Driskel should be starter next year

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-20-2018, 12:19 PM)Fullrock Wrote: Appreciate the compliment! Or another realist. What exactly has this team shown that makes you believe that after 3 consecutive years of no playoffs they can get there next year? The core group of AJ, Geno, and Dunlap will all be 30+ years old before start of next season. Not that they can't be productive at 30+, but that's typically the age where you start to see a drop off in production except at the QB and offensive line positions. Kirkpatrick will turn 30 during the season. Will they resign Dennard? Does he even want to be here? The offensive line is still obviously an issue. Glenn has not been what they thought he would be. Hart is terrible. Price has had some moments but has struggled at times. Redmond can't get out of his own way.

I just see way too many holes on this team to win more than 4-6 games next year. Yes, injuries have decimated the team this year. Yes, they started 4-1, but was that really that impressive? First game for Andrew Luck in nearly 2 years, and they were still driving for game-winning TD when Doyle coughed it up. Beat a very average Miami team at home where the offense didn't play well at all. Beat a bad Atlanta team in the last seconds. Definitely played their best game of the season in the Thursday night win over Baltimore.

I hope I'm wrong, but I think they are the worst team in the division next year. They are still trying to recover from bad 1st and 2nd round recent draft picks. We know they won't be very active in free agency. How do all the holes get filled? I'll gladly eat crow if I'm wrong.

No, you're right.....unless they DO surprise us all with a huge offseason.  Don't hold our breath, right?

Having said all of that, I often wonder what the team would look like with some innovative and better coaching.  However, as you noted, they better get in a hurry with that if they aim to do anything with this core of players.....time stands still for no one.

At the start of the season, I said 9-7 would likely be the ceiling, as (like you said again) there were too many holes to patch in one offseason.  I said that would be a pretty damn solid turnaround, all things considered.  I did not foresee such a dreadful start for the defense though, I thought it would be the offense struggling early.  I stand by that prediction if not for the avalanche of injuries.  I think they would have been 8-8, or 9-7.  That's not spectacular by any measure of the word....but it would have been better than the previous two seasons, obviously.

If the team is interested in winning, it has to start with a big move on the coaching staff first and foremost, in my opinion.  Then we let them decide on personnel.