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Almost three years ago we had hoped that Mr Ross had finally made a good choice with his HC and FO. The National Media, Football Insiders and us the fans all believed that this young coach was the next Don Shula. The excitement was palpable for those of us who had suffered since (let’s face it) the 49’rs pummeled us in the SB with Dan the Man!
2016 brought great hope with a 10-2 run and WC appearance to fade the memories of a 1-4 start. But in ‘17 we started to see cracks. Reaches like the Timmons signing and big contract extensions for mediocre players who failed us that year. Rumblings from our top playmakers, an aggregous QB signing for 10Mil and a trade that shocked the football world. Still we gave excuses and had faith based on an improbable playoff run the year before.
As disappointing as ‘17 turned out we had hope that the Mentorship that saw RT have his best year during That 16’ run, a surprise emergence of a talented RB in Drake, fielding one of the most talented WR corps in the NFL and FA OL signings would provide us with the most depth we had seen with that unit in a long time. Quinn would be the perfect bookend to Wake with Harris waiting for his turn at the table. McDonald, Fitzpatrick, Jones, Howard, McMillian, Baker, Alonzo, McCain and strong play from Tank was the basis for the hope of a mid level D to help our high octane offense led by the Guru. The football world thought that losing A few bad apples would lead to a 3 win season; we knew better.
After a 3-0 start it all unraveled. We saw that the Guru was too proud to make adjustments to his epic game plan and if the players just executed victory was pre ordained. He refused to give the ball to our most dynamic playmaker on a consistent basis and forgot that an offense should go vertical not horizontal. No quick hitting slants or slip screens for the number 1 blitzed offense in the NFL, the O Line needed to hold their block longer with empty backfields with go routes on second and 1because it was there for the taking if they just did their job. He didn’t worry about placing faith in who was supposed to be our franchise QB on 3rd and long, rather that was the time to run the ball with our most dynamic player or a WR bubble screen to our most under utilized WR in Parker. His arrogance and stubbornness came through crystal clear as the fans pleaded for change and the owner was befuddled.
To top it off when we had chances to put games away we would do the opposite of what a hundred years of football told us we should do. In week 5 most of us realized that the game against Cinci would come back and bite us. Never the less we still had a chance and hope and some forgiveness in our heart when we went up 10 on Indy. We knew after that loss the end was near for this regime but they played with us just a little more with a Miricle in Miami. We were brought back to earth when the entire world knew Minnesota fired their OC for not running the ball enough yet still found ourselves Ill prepared to stop the run in another embarrassing road whooping.
We can say the injury to RT hurt but an offense that averaged 18.7 PPG would have had to outscore 31-32 and 42 points in three of those losses. Injuries to below average players became the Mantra because Let’s face it, Wilson was the 3rd WR splitting time with Grant and Ammendola, who is AJ Derby, a Backup Vincent Taylor, serviceable Kilgore and old slow Sitton are not the reason we couldn’t win a game. The injuries were on par with any other NFL team and we should have been able to overcome those.
This is bitter sweet because we have a coach who seems to be a leader but not cerebral or in touch with in game adjustments. If he were we know this team could have won 3 more games to this point and be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately it’s on to another rebuild and a few more years of agonizing about our teams potential. Maybe we can find a McVey, Pederson or the Guy in SD. Maybe we will but we probably won’t and it just would have been nice if this coach who seems to have the ability could have changed like he asked our players to. He will probably learn that with more experience and unfortunately his time here has been on the job training while leaving a wake in his path and too many pieces to be picked up to see any type of success in the near future.
I have not missed one game in 27 seasons but I will miss next week and be waiting to see where we are headed in the coming weeks and months as I will always support whatever team they field. I just really wanted this one to get the job done. I know we must make the change it’s just bitter sweet because of what could have been. We were so close this year but Gase couldn’t or wouldn’t change. That first drive today was amazing and the D played like they should have and it’s what we should have seen for 60 minutes. Unfortunately Gase was Gase and it didn’t matter in the end because the losses that we knew would blow up
Our season did exactly that.
2016 brought great hope with a 10-2 run and WC appearance to fade the memories of a 1-4 start. But in ‘17 we started to see cracks. Reaches like the Timmons signing and big contract extensions for mediocre players who failed us that year. Rumblings from our top playmakers, an aggregous QB signing for 10Mil and a trade that shocked the football world. Still we gave excuses and had faith based on an improbable playoff run the year before.
As disappointing as ‘17 turned out we had hope that the Mentorship that saw RT have his best year during That 16’ run, a surprise emergence of a talented RB in Drake, fielding one of the most talented WR corps in the NFL and FA OL signings would provide us with the most depth we had seen with that unit in a long time. Quinn would be the perfect bookend to Wake with Harris waiting for his turn at the table. McDonald, Fitzpatrick, Jones, Howard, McMillian, Baker, Alonzo, McCain and strong play from Tank was the basis for the hope of a mid level D to help our high octane offense led by the Guru. The football world thought that losing A few bad apples would lead to a 3 win season; we knew better.
After a 3-0 start it all unraveled. We saw that the Guru was too proud to make adjustments to his epic game plan and if the players just executed victory was pre ordained. He refused to give the ball to our most dynamic playmaker on a consistent basis and forgot that an offense should go vertical not horizontal. No quick hitting slants or slip screens for the number 1 blitzed offense in the NFL, the O Line needed to hold their block longer with empty backfields with go routes on second and 1because it was there for the taking if they just did their job. He didn’t worry about placing faith in who was supposed to be our franchise QB on 3rd and long, rather that was the time to run the ball with our most dynamic player or a WR bubble screen to our most under utilized WR in Parker. His arrogance and stubbornness came through crystal clear as the fans pleaded for change and the owner was befuddled.
To top it off when we had chances to put games away we would do the opposite of what a hundred years of football told us we should do. In week 5 most of us realized that the game against Cinci would come back and bite us. Never the less we still had a chance and hope and some forgiveness in our heart when we went up 10 on Indy. We knew after that loss the end was near for this regime but they played with us just a little more with a Miricle in Miami. We were brought back to earth when the entire world knew Minnesota fired their OC for not running the ball enough yet still found ourselves Ill prepared to stop the run in another embarrassing road whooping.
We can say the injury to RT hurt but an offense that averaged 18.7 PPG would have had to outscore 31-32 and 42 points in three of those losses. Injuries to below average players became the Mantra because Let’s face it, Wilson was the 3rd WR splitting time with Grant and Ammendola, who is AJ Derby, a Backup Vincent Taylor, serviceable Kilgore and old slow Sitton are not the reason we couldn’t win a game. The injuries were on par with any other NFL team and we should have been able to overcome those.
This is bitter sweet because we have a coach who seems to be a leader but not cerebral or in touch with in game adjustments. If he were we know this team could have won 3 more games to this point and be headed in the right direction. Unfortunately it’s on to another rebuild and a few more years of agonizing about our teams potential. Maybe we can find a McVey, Pederson or the Guy in SD. Maybe we will but we probably won’t and it just would have been nice if this coach who seems to have the ability could have changed like he asked our players to. He will probably learn that with more experience and unfortunately his time here has been on the job training while leaving a wake in his path and too many pieces to be picked up to see any type of success in the near future.
I have not missed one game in 27 seasons but I will miss next week and be waiting to see where we are headed in the coming weeks and months as I will always support whatever team they field. I just really wanted this one to get the job done. I know we must make the change it’s just bitter sweet because of what could have been. We were so close this year but Gase couldn’t or wouldn’t change. That first drive today was amazing and the D played like they should have and it’s what we should have seen for 60 minutes. Unfortunately Gase was Gase and it didn’t matter in the end because the losses that we knew would blow up
Our season did exactly that.
