The Next 8 Games Will Define Zac

[*rfaulk34*]

(11-20-2021, 03:42 PM)Murdock2420 Wrote: Yes and no.

The front half of the schedule is certainly easier then the back half. 

8-9 is certainly a let down after the 5-2 start but look at some of the wins, the Jags, the Lions, the steelers (who are still a terrible team regardless of that record) and then a win over the Vikings on a really fluke fumble by Cook in OT.

On the back half, every team is in the playoff hunt. Chargers, Raiders, Chiefs and even the Broncos are all fighting for the top spot out west and none of them have a losing record. 

Only team on the remaining schedule with a losing record is the 49ers, who just manhandled the Rams.

I think the team should beat the Raiders based on talent and the interim coach in Las Vegas. 
I think the team should beat the steelers again, because...they aren't good.

After that, it's a coin flip against some good teams. It won't be just coaching, it'll be health, how the players handle themselves on field (fumbles, drops, ints, things you aren't expecting), and unfortunately just some dumb luck with calls.

(My argument is assuming they stay relatively healthy.)

For me, it's usually pretty easy to see 'how' they're playing. Do they look tentative. Are they able to respond to a 2nd half/late game score, etc. It's just as easy to see if they're playing aggressive and/or are just being outplayed. EDIT: The Browns game is a good example. After the Jets loss, even though they came out moving the ball, when adversity hit, they didn't seem to respond well, whether it was making plays in the game (several of which they missed opportunities on) or their body language/actions on the sidelines. They seems a bit 'deer in the headlights'ish. 

A losing 2nd half record where they seem to be playing well and are simply overmatched (talent-wise) or just out-played would be a more acceptable way to finish like that; with the belief that a stronger Oline and better (pick position group on D here) play would lead to improvements next year. 

People can talk all they want about how X team is playing right now but going toe to toe with GB, winning at Pitt and blowing out the Ravens in Balt, says something about the team because they've not been able to do that much in the recent past. When you raise the bar like that, falling on your face while healthy is more a problem of coaching and/or weak (not physically) players, not able to overcome and rise to the occasion. But even a percentage of how the players play has to fall on the coaching staff because they're the ones putting them in positions via gameplans, play calling, etc.