I'm not a fan of LaCanfora. He very often runs with stories that are speculative at best. But this one isn't fact driven … it's theoretical opinion. And I find myself in unfamiliar territory saying … Jason LaCanfora is spot on with his opinion. Saying that scares me … because it's foreign to me, much like intentionally focusing on growth designed to lose almost all of one's games is foreign to me. But he hits the nail on the head. We've tried patchworking … we've tried it every year for a generation … and it failed EVERY SINGLE TIME.
If it were 3rd down and 5 yards to go, and I told you that every time we've been in that situation we ran the ball, and all 20 of those times we failed to get a 1st down, and asked you whether to run or pass … you probably would say, "pass the damn ball, at least TRY something different." So if we had a QB in the bottom third of the passing rankings and all reserve WR's … would it change your mind? It's worth considering for sure … but to me, I would still say "at least TRY something different."
Everyone has their pain threshold. Some people can't stand to lose even one season, and give up on the team if they do … those are bandwagon jumpers. Some people can go 5 or 10 years before losing the stomach to endure the pain, those are usually thought of as true fans. Some of us have actually endured those 20 years of mediocrity, and cannot take that pain any longer. There is no right answer, as everyone is different. But for me, I can't sit around and get behind being stuck on an endless treadmill of mediocrity. To me that is the Groundhog Day (movie) of horror. I can't accept "same ole" anymore. I feel we need to try to do something differently.
The NFL has changed dramatically since I started watching as a child. The QB position has become extremely important compared to when I started watching. Today, it is the most important position for EVERY NFL team, even if you have a HoF running back or DE. And scouting has improved, with fewer and fewer guys slipping through people's evaluation process the way Stallworth did when the Pittsburgh Steelers were able to steal him by hiding the only copy of his highlight tape. Today, everybody has mountains of film, everybody has recorded interviews, and everybody's criminal records are available. Nobody surprises with a fast 40 time that the scouts have never heard of. The surprises are getting rarer.
QB is a complex position to scout, and there are a lot of failures. But even the hidden gems of yesteryear, the Tom Brady's in the 6th round … today those hidden gems are found in the 2nd round, and are becoming a lot harder to find. And if you're looking for a pocket passer, like the O'Shea offense needs … they're simply not happening. The 2nd round brings guys like Andy Dalton if you're lucky. And the middle and bottom of the 1st doesn't bring a lot of pocket passers these days either. If you want that style of QB that can run the offense built to maximize the gifts of Tom Brady … then you need to get a pick at the very top of the draft. That means either mortgaging your future to trade up, or allowing one year of sucking instead of being mediocre.
I think this article makes a lot of sense. But then again, I've reached my limit on failed re-patch jobs and recycled approaches. I'm ready to try something new. I also understand how not everyone will agree, and that's cool too.