With all due respect Idioteque, we allowed Flacco 269 yards on 30-45. The main difference between our 2 meetings w these 'former clowns' was that the first time, they RAN for 157 yds and passed only as necessary for 166 yards. We also allowed 2 TDs and 4 FGs. The last game they only rushed for 63 yards and passed for 269. We allowed 2 TDs and 1 FG. That's an improvement against a common opponent. The problem IS it won't matter IF we lay an egg against a bad team afterwards.
I am just as frustrated as most of you with some of the decisions that have been made up to this point...and WE will continue to second guess them from the cheap seats AS LONG as we cannot play consistently ESPECIALLY against bad teams. We've obviously gotten better production in some areas but still look vulnerable in others. Not much can be done to improve our CB play and Will Gay IS our best CB as of now and has been all season...unfortunately we know what that means too. Blake and McCain present themselves as our best options...unless they bomb at some point and we are back at square one.
Personally, I would continue to go w the 'hot hand' at any position. We simply don't have the talent to do otherwise at some positions.
For the record I would replace Foster w Wallace as I see him as a better run blocker and equally suspect pass blocker. I would try really hard to keep Thomas off the field and make Keisel the starter with Tuitt and McCullers getting more reps and Thomas less.
I keep Williams in with Timmons at 'mack' and only bring Spence in for down and distance and 3rd down situations. Ivory is a bull-dozer and is averaging 4.6yds/carry.
I stay with Blake/McCain unless/until they break and we have to put Cortez back on the field.
I stay with our line-up on offense and keep help at the edges UNTIL we can get some points on the board which allows us to have the OPTIONS of running the ball as opposed to having to pass to keep the score up.
I would have Gradkowski 'holding' for FGs and Xtra Pts. for sure from now on out as 2 muffs is 2 more than usual and we're only half-way thru our season.
I would cut loose our 'fringe' LB in Garvin (he is only STs and hasn't done anything and is NOT likely to develop into a starter due to his size) and SIGN a kick-off ONLY kicker who can also be an emergency K for us. Losing Garvin and adding the dimension of kicking the ball so it cannot be returned would be a good trade. On the other side I would DIRECT that NO kick-offs be returned unless they fell short of the goal-line. We cannot start 80% of our returned kicks on the 14 yard line as field position is too important. I don't like our punter either because he IS too inconsistent and good for at least a 'shank' or 2 per game which WILL cost us at some point.
All I know for sure is we will all settle down and stop questioning decisions when we start beating the teams we should beat and stop playing to our competition!
