Kontradiction
On my retirement tour.
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- Oct 24, 2006
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1. Where are all of the people today that were trying to say that this defense was good last week? Are they around? I would love to hear from them about how the defense is still good. I would love for them to point out the Pats over-inflated defensive ranking. I would love to hear that the Ravens scored so much because of a strip-sack and an INT. I would love for them to, afterward, try to explain how a team that was basically playing without the use of it's quarterback managed to score 21 more points. Where are you guys? Here are some fun facts: 234 yards rushing, and 10/16 on third down. This was against a team WITHOUT THEIR QUARTERBACK! This defense is BAAAAAAD. It's been bad all year, and it was bad today. Were we ranked high? Sure. But it sure as hell wasn't due to the fact that we were shutting down high quality offensive competition.
2. An orgy of errors, starting in the offseason, have taken us up to this point.
3. Letting Seymour go without a capable back-up that can play well against the run and the pass was, quite obviously, a mistake. When we first traded him to the Faiders, I posted that this would only be a good move if someone stepped in which made his loss almost invisible. I stated that Belichick had to have seen someone who was capable of shutting down the run and being effective in the pass game step up (such as a Myron Pryor) which was why he let him go, that BB would never do something like that without first making sure things were in place that would ensure that the defense would not miss a beat. I was wrong. We were absolutely dreadful against the run and not much better against the pass.
4. We all knew Brady was injured going into the game, but I wouldn't be suprised to hear that he was further injured on that Ray Lewis pancake sack. Sure, he hasn't been "himself" all year. But he was even less than that today, and it wasn't because of the Ravens' defense.
5. We really could have used Galloway today. The guys that suck Belichick's teats and worship every move he makes, no matter how wrong, can disagree all they want. Going into the season, Galloway was really our only capable WR3. In the couple of games he played, he showed that he was still able to get behind the defense with his speed. The problem with Galloway was that he was, essentially, an old dog trying to learn new tricks. In retrospect, we should have simplified the offense for him (God forbid!) and eased him into things. Starting with Week 1, he should have only been allowed to run routes that he was comfortable with. The loss of Galloway hurt... badly. Like it or not, Sam Aiken is a career special teamer. There is a reason for that. That reason is that being on special teams is the only thing that he truly excels at. He really had no business as a WR3 in our offense. 20 receptions for 326 yards and 2 TD's showed that. With Welker and Moss getting all of the looks from the defense, Aiken should have had a career year. He did not. Galloway, though old, was at least capable of beating single coverage. Letting him go was a mistake.
6. How anybody could still defend the decision to play the big three (Brady, Moss, Welker) last week, which ultimately resulted in Welker blowing his ACL and MCL, is beyond me. The decision was a bad one then, and it still is a bad one.
7. I would really love to see the defense move into a 1-Gap 3-4 defense next season. REALLY love it. Of course, it won't. But it's just something that I would like to see. IMO, the linebackers that we currently have would be much more effective with one less gap responsibility.
8. It's time to concentrate some day one draft picks and possibly some free agent moves on the offensive line. Last year, I was on the "draft Oher" bandwagon (yet, I know what we got for not drafting him) only to see the team move oyt of the first round, despite there being talent available, and into the second round. This season, we shouldn't ignore the offensive line. I do believe that Vollmer will be good. However, Kaczur can stand to be upgraded. The fact that he got an extension means absolutely nothing to me. He's good depth and that's about it. Neal is older. Koppen has done well, but he does have a tendency to struggle against bigger NT's. Today, he got absolutely ran through on a couple of plays. Mankins is good and should be re-signed. And Light, like Neal, is older. Brady is the franchise. If we're not going to spend money to protect him then his career isn't going to last much longer.
9. It's time to open up the checkbook, wisely, on linebackers. Mayo has a bright future with this team, but Guyton could very easily be upgraded. As far as I'm concerned, he should not be starting. He should only be on this team as a back-up. I'm not sure what we have with McKenzie, but I don't think we should take any chances. Adalius Thomas should be let go in the offseason, and probably will be. He's a great athlete. He always has been. But the amount of money we're paying him seems almost exorbitant for his production. I mean, defend him all you want, but the bottom line is that he should be much, MUCH better in this defense than 34 tackles with 3 sacks (none since Week 12). TBC has been solid in the passing game this season, but is still a liability at times in the run game. He should be kept as only a pass specialist. I sincerely hope that we're active in the offseason when it comes to the LB corps.
10. Speaking of "linebackers" the Derrick Burgess trade was not very good.
11. I would really like to see the linebackers used a lot more in the passing game. Watson is a good receiving tight end. However, with the bad O-Line play this season, he has had to be in on the blocking game more often. If we improve the offensive line play, it will open up yet another dynamic to the passing game. I do not want to see Baker re-signed next year.
12. The bright side: next season, Brady should be better. He certainly was not himself all year. Next season, Brady will have had one year on the job recovery from the two tears that ended his 2008 season. Edelman looks to be a very effective slot receiver. Kevin Faulk is as tough as nails.
13. I certainly do not think our window has closed. But, if another year of poor decisions are made, it will close.
I'm sure this will be a popular thread.
I can't wait to be told how I'm wrong and how there is absolutely nothing wrong with the team...
2. An orgy of errors, starting in the offseason, have taken us up to this point.
3. Letting Seymour go without a capable back-up that can play well against the run and the pass was, quite obviously, a mistake. When we first traded him to the Faiders, I posted that this would only be a good move if someone stepped in which made his loss almost invisible. I stated that Belichick had to have seen someone who was capable of shutting down the run and being effective in the pass game step up (such as a Myron Pryor) which was why he let him go, that BB would never do something like that without first making sure things were in place that would ensure that the defense would not miss a beat. I was wrong. We were absolutely dreadful against the run and not much better against the pass.
4. We all knew Brady was injured going into the game, but I wouldn't be suprised to hear that he was further injured on that Ray Lewis pancake sack. Sure, he hasn't been "himself" all year. But he was even less than that today, and it wasn't because of the Ravens' defense.
5. We really could have used Galloway today. The guys that suck Belichick's teats and worship every move he makes, no matter how wrong, can disagree all they want. Going into the season, Galloway was really our only capable WR3. In the couple of games he played, he showed that he was still able to get behind the defense with his speed. The problem with Galloway was that he was, essentially, an old dog trying to learn new tricks. In retrospect, we should have simplified the offense for him (God forbid!) and eased him into things. Starting with Week 1, he should have only been allowed to run routes that he was comfortable with. The loss of Galloway hurt... badly. Like it or not, Sam Aiken is a career special teamer. There is a reason for that. That reason is that being on special teams is the only thing that he truly excels at. He really had no business as a WR3 in our offense. 20 receptions for 326 yards and 2 TD's showed that. With Welker and Moss getting all of the looks from the defense, Aiken should have had a career year. He did not. Galloway, though old, was at least capable of beating single coverage. Letting him go was a mistake.
6. How anybody could still defend the decision to play the big three (Brady, Moss, Welker) last week, which ultimately resulted in Welker blowing his ACL and MCL, is beyond me. The decision was a bad one then, and it still is a bad one.
7. I would really love to see the defense move into a 1-Gap 3-4 defense next season. REALLY love it. Of course, it won't. But it's just something that I would like to see. IMO, the linebackers that we currently have would be much more effective with one less gap responsibility.
8. It's time to concentrate some day one draft picks and possibly some free agent moves on the offensive line. Last year, I was on the "draft Oher" bandwagon (yet, I know what we got for not drafting him) only to see the team move oyt of the first round, despite there being talent available, and into the second round. This season, we shouldn't ignore the offensive line. I do believe that Vollmer will be good. However, Kaczur can stand to be upgraded. The fact that he got an extension means absolutely nothing to me. He's good depth and that's about it. Neal is older. Koppen has done well, but he does have a tendency to struggle against bigger NT's. Today, he got absolutely ran through on a couple of plays. Mankins is good and should be re-signed. And Light, like Neal, is older. Brady is the franchise. If we're not going to spend money to protect him then his career isn't going to last much longer.
9. It's time to open up the checkbook, wisely, on linebackers. Mayo has a bright future with this team, but Guyton could very easily be upgraded. As far as I'm concerned, he should not be starting. He should only be on this team as a back-up. I'm not sure what we have with McKenzie, but I don't think we should take any chances. Adalius Thomas should be let go in the offseason, and probably will be. He's a great athlete. He always has been. But the amount of money we're paying him seems almost exorbitant for his production. I mean, defend him all you want, but the bottom line is that he should be much, MUCH better in this defense than 34 tackles with 3 sacks (none since Week 12). TBC has been solid in the passing game this season, but is still a liability at times in the run game. He should be kept as only a pass specialist. I sincerely hope that we're active in the offseason when it comes to the LB corps.
10. Speaking of "linebackers" the Derrick Burgess trade was not very good.
11. I would really like to see the linebackers used a lot more in the passing game. Watson is a good receiving tight end. However, with the bad O-Line play this season, he has had to be in on the blocking game more often. If we improve the offensive line play, it will open up yet another dynamic to the passing game. I do not want to see Baker re-signed next year.
12. The bright side: next season, Brady should be better. He certainly was not himself all year. Next season, Brady will have had one year on the job recovery from the two tears that ended his 2008 season. Edelman looks to be a very effective slot receiver. Kevin Faulk is as tough as nails.
13. I certainly do not think our window has closed. But, if another year of poor decisions are made, it will close.
I'm sure this will be a popular thread.
I can't wait to be told how I'm wrong and how there is absolutely nothing wrong with the team...
