Rams effectively took themselves out of the race with games left against the Browns, a couple against Seattle, and one with Arizona.

 

Missed the game so cannot really say, have heard Garner was rock solid in replacement of Richie I, who should be playing Rg in the first place.

Just off of the box score our D is continuing their improvement, offense still cannot score 21 pts, it's really that simple.

 

...still in the hunt.

 

Losses by NE, DEN, WAS, DAL helped our SoS%
Wins by PIT, CIN, TEN, BAL hurt INDY's SoS %

 

Clay needs the ball more for sure

 

What is each team's SoS% currently at?

 

Not including MNF where we are rooting for KC to win, and SD to lose - best case is a tie (and using the GBN full schedule approach):

MIA = .5444 (this will go down tonight regardless since both KC and SD are on our schedule)
IND = .5579 (this could go up with KC win....Loss by KC would make it go down)

So right now we hold a slight lead for #1 pick if tied with same # of wins.

 

I am sorry to disappoint the SFLs but this team will win a couple of games before the season is over .The team has not quit and the talent is sufficient to beat a team that underestimates us .It almost happened against the Giants.

IMO the Colts are a shoe in for the Luck pick.

 

That's the likeliness of it all. If they get one more move right on the OL I can see them winning a few games even. Washington, KC, and Oakland are winnable games. The good news is that I expect us to still get a pretty damn good QB in Landry Jones.

 

Well, do think we need more juice on the passrush, also think the D is finally coming into form:

13 pts vs Jets (pick 6 and the Bess fumble in FG range)
17 pts vs Broncos
20 pts vs Giants

compared to

23 pts Texans
17 pts browns
26 pts chargers

One of the problems on D is we do not have enough athletes on the unit who make plays.

 

Even 23 and 26 to the Chargers isn't astounding. As much as the D has been blamed for everything in the world, they've performed well enough with utter crap flying around them. The secondary is garbage, absolute garbage outside of Smith and he's barely even decent. The run stopping of the front could probably improve with the right scheme.

 

I think if the offense could ever put up the points, the D could really get after the passer, but all of these close games and the D just cannot afford to take the risk.

This reminds me a bit of the Saban era, the D was quite good the offense just could never figure it out.

 

In the Saban era they had a bunch of solid veteran DBs that just played good football. They'd get beat at times by superior talent, but they didn't miss too many plays, they made the right calls, it was a good group for maintaing a solid secondary with inexpensive players. They went for athletic upside with this group and it has failed miserably.

Will Allen is just too hurt to cover quick slot receivers inside and they don't really have another option unless they want Leigh Bodden. There's not much they can do as far as the secondary goes until the off-season except perhaps trying out different combinations at safety.

Jimmy Wilson probably will improve though as the season goes on and perhaps Nolan Caroll will as well.

 

Well, it was good to read that Steve Slaton is playing more and playing decently, along with Reggie Bush.

Bodden will not solve our Cb issues, he is more of a boundary Cb type.

 

Vontae is capable of playing inside. I would take a boundary CB if Wilson is then the slot guy.

 

Here's another puzzler. If I have Lex Hilliard, Reggie Bush, Marshall, Hartline, and Fasano on the field isn't it possible to put Reggie Bush out wide at say flanker against a LB, hold on to my ability to run the ball up the middle, and force teams to play me in the nickel in order to respect Bush? We saw that what maybe once? Why? Why are they that stupid. If you have Reggie Bush force teams to play you small and run them over for it in your power I. If they let Bush stay outside against your LB run inside with Hilliard. Use your player's versatility.

This team can be turned around by a good coach.

 

Thomas is another case. He's a guy that's quick, north-south, with great fast instincts and pass catching skills. He's the guy to run as a big back against a dime set. We did that against Houston to great success. Yet now we see him being used in power I formations and double TEs and sets like that.

It's terrible coaching.

 

Keep in mind though, we also still had Henne then, once he went out they had to change their approach.

 

Do you have to change the approach? I've seen Moore play in a four WR spread before in Carolina. At least play him in a 3-WR approach. Don't go into power I with the dude, it takes away his talent and his quick vision.

 

The problem with the defense is lack of turnovers.

I think it is wierd that last season Miami dropped many interceptions and this year they are barely getting in position to drop interceptions.