Upon Further Reflection: Monday Night May Help the Team

[bird_1972]

Earlier in the year, I think it was after the Houston game, I mentioned that it looked like we had a young, hungry head coach in the making right here who may be what I was looking for in Shottenheimer. I just don't know what to think at this point. It is frustrating to watch the uncertainty. The uncertainty has become conditioned like it was conditioned to expect to win when I was a kid during the 70's, 80's and early 90's.

With the right personnel, I think both Shannahans will be good additions.

The cupboard was quite bare when they came in this season. It's going to take a couple of seasons to correct that. Also, I feel like new coaches need to get in a "groove" as much as new players do. The problem is that in this day and age, most aren't given enough time to properly get things turned around - especially with our owner.

 

[Cycleans]

Well I think this thread and many others illustrate well that although many here want to blow the team up and start from scratch.... the fans don't have the patience. Heck the team was in complete shambles at the end of last season. Its only been 9 weeks and already many are upset that things aren't happening fast enough so it must be wrong. If we had a top flight rookie qb playing right now he would be in the same boat as Stafford for the Lions.
I'm not giving the F.O. or coaching staff a pass I just understand that it's customary and understandable to give them at least a 1 yr honeymoon period. Am I happy with all of the decisions Shanny and Allen have made thus far? Heck no...that being said I'm also willing to keep an open mind and see if some of the decisions pan out.

 

[bird_1972]

Well I think this thread and many others illustrate well that although many here want to blow the team up and start from scratch.... the fans don't have the patience. Heck the team was in complete shambles at the end of last season. Its only been 9 weeks and already many are upset that things aren't happening fast enough so it must be wrong. If we had a top flight rookie qb playing right now he would be in the same boat as Stafford for the Lions.
I'm not giving the F.O. or coaching staff a pass I just understand that it's customary and understandable to give them at least a 1 yr honeymoon period. Am I happy with all of the decisions Shanny and Allen have made thus far? Heck no...that being said I'm also willing to keep an open mind and see if some of the decisions pan out.

If it is communicated publically that the team is committed to rebuilding the foundation of the team (and if we show even incremental improvement year over year), I'll be as patient as the next guy.

 

[Elephant]

With the right personnel, I think both Shannahans will be good additions.

The cupboard was quite bare when they came in this season. It's going to take a couple of seasons to correct that. Also, I feel like new coaches need to get in a "groove" as much as new players do. The problem is that in this day and age, most aren't given enough time to properly get things turned around - especially with our owner.

I keep hearing the cupboard was bare, which I will not argue to a degree. The problem I have, mostly, is that we stood at 4-3 and went into Detroit, a team we should have beat! We lost that game. We should have beaten the Rams. As bare as our cupboard is, we are a better team than either of those two teams. These are two games we should have won! Now couple that with a last minute TD catch by Andre Johnson and a finger tip INT against the Colts and this team could be looking at an entirely different set of circumstances.

Look, I know there is a lot of work to do and shoulda, coulda woulda. But I am not sold on the idea that we are entirely bad. Early in the season we got bounces our way, now we are not. I will not mention the Eagles game. That was what it was. But the rest of the season shows we are just about as good as most of the other mediocre NFC teams. Look at the Bears last night. They looked like a playoff team. We beat them.

I don't know what more we can do on offense to get the pressure off McNabb. But I will assert that if we had played a base 4-3 defense, we likely would have at least one, maybe two more wins to be right in the running with all the other mediocre NFC teams.

Cycleans, I was not a fan of hiring Shanny from the start but bought into it early since we were winning games early on we would definitely have lost last year. But the last 2 games and the Rams games have me questioning the mindset that has our defense dead last in the NFL coming off a season they were ranked 10th in the league.

I guess my point is, we could be right in the thick of the playoff hunt if there were a couple of changes. I know this is speculation and not based in fact, but I still believe we could/should have 2 more wins than we do right now.

 

[Cycleans]

If it is communicated publically that the team is committed to rebuilding the foundation of the team (and if we show even incremental improvement year over year), I'll be as patient as the next guy.

From what I understand owners as a general rule don't like a team to go on record with "we are in a rebuilding year" they are afraid the fanbase will lose interest during the process. I personally don't agree with the owners but when was the last time you heard a major sports team utter we are in a rebuilding year? That term usually comes from the media IMHO and accepted by the fans.

 

[bird_1972]

From what I understand owners as a general rule don't like a team to go on record with "we are in a rebuilding year" they are afraid the fanbase will lose interest during the process. I personally don't agree with the owners but when was the last time you heard a major sports team utter we are in a rebuilding year? That term usually comes from the media IMHO and accepted by the fans.

I could be wrong, but I'm pretty sure Ted Leonosis stated it when he blew up the Capitals and rebuilt them through the draft.