He was completely out matched last year.

I truly believe we now have the talent to match up with Baltimore. This game, for me, is all about the coaching. It is currently the one advantage that I think the Ravens have (until proven otherwise Sunday).

This is the biggest game of ZT's career. He can win A LOT of people over if he wins this game. He is he X factor.

Let's see how far you've come.

The entire team was outmatched last year. Hopefully this year tge results are better

If this is all on Zac we're boned.

Well yeah... and execution.

If you dial up plays and the players aren't executing them or getting dumb penalties it can make him look worse.

Let's see how far they come. But does that mean a win or does that mean not getting so badly outmatched as we have under ZT the prior 2 years against them?

I'm hesitant to put so much on a win that I'm not sold we'll get Sunday.

I think this take is a bit excessive, but do agree that this is a HUGE game for ZT.

I don't think coaching played as much a part in us getting destroyed by the ratbirds as much lack of talent when considering injured players. Our Db's weren't good, our D-line couldn't set an edge, couldn't get home, etc.

I see a pattern each week where we want to hold ZT accountable as if it's a life or death scenario (detroit was you've gotta beat the team you're supposed to beat, trap game etc. ) and I know it's because most folks still don't beleive ZT is the guy, which I think is fair considering his first two years.

But let's not go overboard here! ZT has assembled quite a team at this point. We'll be in every game we play, and I'm not sure there's a team we can't hang with (until I see it of course).

But something we're seeing this year is folks out there having FUN. folks playing for EACH OTHER. you can directly thank coaching for setting a culture and a tone.

I think we can take Baltimore, but I won't be doom and gloom if we don't.

(10-22-2021, 05:25 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: I think this take is a bit excessive, but do agree that this is a HUGE game for ZT.

I don't think coaching played as much a part in us getting destroyed by the ratbirds as much lack of talent when considering injured players.  Our Db's weren't good, our D-line couldn't set an edge, couldn't get home, etc.  

I see a pattern each week where we want to hold ZT accountable as if it's a life or death scenario (detroit was you've gotta beat the team you're supposed to beat, trap game etc. ) and I know it's because most folks still don't beleive ZT is the guy, which I think is fair considering his first two years.  

But let's not go overboard here!  ZT has assembled quite a team at this point.  We'll be in every game we play, and I'm not sure there's a team we can't hang with (until I see it of course).  

But something we're seeing this year is folks out there having FUN.  folks playing for EACH OTHER.  you can directly thank coaching for setting a culture and a tone.  

I think we can take Baltimore, but I won't be doom and gloom if we don't.

We could win the Super Bowl in a complete blowout, and we'd have the same posters coming on here saying "Well, let's see if he can repeat it or it was a fluke....coming back as defending champion is the test"

(10-22-2021, 05:28 PM)Sled21 Wrote: We could win the Super Bowl in a complete blowout, and we'd have the same posters coming on here saying "Well, let's see if he can repeat it or it was a fluke....coming back as defending champion is the test"

Agree with both of you guys (ie you and wildcat).  I have questioned a few things this year about Taylor, but the hate is a bit excessive.   And with Lou, he's done a good job with better talent.   Too soon to anoint him or get hyperbolic about him, but he has better talent to work with and is doing a good job thus far.  Simply put (imo), we are trending in the right direction and should be objective moving forward.  

I hope not cause we're screwed.

I like seeing the team win despite the bad coaching.

(10-22-2021, 05:45 PM)motoarch Wrote: I hope not cause we're screwed.

I like seeing the team win despite the bad coaching.

I don't understand the narrative or implication of bad coaching.  It absolutely might be true, but how do we know?  The players on the field play the game.  and as we know, burrow has control to check plays etc.  We don't ever really know other than critiquing via hindsight.  

A similar example would be parenting.  We give our kids all the tools in the world to make proper decisions and be ready for situations, but at the end of the day when they leave the nest, be it to go to school or work or to a friends house, whatever, it's up to them to use said tools.

This game is definitely the biggest most meaningful game of Taylor's career here so far. A win would say a lot and I would start to believe that he may have what it takes as a coach. We have put a good roster together and while a loss neither ruins the season or proves Taylor can't be a good coach. We need to see growth out of him and when these big games that will most likely be close that he can do what needs done to put this team in position to win. I'm not super optimistic and I'll only really be upset if the defense plays a solid game and we lose because the offense can't do anything.

(10-22-2021, 05:25 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: I think this take is a bit excessive, but do agree that this is a HUGE game for ZT.

I don't think coaching played as much a part in us getting destroyed by the ratbirds as much lack of talent when considering injured players.  Our Db's weren't good, our D-line couldn't set an edge, couldn't get home, etc.  

I see a pattern each week where we want to hold ZT accountable as if it's a life or death scenario (detroit was you've gotta beat the team you're supposed to beat, trap game etc. ) and I know it's because most folks still don't beleive ZT is the guy, which I think is fair considering his first two years.  

But let's not go overboard here!  ZT has assembled quite a team at this point.  We'll be in every game we play, and I'm not sure there's a team we can't hang with (until I see it of course).  

But something we're seeing this year is folks out there having FUN.  folks playing for EACH OTHER.  you can directly thank coaching for setting a culture and a tone.  

I think we can take Baltimore, but I won't be doom and gloom if we don't.

There's a difference between faith in the players and faith in the scheme.

I don't doubt this team can beat any other team out there. I do doubt the coaching staff can create a scheme to beat any other team out there.

(10-22-2021, 05:58 PM)BigPapaKain Wrote: There's a difference between faith in the players and faith in the scheme.

I don't doubt this team can beat any other team out there. I do doubt the coaching staff can create a scheme to beat any other team out there.

And I respect your opinion for sure.  But how does one have such doubts on a coach that took a Ryan Finley led team against the Steelers for the win?  There are other examples, but holy moly.  That was something I'll never forget.  

You have to imagine that when ZT took over, he likely looked over that current group and told MB it's gonna be a rough couple years.  Otherwise, he'd be gone by now.  I think he's been more impressive from a character standpoint in that he's not given excuses like I probably would've, but he's taken plenty of likely unnecessary lumps, all the while Marvin giggling from afar.

I don't even see 1% of the same quit-bs attitude we saw the last two years from certain players.  That's something I can at least hang my hat on as tangible evidence we've got something good going on.  

I dunno.  I know that you also want to believe we've got all the right stuff, but perhaps you need more time.  Totally your right and respectable, i have zero issues with that.

Very good points being made in this thread. Zac has brought in some good talent with good positive attitudes and leadership capabilities. As mentioned, these guys are having fun and playing for each other. That there is good coaching. Good thing is he’s not done building this team yet. Yet, the players he picks are going to be good for this team and not individuals with attitudes and poor ethic. His greatest accomplishment thus far has been changing the culture. All these things mentioned must be there to compete and win at this level.

My only questioning of ZT is his play calling.

(10-22-2021, 04:43 PM)Gdale_Bengal Wrote: The entire team was outmatched last year. Hopefully this year tge results are better

60 something to 3 or whatever outmatched though?

(10-22-2021, 05:58 PM)BigPapaKain Wrote: There's a difference between faith in the players and faith in the scheme.

I don't doubt this team can beat any other team out there. I do doubt the coaching staff can create a scheme to beat any other team out there.

So what scheme would you deploy?

(10-22-2021, 04:47 PM)BigPapaKain Wrote: If this is all on Zac we're boned.

Couldn't agree more, this team is winning despite him.

(10-22-2021, 05:25 PM)wildcatnku24 Wrote: I think we can take Baltimore, but I won't be doom and gloom if we don't.

I doubt even many of the hard core homers had us beating the Ravens on the road.

(10-22-2021, 07:31 PM)sandwedge Wrote: So what scheme would you deploy?

You can't ask that until after the game...

(10-22-2021, 07:31 PM)sandwedge Wrote: So what scheme would you deploy?

If I see a new bridge collapse I probably would not have any idea what the engineers should have done differently.  But I know failure when I see it.

So far I don't feel like the offense is playing up to its talent level.  It is not all on the coaches.  There have been big drops and bad throws, but overall the offense just is not as consistent and productive as it should be.  When I look at the talent we have I have to put a lot of the blame on the coaches.