Turn the offense over to Hue

[Whodey614]

Boyd, Ross, Mixon/Gio, Uzomah is way better (or talented) than Sanu, Brandon Tate, Dane Sanzenbacher, Greg Little, Jeremy Hill/Gio, Gresham and whoever else was on the field when AJ missed games in 2014 and Marvin Jones/Eifert was out for the year. Add in Josh Malone who's been injured and hasn't gotten a lot of opportunities this year and Erickson who could be useful but has been restricted to the outside running straight or curl routes. I bet the Rams and Patriots could use him in many ways.

That 2014 team had its struggles without AJ of course, but still put up 37 against Carolina, 24 against Baltimore and 37 against Denver. It would be a miracle if we crack 20 against the Browns this weekend. Jeremy Hill and Gio ran the ball a lot as well. There's no reason Mixon shouldn't be getting 20+ carries as Hill did.

Granted, that 2014 team had a way better defense and NFL teams weren't regularly dropping 40 with ease, but there's more than enough talent to survive without AJ. Lazor just has no idea how to adjust without having AJ and Eifert. Criticize Hue all you want, but he did just that in 2014 and it's one of the reasons why we made the playoffs. I certainly hope Hue is getting his 2 cents in the gameplan this week.

[XsandOs]

(11-20-2018, 09:38 PM)3wt Wrote: I feel you 74.

But Lap was saying that Paul Brown simplified his offense when they were just not getting it done.    Brought it down to a small # of plays and drilled them at it till they could do it in their sleep.  Lap says their performance dramatically improved.

I'm with Wyche.   Lazor's come up with some nice plays (some really good looking screens).   But the execution has just not been there.  I'm willing to give him some more time.  Shoot he's working with a confabulated roster - no tight ends, with the only offensive linemen that are any good playing hurt plus a rookie - who has been hurt.  His # 1 WR is out and when he returns will still be dealing with turf toe.   So he's got one good receiver and an injury prone rookie who hasn't put the pro game together in his head.  Plus one 3rd string TE and a bunch of practice squad players.

But I look at teams like Kansas City, the Rams and New Orleans and dream. 

(11-20-2018, 09:56 PM)WychesWarrior Wrote: You touch on a very good point 3wt about our depth and teams like LAR and NO. Kupp goes out, Reynolds goes 6 for 80 and a TD. Brees had a TD pass to some guy I never heard of against Philly. 

Is it our coaching? Our talent evaluation? Our refusal to pay money to competent backups? Scheme?

I don't know for sure, but our next man up doesn't seem to be the same guy as what those teams have....lol.

(being fair, they don't have near the injuries we do, and ALL of those teams can block, and block well. I think that is your key)

(11-20-2018, 09:59 PM)wildcats forever Wrote: Lazor has had to play from 2 - 3 scores behind several times in recent games. Now this might not be a major point, but he has been limited with his playbook options when he's forced to play catch up just to stay in the game. We saw better production in the first 5 games this season when he was able to open his playbook. Enter some injuries for which he had no comparable talent for backups, all while the defense wasn't able to get off the field, and he's been at a disadvantage in almost every game since. It has been a combination of several failures led by Mikey and Marvin's own substandard performances. 

(11-20-2018, 10:19 PM)Hoofhearted Wrote: Good points. Especially as it seems like AD loves working the middle of the field more vs outside the hashes. When did Eifert get hurt? Week 4. Supports your theory as well. This offense limps without Eifert. They can’t seem to fully operate without a TE receiving option over the middle, and now consider they’re down 17 TEs, they probably cry at night while eating ice cream. AJ green our they probably have nightmares every night

also your sentence is deep. It’s what I’ve been trying to intake as well. It’s creates a lack of urgency and displine. Hmmm

Thank you all for bringing it back to reality.

NO and LA are all in this year. They have run, pass, ST, and depth loaded.

KC can run motions and RPO, because they have a run game that forces the defense to maintain gap integrity. Their TE and pass game is successful because defenses have to respect the run.

NO and LA have the same balance that KC has, but better Ds.

Unfortunately, we lack the between tackles consistent run game, our true TE threat is gone, and our true #1 WR is out.

Can't make chicken salad with chicken $#!t.

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(11-21-2018, 05:13 PM)XsandOs Wrote: Thank you all for bringing it back to reality.

NO and LA are all in this year. They have run, pass, ST, and depth loaded.

KC can run motions and RPO, because they have a run game that forces the defense to maintain gap integrity. Their TE and pass game is successful because defenses have to respect the run.

NO and LA have the same balance that KC has, but better Ds.

Unfortunately, we lack the between tackles consistent run game, our true TE threat is gone, and our true #1 WR is out.

Can't make chicken salad with chicken $#!t.

I agree with you.  I wasn't really upset after getting smoked by KC and NO....or even the Pitt loss.  This last one should have still been a W though, all they had to do was make Jackson throw the ball.  Instead, he torches them and so does a no name on the ground.  No way that should have happened.

[Lucidus]

(11-21-2018, 05:19 PM)Wyche Wrote: I agree with you.  I wasn't really upset after getting smoked by KC and NO....or even the Pitt loss.  This last one should have still been a W though, all they had to do was make Jackson throw the ball.  Instead, he torches them and so does a no name on the ground.  No way that should have happened.

When playing at home against the Steelers, they seem almost resigned to the fact that, at some point, inevitably will prevail. It has become increasing difficult to view over the years and part of the reason why I have soured so greatly on coach Lewis in that time.

[XsandOs]

(11-21-2018, 05:19 PM)WychesWarrior Wrote: I agree with you.  I wasn't really upset after getting smoked by KC and NO....or even the Pitt loss.  This last one should have still been a W though, all they had to do was make Jackson throw the ball.  Instead, he torches them and so does a no name on the ground.  No way that should have happened.

I hear you WW. The Ravens game was winnable. But this Team played hard and fought to the end.

The 5 losses have been to good Teams. Panthers, Ravens and KC games have been at their turfs.

Really the Panthers game was of concern, because we were close to full strength. I still felt that we were on schedule after that loss.

But then the injuries. Just a tough year.

Ultimately, as we are today, we are an average Team. Literally.

If we get healthy and the cold weather sets in, plus injuries to other Teams, we could make some noise.

I appreciated your posts as well as some others, because it states the reality of where we are today.

If we are an average Team, with all the injuries, we are a good Team at near full strength.

Blaming coaches and calling out players, given these injuries, puzzles me.

[McC]

(11-21-2018, 03:16 PM)Beaker Wrote: But give him the reins anyway? Makes sense.

I'd give Lucifer the job if he could find points in the third quarter.

But I'm not running things so it really doesn't matter.

[McC]

(11-21-2018, 06:14 PM)XsandOs Wrote: I hear you WW. The Ravens game was winnable. But this Team played hard and fought to the end.

The 5 losses have been to good Teams. Panthers, Ravens and KC games have been at their turfs.

Really the Panthers game was of concern, because we were close to full strength. I still felt that we were on schedule after that loss.

But then the injuries. Just a tough year.

Ultimately, as we are today, we are an average Team. Literally.

If we get healthy and the cold weather sets in, plus injuries to other Teams,  we could make some noise.

I appreciated your posts as well as some others, because it states the reality of where we are today.

If we are an average Team, with all the injuries, we are a good Team at near full strength.

Blaming coaches and calling out players, given these injuries, puzzles me.

It's simple, really---Because finding ways to overcome is why the coaches get the big bucks and not losing to the guy across from you play after play why what the players are paid to do.

This year proves what the staff is--in over their heads.  And Marvin has checked out.  History.