03-24-2022, 01:23 PM
(03-24-2022, 12:46 PM)SunsetBengal Wrote: Nobody with any opinion on weather Zac and the staff are up for the challenges ahead?
I think that Zac Taylor and his coordinators and frankly entire staff have proved that they passed the most difficult task and that’s changing from a loser mentality to a winning mentality. They completely changed the culture which is ridiculously tough. They did it in dramatic and expedited fashion. Steven Radicevic (head of pro scouting) on a podcast said they changed their approach 3 years ago (when Zac changed it). Zac told the scouting department to look at players interacting with their teammates on the sideline and look for players from winning teams and of high character. Mission accomplished. Instructed the college scouting department to also look at captains of teams and players from winning programs. Mission accomplished.
Now to your post. There are definitely challenges. The biggest challenge is keeping them hungry as a team. The free agents coming in should help as they’ve been on teams winning Super Bowls. That’s something the whole organization shares as new.
The next biggest challenge is self examination of their weaknesses and their forecast of how teams will defend them next year. It sounds like Hurst is an important piece there. I’d expect they will be much better in the run game as the additions in the OL are great in the run game. They will probably be more aggressive in their schemes with better talent. My understanding is the new additions are very smart. Smart can contribute to what you can do. Part of that process will be adjusting to how teams double team Chase and take advantage of it. Part of their evaluation will be fixing their poor third down and red zone difficulties. They need to fix that. The key next year will be taking this offense to the next level. But most of us message board geniuses don’t comprehend the handicap the poor line was in play calling and other areas. Yet the offense was efficient as hell as they were #8 in points per play. They also were nearly the least penalized team. So despite their weaknesses on offense they were pretty efficient.
The defense likewise needs to self-evaluate and improve.
Finally I know a NFL head coach and AFC OC and the perception Zac Taylor by them versus this message board is a hell of a lot different LOL. Taylor is not a finished product by any means. He’s still learning but as one said Bill Belichick wasn’t the second coming of Vince Lombardi at 38. He’s going to have a long ride in the NFL.
