Lots of stuff I broadly agree with...
The only comments to this I'd make are:
Everything in Football starts in the trenches. The O Line and the D Line. It was something the Skins ignored for years and years, and it's unfortunate that the year they address it, we're beset with injuries. You can pretty much trace everything wrong with us at the moment to those two things.
Our impressive run of form early season was due to these two areas being so much improved. Our current slump can be traced to the injuries sustained there.
We were running pretty well in the Rams and Raiders games before our O-Line started to become tissue paper facsimiles of their former selves. There's no way that this O-line can open up holes in a MUST GET 3rd down scenario when we need it, especially without TE help. Gruden knew that there was no way on this planet we were converting a 3rd and short with a running play, to do that under these circumstances is to just give up on the drive. At least we had a shot passing. We're probably the weakest O-line in the league now, when for those first few games we were vying for the best.
This really is one of those cases where everything is domino effecting down the line.
If our O-line can't run block they rely on the TE's to help out. If the TE's are helping out their more prone to injury. If they get injured we can't run block at all and out short passing game is toast. If we get to 3rd down and can't run block or throw to TE's the Defense we oppose know it and key off on pass defense. (Add in here the ineffectiveness of Pryor and Doctson) A defense can key up on our short yardage specialists (i.e. Reed and Crowder) and then our odds of completion drop. If we can't complete passes to sustain drives consistently then we end up chasing the scoreboard and passing more... it's a vicious circle that starts at the O-Line and proliferates through the offence.
We can moan about Gruden all we like, but honestly what are the options?
I honestly don't think it would matter who we had at RB or QB at the moment. I'm actually amazed that with this lack of protection we haven't seen Cousins go the way of Rodgers yet. I sometimes feel that it's just a matter of time.
Our fortunes will turn the same time we get our O-Line starters back.
On the D, we were looking good till Allen went down. Then we were screwed. Essentially we were back to the position we were the last few years with NO line pressure to collapse the pocket and trying to get to the QB around the outside from the LB Corps. And now Ionidas is possibly out too.
With our pressure on the QB lessening we gave them more time and started putting more pressure on our Secondary. Then we lose Norman and Breeland and God knows who else... So now we can't stop the run or the pass, it was so noticable on Sunday as Elliott ran at will and while he softened our Defense and kept us honest Prescott picked his spots to take easy passing yards. Again all starts at the line.
Now being positive...
Norman was back this week, though obviously limited. Breeland will hopefully be back next week so we might be able to go Man to Man again. Our secondary is banged up but hopefully will get healthier.
While our Line is in trouble and we've lost some LB's lately, we're still pretty deep at that position and Kerrigan proved he can still get to the QB regardless.
Our Offense is not going to improve till we get our Oline back, and the next few games are humdingers. We're only 3-4 at the moment. I'd be sorely tempted to treat the next game as a loss anyway and rest our starters, give them another week to get healthy. Plus give some of the new players some valuable game experience. I'd let Niles Paul sit and play Sprinkle, I'd bench Pryor and bet Harris or Quick on the field (assuming they're still around) and give Perine an extended play time.
Then start looking to bring players back the week after if they look healthy enough. If we can get through these next three weeks and claim maybe one of them to end the stretch 4-6 and then make a run at the end of season.... Who knows. LOL 10-6 could get us a wildcard maybe.
And yes I know I'm being super super super optimistic.