Although the record at this point in the season shows a mediocre team at 2-2, they have strongly benefitted from playing the Matt Cassel-led Vikings, who served up 4 INT's on a silver platter and were enveloped in controversy and the Raiders, led by a rookie quarterback who came up an ill fated turnover short of tying the game at the end of regulation on the road. If the team had, say, Denver's schedule to open the season, they would be 0-3. Last night, they were completely uncompetitive. It was the most pathetic "effort" I, personally, have seen out of this team since the San Diego game in 2005. So far, the coaching on both sides of the ball has been awful and the talent on the team is highly questionable. That said, how does it get better? I have a couple of thoughts...
OFFENSE:
1. Stick with last night's interior OL. They had some growing pains, that was to be expected. But, early on, they were giving Brady a very clean pocket to step up into. I think the interior of Connolly-Stork-Flemming may be the best that we can field this season and we should roll with it and let them develop some cohesion. Now Solder is a different question altogether. He's been getting exposed all season and last night was no different. I'm of the opinion that, right now, he's the best LT we can field and should be given more of a chance to work through his issues. But, holy **** man, he's been bad.
2. Activate Dobson and Thompkins. Why these two are consistently being deactivated is beyond me. By all reports, both are healthy. Dobson, in particular, possesses a skill set that most of our receivers do not. He can threaten between the numbers, down the seam, and outside the numbers. Activate the kid and let him build chemistry with Brady. The offense BADLY needs him to make that second year leap and he's not going to do that from the god damn press box. Thompkins, at this point, is also able to get better separation than Amendola. Speaking of, Amendola should be the one inactive in this offense. Somehow, some way, he looks slower than he did last year.
3. Spread teams out and hurry up. They've been by far at their most effective when they spread the opposing defense out and target their LB's and CB's in their quick strike passing game. I understand we have some younger faces trying to get up to speed, but huddling between snaps allows the defense time to substitute based on match-ups. I want to see the hurry up implemented this week. Put Cincy on their heels and force their hand.
DEFENSE:
1. Why in God's name are the Pats employing so much off coverage? Am I losing my mind, or did we not sign one of, if not THE, best press CB's of all time. Revis has a unique combination of strength and elite movement skills. If he presses his man, his man is usually done... forcing the quarterback to go elsewhere. But for some unknown reason, Belichick and Patricia have been employing a lot of off man and zone coverages which COMPLETELY defeat the entire purpose of having a guy like Revis on the squad. Starting pressing more. You have the corners to do it now and you have a near elite FS who can cover more ground than most safeties in the NFL.
2. Where are the exotic blitz packages? Where are the well disguised weak side overload blitzes that we used to see? Where are the safety blitzes? Where is the aggression? This defense, through four weeks, has employed the most conservative, bland defense that I could possibly imagine and the result is that semi-competent offenses can move the ball on us. The Chiefs got a defensive gameplan that I would expect for a team like the Eagles and Smith picked us apart as a reslut. You have to move guys like Smith off their spot or they will tear you up.
3. Figure out the other safety position now that Browner is back. The answer is not Chung, Harmon, or Wilson (nice coverage on Kelce last night, by the way). I wouldn't mind seeing Logan Ryan back there. He's much better with his head turned toward the play (like McCourty) and has some natural ball instincts that would really help in the back end.
After this, I'm out of ideas. Please add your own. Hopefully, this will get turned around starting this week or we could get shut out and dominated again by the Bengals. Either way, I'm tired of watching this **** already. If I'm going to be subjected to this nonsense, I would rather be naked, strapped down in a chair, with two Asian women in S&M gear... one of which is swinging a bull rope into my ball sack while the other is putting out lit cigarettes on me.
