How Much Better Is Team Confidence And Mentality?

[*SHRacerX*]

(09-05-2022, 10:34 AM)BFritz21 Wrote: I also was just watching Good Morning Football and I don't think any of the 35 "experts" picked us to go back to the Super Bowl, so it got me thinking about our own team's expectations and confidence level.

I don't even know if guys like Burrow and Chase had the confidence that we'd go to the Super Bowl last year, but how much higher is team confidence this year and how much better is the team's overall mentality?

They all saw how the line struggled all year and how we improved there, so the confidence has to be higher and having more confidence in the players around you always improves your play.

How much will is it improving the mentality of the team that we're building a practice bubble? A player's mentality will always be more positive if he knows that the team is invested in winning, so are the players seeing things like that and having it subconsciously build their confidence that the team is invested in them?

Once it's built, will the players moods be lighter and will they feel more at ease practicing in their own bubble?  Will their comfort level be higher?

Will they study their playbooks and opponents harder?

How much is the team's mentality and overall confidence improved and how much will it improve play on the field?

Just my opinion, Brad, but I don't think the practice facility has anything to do with it at all.  As far as how much harder they study, I think last year's squad worked extremely hard to be prepared.   Zac has a locker room full of guys that take this seriously and put in the time both on and off the field.

What COULD impact the mentality or confidence is a number of things:

1.) Coaching.  I wanted to hurt (kill is a strong word) Lou Anarumo after the Jets game last year.  Mike White going off for over 400 yards passing made me want to vomit.  However, by year's end, Lou had figured out his guys, how to best use them, and was a large part of why this team ended up in the Super Bowl.  Ditto the play calling by Zac.  You might dismiss it as protecting Burrow, but once he found his stride as a playcaller and was able to adjust to his pathetic line, he did quite well.  This year should be better.  

2.) History.  They did it.  They competed and beat most any team.  Year two with Burrow showed massive progression in his ability to read and make decisions quickly.  Good thing, since he didn't often have much time.  

3.) Growth-  Ja'Marr in year two, Burrow and Tee in year 3.  A better offensive line.  Almost the entire team is back and there are a few interesting new pieces like Dax Hill.  They know what their weaknesses were last year:  offensive line and pass rush.  Outside of Hendrickson and, occasionally, Hubbard, they lacked real outside pass rush.  Ossai, Gunter, and possibly even ADG might change that quite a bit.  I still have high hopes for Khalid, but he needs to stay healthy. 

4.) Consistency-  Same HC, OC, DC, and STC.  One of (I think) four teams in the entire NFL with that consistency.  

5.) HOME FIELD ADVANTAGE!!!  WIth 60,000 people at a preseason game, I can't wait to see what it looks like opening day!