dolfancoolio
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- May 22, 2004
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OK so the best way to get over this loss is to assess what we've got ahead of us. The way I would break it down is like so:
2009
Wins: Tampa Bay, Carolina, Jacksonville
Winnable: All division games, Tennessee
Unlikely to win: San Diego, Pittsburgh, Houston (if our pass D and lack of pressure is anything to go by we will get burnt by Schaub and Johnson, plus we never beat them)
Definite Loss: New Orleans (That passing attack is unstoppable and barring a remarkable increase in pass rush and ability to cover TE's and just straight out tackling we will get picked apart the way we did against the Colts).
I say we end up with about 7-8 wins which would be highly disappointing. I hope we can go over and beat San Diego on Sunday but i don't think we will- it's going to be just as tough stopping Rivers and Gates as it was stopping Manning and Clark.
Offseason/next season: 1. Our OLB's are in their mid 30's and struggling to get pressure anyway. Where is our pass rush gonna come from in coming seasons?!? We need to draft LB's and not just OLB's but ILB's that can actually tackle!
2. A defensive scheme that isn't so vanilla. We play conservative and don't really have the personnel to bring blitz's from everywhere and anywhere (see the Jets D for anyone questoning a blitz defense). Watching us blitz was painful as we never got close and you could just see Manning easily step up and make throws to open receivers. Whether this means a new D-coordinator or some changes in scheme by Pasqualoni i don't know, but what i do know is we need to somehow create a better pressure defense that actually scares offenses.
3. We need a playmaking wide receiver. It's going to be tough to decide between a LB and a WR in the first round next year, I'm not even sure which one i consider more important but they are both such glaring needs on this team
4. Young NT to soon replace Ferguson when he retires.
Keep your chin up Fin Fans, we did some things on Monday night i didn't think we could do and we will get there eventually, there's just some serious gaps/vulnerabilties on this team right now that are inhibiting us and preventing us from being great. We will get there...
2009
Wins: Tampa Bay, Carolina, Jacksonville
Winnable: All division games, Tennessee
Unlikely to win: San Diego, Pittsburgh, Houston (if our pass D and lack of pressure is anything to go by we will get burnt by Schaub and Johnson, plus we never beat them)
Definite Loss: New Orleans (That passing attack is unstoppable and barring a remarkable increase in pass rush and ability to cover TE's and just straight out tackling we will get picked apart the way we did against the Colts).
I say we end up with about 7-8 wins which would be highly disappointing. I hope we can go over and beat San Diego on Sunday but i don't think we will- it's going to be just as tough stopping Rivers and Gates as it was stopping Manning and Clark.
Offseason/next season: 1. Our OLB's are in their mid 30's and struggling to get pressure anyway. Where is our pass rush gonna come from in coming seasons?!? We need to draft LB's and not just OLB's but ILB's that can actually tackle!
2. A defensive scheme that isn't so vanilla. We play conservative and don't really have the personnel to bring blitz's from everywhere and anywhere (see the Jets D for anyone questoning a blitz defense). Watching us blitz was painful as we never got close and you could just see Manning easily step up and make throws to open receivers. Whether this means a new D-coordinator or some changes in scheme by Pasqualoni i don't know, but what i do know is we need to somehow create a better pressure defense that actually scares offenses.
3. We need a playmaking wide receiver. It's going to be tough to decide between a LB and a WR in the first round next year, I'm not even sure which one i consider more important but they are both such glaring needs on this team
4. Young NT to soon replace Ferguson when he retires.
Keep your chin up Fin Fans, we did some things on Monday night i didn't think we could do and we will get there eventually, there's just some serious gaps/vulnerabilties on this team right now that are inhibiting us and preventing us from being great. We will get there...