Team reliant on individual heroes due to mediocre coaches

[Whatever]

(11-01-2022, 10:41 AM)THE PISTONS Wrote: I'm starting to worry that we caught lightning in a bottle last year. A large portion of games last year, the offense would look lifeless then Burrow would throw a deep one to Chase and we'd start rolling. We also had very few injuries. Then, the Staff got extended.

This year, all but 2 games that I can recall...the offense has struggled for large portions of the game. The defense has looked ok, but they really didn't face any elite QB's. (Could they have played a weaker QB schedule 8 games in?)

I also fear that our success is due in large part to individual heroes. ie Throw it to Chase and he makes 3 guys miss and takes it to the house.

Our offensive scheme is disjointed. We can't run from under Center. So we have to go Shotgun. When the pass rush is getting home, the coaches have very few ways to counter it. The quick -3 yard passes to Mixon don't help. And Mixon has looked bad most of the year, but you can't expect a back to break a tackle consistently.

Also Frank Pollack. This line shouldn't be this bad. They should be able to run under Center. He has to be on the hotseat.

Interestingly, against the Browns...the 1st drive went well generally. They moved the ball. Then starting the 2nd series...they stopped trying to throw down the field. You can't dink and dunk and win in the NFL...without a run game.

I had wondered if the 2 previous games meant that our offense was back on track. Unfortunately, we just played weak defenses with weak pass rushes. The Browns got lit up by Zappe for like 38 points. That defense totally shut us down.

Coaching is definately an issue.

You can be successful as an offense predicated on explosive plays.  Just look at the Bills as an example.  However, you can't be successful with that kind of an offense when you only have one explosive skill position player and he's out injured.  

Game plan and play design are issues, but there's just disconnects between what the coaches are trying to do and the personnel on the roster.  If we want to be a pass heavy offense, that's fine.  You need a RB who can pass protect, be a legitimate receiving threat, and can bust big runs when the defense tries to sit back in Tampa 2.  We don't have that.  If they want to push the ball down field, that's fine, but you have to compose your WR corps so you don't have to just chuck the playbook when one guy gets injured.