.

tldr The term smash mouth football should've died around the turn of the century.

Spot on.