10-10-2016, 04:43 AM
(10-10-2016, 02:16 AM)samhain Wrote: People will hate the suggestion I'm getting ready to make, but here goes: Did the Wild Card game last year suck the life out of this group? It was tough as shit to take as a fan. I'm still not over it. Can't imagine how it felt to actually be a part of it.
There was a diaspora of good coaches afterwards as well. They all chased promotions for the most part, but did the feeling of leaving a shit show internally play into it?
Maybe the guys that have been here throughout the Dalton era have finally been Bengalized. I sure as hell hope not, because it would be an absolute shame. They work their asses of year in and year out and meet the same end every single time. Maybe they've just stopped believing that they can do it. It sure looked like a lot of the fight and tenacity had gone out of them in Dallas.
I think it's a legitimate question. And it will be answered as the season goes on.
But just on the practical side, I think we miss the following:
1. Marvin Jones and Tyler Eifert. We should be getting Eifert back soon, but we've got to get Boyd more involved. Even he is not a deep threat, which Jones was. Core is probably our best prospect to stretch the field other than Green and we need to get him in there. We may even miss Sanu a little. I'm ok with Lafell, but we've got to get other receivers going.
2. Reggie Nelson. One of the best non-drafted players we've ever had, and we let him go. We're hurting at safety. Williams is not as good as Reggie, and it seems to me that Iloka is suffering from Nelson's loss, too.
3. Our offensive line is not performing, and I think Cedric O is really struggling. Andre Smith had his flaws, but was a good right tackle. Cedric will improve. He was extremely highly rated by everyone coming out of college, and he will come around. But right now he's having some rough snaps. But this is essentially his rookie year, and he didn't really get a good summer camp at all, either year he's been on the team. Bodine is Bodine and I think Zeitler is having problems coping with struggling players, now on both sides of him.
4. I think we're seeing a little rust with Burfict, but he'll get over that. Michael Johnson seems to be in decline, and Geno doesn't seem to be the force we all expect him to be lately. He's had some good games, but he was certainly neutralized Sunday.
So yes, we did seem a little lifeless Sunday, but I think there are also some practical personnel issues at work, too.
