After The Game (Things I've Learned)

I forgot about Howard being a FA. Still, I don't see him being that difficult a sign. It's not like he's having a big year.

The big thing is, I see reciever and DT being so much more important to this team. Getting a that third horse is important, when you don't have an all star, you need 3 good corners IMO. But its not like the top 2 needs. Reciever is just screaming right now and we can't ignore it.

Peppers had a few pressures, and some nice run defends, but Dotson was able to hold par with him with his experience. Really, its Rucker who is the MVP so far. No sacks, but he spent the day in Farve's face, made Farve step up and got Jenkins one of his sacks.

Jenkins is another. Seeing him blow up the double team was nice to see. I was hoping for improvement, but never expected this.

 

certainly, greater needs. Moose won't likely get less banged up as he gets older (that is, if we ever drop the HS offense and start using the pass to help move the chains like 90% of the NFL does) and Smith is looking good since we're throwing deep so much but when we look to start doing other things he won't be as good of a compliment, IMO. WR is still a top spot. DT might be able to wait, and might ahve to since the second round guys just aren't getting it for me yet. Plus, the staff might feel like the front four doesn't need a pick with the way it's playing...it does, but I'd settle for getting a runstopper later on.

yeah. Rucker jawed with Favre some. Favre tries to piss off defensive linemen...grabbed Rucker's mask and pushed him away. I think it's damn cool that we even have somebody who garners the respect to make Favre try the stupid mindgames with.

 

so you'd stand pat at QB? unless Fasani is our future or we can find some FA nobody out there that's gonna be the next Warner, i'm thinking you have to go QB. need WRs. our depth at this position is horrible and our starters so-so. not sure though you have to take one in the first couple of rounds. moose and smith are okay but need some solid help. would like to see us get an offensive lineman that can consistently drive his man off the line. don't know that we can get that and a QB. if we can resign Buckner, don't think we need to take a DT, though we will need the depth. i'm happy enough with CB play -- we have the #1 defense afterall -- maybe not really but we do have a very good defense as it is and hopefully wesley will develop. and while i'm dreaming ... r. anderson gets his life turned around and comes back to be a huge plus. cousins a "shut-down" corner. now who would have ever thought we'd be giving him that description? and finally, the way things looked this last weekend i'm kinda surprised no one is suggesting a kicker.

McDaniel sucks.

btw. good post mag.

 

I like the high school offense. I wish we'd run more yesterday. It was working, and working at setting up the deep pass.

I agree WR is the #1 need, it became more obvious when Moose went down. It's a glaring need.

I just watched that Smith deep run where he stiff-armed the guy that face masked him and picked up some serious YAC. Smith had over 100 yards on 5 catches.

He might not be a premier wideout, but he's alot better than I thought. I've been thrilled with the way he's played.

He's a small target, though, and on a couple of those tight slants I wondered if a big target with longer arms would've hauled it in. Either way, we need another WR that's capable of being a legit #2 for when one of the top goes down. Byrd and Hankton didn't really pull a 'Lou Gherig' Sunday.

QB is an issue. I don't think the draft is the right place to go, and based on alot of Henning's comments, the first day of the draft won't likely be used for QB. I also think Peete will get another year, if his pink cloud doesn't fizzle further. His last 2 games have been his 2 worst.

 

Personally I would look for a veteran CB in FA (due to the learning curve required) and address WR in round 1 and OL or QB in round 2. Of course, no idea of what will be available or where we will be in the draft but it seems reasonable that there will be talent available at those positions when we pick. 1 more DT would be nice, especially if Dilbert is cut loose.

Carson Palmer of USC looks really good right now (as a 2nd), and his learning curve should be less than a younger less experienced player. We have talked about the WR at length here but here are the DT if Fox goes that way...
1) William Joseph - Miami - 6-5 290
2) Jimmy Kennedy - Penn St - 6-4 330
3) Tommie Harris - OK - 6-3 280
4) Vincent Wilfolk - Miami - 6-2 330
5) Kenny King - Alabama - 6-5 280
6) Kindal Moorehead - Alabama 6-4 301 (DE, DT)
7) Darnell Dockett - FSU - 6-3 285

 

Cousin really is turning into the shit...to be honest, a hell of a nickel can turn into a good cover two corner. You have your 15 yard responsibility and you don't have to worry as hard on the double move nor get scared if you are inside the receiver or behind.

QB? hard to say. That's the spot that's the worst to judge right now, but if it were me and it was a situation of keeping Peete and finding a young, efficient guy behind him, then there are some QBs out there. I don't think we need to go with a first rounder.

I'm starting to believe that TE is climbing the need list and that RT will be a free agent thing. Seeing Randy McMichael do so well as a midrounder makes me think that we could really use another receiver who will make us want to throw intermediately rather than just go run-run-run-kick-run-run-deep pass-kick-run-run-run-kick-run-run-deep pass-kick. Our O, while very successful running, looks too much like an avant garde Rockettes representation.

kickers are probably the most hit and miss thing out there. Plenty get drafted and nothing's ever guaranteed. We've been lucky over the past 7 years that we went out and got one, and never really "had" to go through the process again. I did like Jeff Chandler coming out last year but lost track of him.


>>I like the high school offense. I wish we'd run more yesterday. It was working, and working at setting up the deep pass.

I like the running. I don't like the amount of third down running in our own territory. I don't think that it should be all we should be doing (a la Richard Williamson) but the short pass is not a bad thing and helps move the chains. How many sustained drives have we had? A few a game at the most. We can't live on the occasional deep ball all year. We must develop the ability to use the shorter pass and the run to set up consistently long drives.

 

I think the learning curve for a QB is alot steeper than CB.

 

avoid his ass like the plague.

 

>> QB is an issue. I don't think the draft is the right place to go, and based on alot of Henning's comments, the first day of the draft won't likely be used for QB. I also think Peete will get another year, if his pink cloud doesn't fizzle further. His last 2 games have been his 2 worst.

this group of coaches does a good job of throwing up a lot of smoke screens. i never, ever thought they would draft foster with his fumbling history. i wouldn't rule out a QB if they don't like weinke or fasani as a top draft choice. they did at least think about harrington this year. i think if there's a QB there that they are in love with, they will take him. wouldn't surprise me if Peete gets another year if he can continue to win this year. but also wouldn't be surprised for them to try to upgrade what is the most important position on the team. i don't think he was the plan. his last 2 games may have been his worst but they were still a helluva lot better than weinke ever had. btw, it was nice to see weinke wasn't sulking on the sidelines on sunday. maybe there is hope there yet.