2009 Upgrades Necessary

[Flugel]

Starting with week 1 here's what I need to see massive improvements in:

 

1) Consistency at QB - I've bellyached ad-nauseum about this. I've been HOPING Quinn is the answer since the day he was announced as our pick. His job is to WIN close games being smart, poised and elevating everyone's performance at crunch time. I'm sick of excuses for anything else.

 

2) Running game - we've kept our defense on the field alot more than we should have when we couldn't move the chains. Not only that but we've blown a TON of nice starting field position opportunities in the process. When you start a drive ner mid field - you only need 2-3 first downs before you're looking at a worst case scenario of 3 points. The "Big Uglies" upfront will be just as accountable.

 

3) Front 7. If you have Shaun Rogers on the apex commanding 2-3 blockers - your ILBers should ONLY be making stops at the line of scrimmage. Sorry - that's just a reality of the Utopian ergonomics provided. Out on the outside, if Kam Wimbley maintains the improvement I saw during the preseason - color me excited. He was playing with MUCH BETTER leverage getting under tackles and removing thier base (power) as he drove guys back near their QBs. His importance at this position cannot be understated. We need him to be who we hoped he'd be on draft day. You don't earn 11 sacks as a rookie if you weren't cut out for this league. That just screamed BETTER coaching required. The NY Jet vets bring experience and proven productivity so I'm looking forward to their contributions. Last but not least, are we seeing the NEXT Carl Hairston in the body of Robaire Smith? You old timers will remember Big Daddy led us in sacks when he was about 34 years old.

 

As I've reminded people often, when our front 7 had a Pro Bowl pass rusher in 2001 - we led the AFC in INTs. I say such a thing because the sum of Fuller, McCutcheon, Henry, Bush, Little, and Ellsworth didn't have anyone thinking Pro Bowl or elite cover skills at the time. It's amazing what making a QB throw the ball before he wants to can do for your secondary.

 

4) Keeping people healthy. This requires some luck too obviously. But the better the common sense is from the coachign staff - the better our chances of good luck gets. I was THRILLED we didn't need to have Shaun Rogers out there playing preseason games. In the past, we lost Jamir Miller the first preseason game after his Pro Bowl to a career ending achilles injury. WHY? 53 man rosters are different than colleges that have about 80 kids and a JV team with numerous 4-5 star recruits ready to step up when/if an All American gets injured.

 

5) Coaching. Obviously. Not much to say without stating the obvious. I'll coin a phrase most likely written by some English Lit Major once upon a time: "We don't need no education."

 

6) Above All: 53 hitters - no quitters!

 

- Tom F.

[Vegasdogg]

It's amazing what making a QB throw the ball before he wants to can do for your secondary.

I think stopping the run goes along with this. Forcing a team to throw because they can't run places them in obvious passing downs, and we can pin our ears back then and get after it. That, and imposing our will.

[Gips]

Starting with week 1 here's what I need to see massive improvements in:

 

1) Consistency at QB - I've bellyached ad-nauseum about this. I've been HOPING Quinn is the answer since the day he was announced as our pick. His job is to WIN close games being smart, poised and elevating everyone's performance at crunch time. I'm sick of excuses for anything else.

 

2) Running game - we've kept our defense on the field alot more than we should have when we couldn't move the chains. Not only that but we've blown a TON of nice starting field position opportunities in the process. When you start a drive ner mid field - you only need 2-3 first downs before you're looking at a worst case scenario of 3 points. The "Big Uglies" upfront will be just as accountable.

 

3) Front 7. If you have Shaun Rogers on the apex commanding 2-3 blockers - your ILBers should ONLY be making stops at the line of scrimmage. Sorry - that's just a reality of the Utopian ergonomics provided. Out on the outside, if Kam Wimbley maintains the improvement I saw during the preseason - color me excited. He was playing with MUCH BETTER leverage getting under tackles and removing thier base (power) as he drove guys back near their QBs. His importance at this position cannot be understated. We need him to be who we hoped he'd be on draft day. You don't earn 11 sacks as a rookie if you weren't cut out for this league. That just screamed BETTER coaching required. The NY Jet vets bring experience and proven productivity so I'm looking forward to their contributions. Last but not least, are we seeing the NEXT Carl Hairston in the body of Robaire Smith? You old timers will remember Big Daddy led us in sacks when he was about 34 years old.

 

As I've reminded people often, when our front 7 had a Pro Bowl pass rusher in 2001 - we led the AFC in INTs. I say such a thing because the sum of Fuller, McCutcheon, Henry, Bush, Little, and Ellsworth didn't have anyone thinking Pro Bowl or elite cover skills at the time. It's amazing what making a QB throw the ball before he wants to can do for your secondary.

 

4) Keeping people healthy. This requires some luck too obviously. But the better the common sense is from the coachign staff - the better our chances of good luck gets. I was THRILLED we didn't need to have Shaun Rogers out there playing preseason games. In the past, we lost Jamir Miller the first preseason game after his Pro Bowl to a career ending achilles injury. WHY? 53 man rosters are different than colleges that have about 80 kids and a JV team with numerous 4-5 star recruits ready to step up when/if an All American gets injured.

 

5) Coaching. Obviously. Not much to say without stating the obvious. I'll coin a phrase most likely written by some English Lit Major once upon a time: "We don't need no education."

 

6) Above All: 53 hitters - no quitters!

 

- Tom F.

I can go with this post 100% flugs...i would like to add a bit to part 4 on keeping people healthy injuries are bound to happen and i think mangini has done an honorable job at preparing the second and third string guys for their impending roles and as this regime adds better talent over the years i suspect we will be strong even with several backups playing this is the nature of a winning team with 53 hitters and no quitters....

 

And i think i remember that ancient literary genius that claims we dont need no education wasnt that master pink floyd?

[Flugel]

Good post flugs,

I agree with DD as well, being able to stuff the run would be a part of the overall growth of this team and something the last regime could never get right.

 

 

Thanks Danamal! I think Vegas nailed it like you said about the importance of stuffing the run. That's why I want our ILBers making stops at the line of scrimmage when Rogers is making their life as simple as possible.

- Tom F.

[Flugel]

I can go with this post 100% flugs...i would like to add a bit to part 4 on keeping people healthy injuries are bound to happen and i think mangini has done an honorable job at preparing the second and third string guys for their impending roles and as this regime adds better talent over the years i suspect we will be strong even with several backups playing this is the nature of a winning team with 53 hitters and no quitters....

 

And i think i remember that ancient literary genius that claims we dont need no education wasnt that master pink floyd?

 

Thanks Gips - well said! And that's a good job by you connecting the Pink Floyd lyrics!

 

- Tom F.