Random Commanders Thoughts

[Boone]

You want to know what sad is? Sad is taking a mental health day because you got your flu shot and feel like shit and not mentally up for work. And then electing to spend the morning trying to find a silver lining in a black sky full of turds.

I fail at mental health days.

 

[Primus Porcus]

You want to know what sad is? Sad is taking a mental health day because you got your flu shot and feel like shit and not mentally up for work. And then electing to spend the morning trying to find a silver lining in a black sky full of turds.

I fail at mental health days.

group therapy

 

[Neophyte]

I understand, John.

And just because I'm bagging on them doesn't mean I think they are lousy people or that we couldn't have worse coaches.

I also keep telling myself that as a guy who has never even played the game at any level above "sandlot", I don't know shit so maybe these guys are better than I think.

 

[Boone]

Other possibility is you are exactly right and I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in the extreme, lol...

 

[Chris]

You want to know what sad is? Sad is taking a mental health day because you got your flu shot and feel like shit and not mentally up for work. And then electing to spend the morning trying to find a silver lining in a black sky full of turds.

I fail at mental health days.

I personally appreciate your tenacity in trying to be reasonable and considered when the stormy skies are rolling in (or permanently in place). You provide a very much needed counter to angry old men like me.

 

[Boone]

I'm just glad you're here brother

 

[Neophyte]

I personally appreciate your tenacity in trying to be reasonable and considered when the stormy skies are rolling in (or permanently in place). You provide a very much needed counter to angry old men like me.

Chris - I have to ask, do you watch the podcast? LOL

 

[Primus Porcus]

Other possibility is you are exactly right and I am giving them the benefit of the doubt in the extreme, lol...

The problem is you can see it... you just 'need' the coaches to see it.

Turner can scheme, the system CAN be dynamic and explosive. The problem is that it's so few and far between, you start to ask if the successful playcall was simply because he lucked himself into the right play at the right time... and it wasn't by design. We can see all of these things at a 3000 foot view, but he can't inside the building. WHY start Robinson last week. WHY not call Play Action, or run the ball, on 1st and Goal from the 2. Things we see 10000 miles away even before they became 'mistakes.'

 

[Chris]

Chris - I have to ask, do you watch the podcast? LOL

I listen while running.

 

[Boone]

The problem is you can see it... you just 'need' the coaches to see it.

Turner can scheme, the system CAN be dynamic and explosive. The problem is that it's so few and far between, you start to ask if the successful playcall was simply because he lucked himself into the right play at the right time... and it wasn't by design. We can see all of these things at a 3000 foot view, but he can't inside the building. WHY start Robinson last week. WHY not call Play Action, or run the ball, on 1st and Goal from the 2. Things we see 10000 miles away even before they became 'mistakes.'

One thing I haven't heard discussed... Turner move back to the skybox against the Titans and we had our best offensive performance of the year overall. I know that's not the 'seeing' you are referring to, but maybe it will help as the season goes forward to see more clearly where the opportunities are?

 

[Boone]

The problem is you can see it... you just 'need' the coaches to see it.

Turner can scheme, the system CAN be dynamic and explosive. The problem is that it's so few and far between, you start to ask if the successful playcall was simply because he lucked himself into the right play at the right time... and it wasn't by design. We can see all of these things at a 3000 foot view, but he can't inside the building. WHY start Robinson last week. WHY not call Play Action, or run the ball, on 1st and Goal from the 2. Things we see 10000 miles away even before they became 'mistakes.'

I think had Rivera not foolishly thrown that late challenge flag to give away our last timeout, we absolutely run from the 2 yd line (and likely score). So we can thank Riverboat for that one.

 

[Neophyte]

I think had Rivera not foolishly thrown that late challenge flag to give away our last timeout, we absolutely run from the 2 yd line (and likely score). So we can thank Riverboat for that one.

And I'll bet you he was thinking about 2 weeks ago when he should have thrown the flag and didn't when he jumped on it this week.

 

[Primus Porcus]

One thing I haven't heard discussed... Turner move back to the skybox against the Titans and we had our best offensive performance of the year overall. I know that's not the 'seeing' you are referring to, but maybe it will help as the season goes forward to see more clearly where the opportunities are?

Maybe.... hopefully.

I think had Rivera not foolishly thrown that late challenge flag to give away our last timeout, we absolutely run from the 2 yd line (and likely score). So we can thank Riverboat for that one.

Fair, but Turner can't control that. He CAN line up a single set back and at least make the Titans think there's a chance to run.

Hell, at that point, really throw them off and put Heinicke in the game as the single set back and pitch him the ball with a run / pass option. SOMETHING that will put the defense on the back of their feet and hesitating. That way if there's no running lane, he spikes it (Intentional Grounding can only be called on the player recieving the snap, once it's pitched, handed off, or thrown to another player, Grounding can't be called on them) stopping the clock despite not having any timeouts.

 

[Neophyte]

Wild...I was thinking about the Heinicke at the goal line thing just a few minutes ago.

If I were Turner, I'm not sure I wouldn't put in a couple of packages for Taylor in short-yardage situations. Either Taylor/Carson combinations or Taylor as the QB. Look at what the Saints are doing with Taysom Hill right now.

 

[Boone]

Well - whatever they do in that spot, if it works we love it, if it doesn't we will gut him for it. If they run a trick play, we are literally calling for Turner's head. Unless it works

 

[Primus Porcus]

Well - whatever they do in that spot, if it works we love it, if it doesn't we will gut him for it. If they run a trick play, we are literally calling for Turner's head. Unless it works

And we're not now?

There's a reason the Philly Special is a thing.

It's not lost on me that Wentz was traded for, and is collecting a check, like a franchise QB, so he HAS to make that play... I was being relatively exaggerated when I mentioned the Heinicke play, I just meant we need to find better ways to be AHEAD of the defense, instead of reactive to it.

 

[Primus Porcus]

So we've all been screaming for blitzes, but it appears the pass rush is winning



Lower 3rd of the league in blitzes, upper 3rd of the league in pressures.

 

[SkinsNumberOne]

Well - whatever they do in that spot, if it works we love it, if it doesn't we will gut him for it. If they run a trick play, we are literally calling for Turner's head. Unless it works

I like to think that there is a group of people (yourself included) who are fairly careful not to do that though. To try to keep it even and fair.

On my part, I don't think looking at Turner's performance over years and questioning the 3-year extension is unfair. I don't see the statistical ranking or growth in coaching, or even the competitive market (there was no clamor for his services) to justify that.

As for his individual playcalls, if he breaks tendency and fails, I think the group of people who are complaining here would be fair (or be called out!). That would be ok. It is only that if a bunch of people sitting in chairs at home know what Turner is going to do, at least to a great extent (maybe not exactly who the primary look will be, but perhaps pretty likely), then DCs will know too.

You posted earlier about how Turner got stuck with Haskins. He also requested Allen because of Allen's familiarity with his playbook. It is a symbiotic relationship between playcaller/OC and QB too; observationally, Turner is not making his offense easier for a new QB to pick up. What is the result? Every time we have a young QB, they are going to look bad. Every time we have a QB who is new to the system, they look bad. Alex Smith is generally highly regarded as one of the smarter QBs you could have. He has been by far, I think, the most successful QB in Turner's system. I don't think that's coincidence.

A lot of this criticism is based on a lot of observation mixed with statistics too. I am trying to be fair to Turner, but at the end, I just see too many arrows pointing at him. I hope his move to the booth will awaken some sense but at this point I don't expect it.

 

[Boone]

All fair - great post

 

[Bulldog]

Joe Gibbs did it the right way - you coach the talent you have

As we see with Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson, Justin Herbert and others the coaches molded the systems to the talents they acquired at the quarterback position.

Only fools stick slavishly to a system concept that worked for a quarterback the coach or coordinator had 4 years ago somewhere else.

Again, the fact this team is 'coach-centric' and the coach is a defensive specialist (with a GM he hired to boot) to me means that the offensive side of the ball is left in the hands of Scott Turner and we are not really moving forward on that side of the ball.

You can't tell me with an almost completely new set of skill players on offense with Wentz, Dotson, now Robinson Jr., etc. that we shouldn't see some creativity out of the coaches to use these players to the best of their abilities.

As far as William Jackson III goes just wait until he is released (probably this offseason) and goes to Buffalo or KC and becomes the player he was in Cincinnati or close to it.

And on a cheap contract that affords the team pretty good value.