07-08-2015, 07:04 PM
(07-08-2015, 06:23 PM)WhoDeyWho Wrote: If injuries didn't matter, you wouldn't have exorbitant salaries, because you could theoretically plug in any schmo and you wouldn't have any drop off whatsoever. I mean, the Giants won a SB with Hostettler for crissakes!
In regard to the Dalton Green era, in 2011 they were rookies coming off a 4 win season. 2013 they should have won. 2014 they shouldn't even had made the playoffs given all the injuries.
My optimism comes from finally having a home-run hitter in the backfield. Couple him with two playmaking WRs and watch out. I also like that we have our D-line rotation back. It was a pretty good one before Johnson left.
I don't recall ever trying to say that injuries don't matter. Among my points were that I don't we have seen an above average amount of injuries, both in sheer volume and impact.
I don't think it's fair to say that this team has been hindered more than average amount by injury, both last season and over the course of the last 4. I don't it's fair to use it as an excuse. Good to great teams win all thae time with injured players. That's what makes them good (or great). And all teams see significant injuries at some point. Unless you're seeing an unordinary amount of players getting hurt then it's excuse almost every team could share.
The 2013 New Patriots lost Wes Welker (FA), Rob Gronkowski (Injury) Aaron Hernandez (Murder 1) and the newly signed Welker replacement Danny Amendola (Injury). Welker and Hernadez obviously for the whole year, Gronk for the majority and Amendola on and off for half. Guess what they did? They went 12-4 and made it t0 the AFC Championship. This with the likes of Aaron Hobson and Kembrell Thompkins seeing significant time. This with the duo of Gronk and Hernandez, the greatest TE due ever, being replaced by Michael Hoomanawanui and Matthew Mulligan.
You want to know how they did this? Because they're a legitimate contender. They're well coached. They have a great QB. They expect nothing but the very best. Their expectations and demands are ridiculously high, regardless of circumstance.
Like or not, these are you peers. To win in this league sometimes you got to sack up and win a game with a star player out. Sometimes your QB is going to be down a weapon or two. Happens to everyone. And if you can't adapt then that's what makes you less than. That's why you're not one of the big dogs, but a pretender.
And IMHO if you allow the idea that excuses are acceptable into your organization I think you're already behind the eight ball. I think some of that plagues this team. It is clear they don't demand as much as their peers, and I think that hurts them. I just hope none of the thinking on injuries being such a greater hindrance here is shared by the staff. Which would be scary, because I doubt you'd hear the same excuses in places like NE and Pit. And many teams have lost players a whole of lot better than Tyler Eiffert and Marvin Jones, and many star players have missed longer periods than AJ Green.
