IMO toughness applies to all eras. The mistake this team has made is failing to address the need for a big receiving target. It is one of the most important weapons in this era. It was actually one of the first things they looked for when they signed Wilford, but when that failed they haven't done anything more than draft Turner. I think it should have been a bigger priority. Hopefully they'll address it this coming off-season. I see it as the team's biggest need.

 

I think the point of the article is that the once run happy NFL is now turning into a pass happy NFL. What he's getting across to me is that while we might be great at the run game it's not necessarily the trend of the league.

I say the first thing that's important to a game is the score. The second is the clock. The third is the down and distance.

You can control - control! - all of these more by running the ball, and running down your opponents. I realize that DBs get tired just as a line does, but if the line falters the rest of the team goes down as well.

I say we continue to run it despite it being a pass happy league, and run it right down their throats.

 

agree with overall premise though I might differ as to how high it ranks for our offseason needs. Clearly we need someone if Ginn cant be counted on.

Bottom line I find this article insane. The Giants team that beat the Patriots was a run heavy team that passed off of playaction. This isnt 1986. This is two friggin years ago. Steelers also. To call them passing teams is absurd. We are building a team that will lok like the 2008 steelers or 2007 giants. I really think this writer missed the boat and is writing for the sake of writing

 

But the Giants had big receiving targets. They wouldn't have even gotten to the SB without Plax going off in the playoffs. So they weren't a team that primarily passed but they were able to pass when they needed to. That's what I think is the hole in our team. In the playoffs, against good teams, you will inevitably have a game where they stuff your running game. If you want to advance you have to pass. If not you end up like the Wanny Dolphins or the Marty Shottenheimer teams, good but not good enough. I don't think thats what we want to be. I think we want to be like the Giants.

At this point we're probably good enough on defense and good enough in the running game to achieve that. We're not good enough in the passing game and we're not good enough on special teams. That doesn't mean we don't want to continue to improve in all areas but it does mean we would get the biggest bang out of improving the passing game.

So I don't agree with the writer that the building was incorrect. But I do agree that it will all be for naught if we don't also build the passing game.

 

While I will agree we need a big time receiver,Lets face it we scored 34 points and lost to the saints and the colts only had the ball for 1 quarter and we lost.Are pass defence really stinks.

 

A little from each of all 4? I think most fans consider our safeties and ILBs to be in biggest need of upgrade. I expect ILB may be first since so much money was spent on S last year.

 

But the Giants and Steelers had legitimate threats at both TE and Receiver.

Giants with Plax and Boss

Steelers with Ward, Holmes, and Miller.

Fasano is serviceable both we are severely lacking that go to receiver.

 

We've showed we can hang with the best teams in the NFL. We 'should' have beat 2 of the 3 remaining undefeated teams this year. I think being extremely physical is what it takes to beat these finesse teams. Look how the Giants won the Super Bowl. They took down the most finesse team of alltime by punching them in the mouth.

We are able to contend with the great teams today. Tomorrow we will be able to beat them.

 

Exactly, and right now our passing game is the low side. It has to be the priority. If we just keep hoping that some 3rd rounder or later becomes our #1 then odds are that it will stay that way and we'll never have balance.

 

I think that Gibril Wilson is doing an ok job but I am with you on drafting a FS or puting Clemons out there.

I think that we need to get a strong defensive tackle for our defense since Ferguson is aging and Soliai is a beast but not reliable. Additionally, I feel that we could use an upgrade to our ILB even though Crowder is good maybe we can find a gem like Zach Thomas, someone like Brandon Graham from Michigan.

:knucks:

BEAT THE JETS!! GO FINS!

 

I think it's a great article, because it raises the questions we should all be thinking about. We have a mediocre receiving corps and two great running backs. Does that make sense? Is that the way to win?

I became a football fan in the early 70s, when rushing ruled. In Super Bowl VIII the Dolphins had 56 runs and 7 passes. For me, that's real football. So I love seeing us pile up yards on the ground.

But that is not where the league is right now. Arguably, it hasn't been there for a while. Even the 1980s Niners, who ran the ball well, basically used the pass to set up the run. Now teams like the Colts and the Patriots barely need to run at all. What is their record compared to ours?

 

Well, what the writer failed to consider is what the rest of the NFL going "pass happy" means.

Smaller, faster players, when we play those teams we will outweigh them and just punish them, that is exactly what happened in the 80's.

The Broncos or Bills would roll into the SB and the Giants or Redskins would just maul them, it took the Broncos comitting to the running game for them to win a title.

 

yes while everyone is working towards speed we have our power run offense which is a good choice even in todays nfl.. plus we use our run to set up our pass and soon our passing game is going to be much stronger than it is now, this is gonna be henne's 4th career start.

 

Exactly, and eventually we will need a better passing game, but right now our personnel on offense are doing a fine job.

 

The Steelers of last year and currently are more of a passing team. The black and gold don't run it like they used to.

The Steelers where 23rd in the league in rushing last year, and 17th in passing.

 

It's a bad premise.

Their style of offense has been A). Very productive, and B). allowed them to go punch for punch with teams who have superior talent.

If the defense were better, they'd be kicking ***.

 

Run "D" is stout ....its the pass "D" that's killing us

We will get there after we draft some safty's