Scoring, or more accurately lack there of

[*SHRacerX*]

(10-21-2020, 04:00 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: I was fairly pumped getting an "offensive" coach I have to admit. I had some doubts but overall just happy to finally be rid of ML.

But here's the facts 22 games in.

18.5 points per game under the offensive guru. And yes I know everybodies gonna yell Oline from the top of a mountain. But there are a bunch of teams with very near as bad of an Oline that struggle nowhere near the way we do.

I searched for a bit but couldn't find any redzone stats but I'm quite sure over those 22 games we've been one of the NFL's worst in those final 20 yards.

I remember during a game last season Steve Young asking "where's the innovation ? where's the motion ?" and so on.

And why was the Oline basically totally ignored ? Was ZT really happy with this bunch ? Did he really wanna hang his hat on Hart, Price, Jordan, Redmond and so on ?

I don't know what the answers are but the results have to change. 18.5 from this offensive mind is just unacceptable.

I completely understand the frustration, but how much of this was our misperception about the weapons, not just the line? 

AJ Green has arguably been the third best receiver on the team behind Boyd and Higgins. Look at how the offense struggled when the Ratbirds put their best CB on our slot WR.  Nothing.  Nothing to the outsides at all, and of course they abandoned running the ball again.  

I thought Ross being on the field with Green and Boyd would be amazing.  He would take the proverbial top off the defense and Green, Boyd, and Sample/Uzo would eat underneath.  

We were so encouraged (or at least I was) of the mid-season schematic change to the offensive line and how Mixon took off.  It was "pick your poison" offense.  We would be unstoppable.  Oh, and we have Joe fricking Burrow!  

Only the very last statement proved valuable this year.  We see the potential in Burrow.  But Green, Ross, and Mixon from a rushing standpoint have been massive disappointments.  That being said, they are averaging 21.5 PPG THIS season, including a clunker against the Ratbirds.  

Now we are seeing Green show signs of life.  Higgins is emerging.  Sample is at least serviceable.  The line is improving (but it is probably hard to go anywhere but up).

I will give them the rest of this year to see if they can do these three basic things:

1.) Average 24 points per game or higher.  As you pointed out, it is the only stat that really matters (and it will correlate to wins).  They need to finish drives and overcome drops, penalties, and be more creative and aggressive in their play calling.  

2.) Get some consistency on defense

3.) Stop giving up points EVERY DAMN GAME in the 2 minutes before the half.  

In the offseason, I made Joseph Thuney my #1 priority.  He plays RG and XSF goes to LG.  They can continue to try and develop Jordan.  Hart competes with Adeniji for RT.   Get whatever trade equity you can for the likes of Green, Dunlap, Atkins, and Ross.  Spend a lot of picks on the trenches.  Defensive Tackle, Defensive End, and G/OT should be the first three picks.  I think you can get a burner WR from a small school to stretch defenses since we never seem to use Ross on screens and jet sweeps.