I think in all fairness to some involved (players especially), we are being exposed and being made to compensate for a subpar, when healthy, and decimated by injury LB core. We are losing the mismatch war in some cases and we will continue to bleed until Misi is healthy and some of these backups go back to the bench. Our 1st string LB core isn't going to scare anyone. And that is on the coaches and FO.
Moving Misi to MLB, not using a high enough draft pick on the long term solution and not doing anything about the problem in free agency would be easy to blame the GM at face value. But he had too many holes to fix in front of the QB left by the last GM.
But I will say that our handling of the LB core this year seems eerily familiar to our handling of the OL last year.
Coyle wasn't given any real starting talent toys to help him out. And he was given hot garbage in Ellerbe and Wheeler to start the problematic process. I don't know enough about schemes to criticize his playcalling.
But I will say this.... If I am an offensive coordinator designing a game plan based on what I see on paper, I attacking the middle of the field all day long against us. And I would do it with quick hits and slants. Neutralize the edge rush and don't test the boundaries as much. Here's the problem... even if I email my game plan to Coyle the week ahead, he simply doesn't have the talent to stop me right now.
Until Coyle can improve his talent at LB, we will get ripped on a weekly basis up the gut. And with our offense punting the ball, the opponent's running game only makes it worse.
