Success

Ask me after Sunday. If we beat Pitt on the road, I could see that starting a run, and potentially a 12-5 final record (which may actually still win the division). If we lose, and especially if we do NOT look good doing so - well, that's trouble. This should be a desperation one for us, and if we can't win when we're desperate, this season is probably more of a re-set than a contending kind of year. I think we win & go on a run.

It's an illusion. They're very improved, and a good team - but they're not what the hype suggests right now. If they do win the division and get that 1st place schedule, I'd expect next season to be pretty different.

I saw a pretty funny clip from when it was the Pats/Rams SB. They showed a bar in LA and a bar in Boston reacting to their teams making it. The Boston bar was insane - people jumping all over each other, beer flying. In the LA bar, there were like 6-7 people at the bar, and one guy looked up at the TV and said something like, 'hey, I think we just made the Super Bowl.' And the people he was with gave some half-hearted "cool" reactions, and they toasted their drinks pretty calmly. I'm sure it wasn't like that all over LA, but I don't think they're much of a football town.

Wow - that was a terrible move.

Kind of a bummer to hear. Man, if there was one unit I thought we were set at heading into the season, it was this one. So much investment.

Is Bosa hurt or something? What did I miss? I thought his wrist thing was fine now?

With Pickens, we'd be in the top spot right now. I'm not sure why this team does what it does. We have viable options at the deadline, also. There just seems to be a stubbornness when it comes to the WR position.

I have a weird hunch that this still goes down to the final week.

They have a very improved team, which I'd guess is still somewhere in the 4-6 range in the AFC despite the fact that they could end up w/ the 1 seed. They haven't drafted very well, but they'll have a lot of cap space heading into next year. If they make the right moves, they could be a top contender. But it's been awhile since they've made the right moves.

"What if I told you that a perennially favored team finally broke through as a WC and when everyone had counted them out?" Oh....this isn't for a 30 for 30?

We don't talk about this enough: Why do most other teams have experienced coordinators - but we "promote from within?" I don't mind McDermott as a culture guy & HC, IF we had legit, experienced & proven coordinators. This is completely malpractice w/ a contending team. I don't know why we think it's "better."

Like, who are we afraid of if we get to the playoffs & our health improves? If we get Oliver & Brown back by January, and have no other significant injuries - am I supposed to worry about the Pats or Broncos? Obviously, either can beat us - but they are decidedly NOT scary teams. This year feels like as good a shot as we've had, even if we end up w/ the WC.

People were saying that about Pickens. If we had Pickens this season, we might still be undefeated.

It heartens me to watch other games. Just get in the tournament. I'll have hope in January, for sure. Maybe a WC run is the thing that finally gets us there.

Not sure about that. They still haven't beaten anyone. If Chase played today, they probably get the L. They're having a "stars aligning" kind of season - but it reminds me more of the Commanders last year than the dynasty-era Pats.

I was just checking a Pats board - there was a TON of celebration about re-taking the AFC East title. They think it's over. So do many here, but I'm not so sure. I'm curious how it goes w/ them & the Bengals tomorrow. Not the toughest game - but it's one of the toughest games on their schedule to this point. Which certainly says a lot.

We're still contenders. We're not TOP contenders - but if you lived through the drought, just being one of those teams that isn't "in the hunt" or worse is pretty good. I remember when the season was WAY over by this time of year. We still have a small shot at the division, and even the 1 seed. I'm not optimistic about either, but nether is unfathomable. I don't think this is "the year" (though you never know). But it wouldn't take too much to make us a top team next year. A good LB, a top tier WR, a safety. We don't have a huge list, despite how things seem right now. I can't wait to have Hoecht for a whole season, playing next to Oliver.

I still think we got hot in December & have as good a shot as anyone once the playoffs start. We've seen in some of the games how good this team CAN be. They can be as good as anyone.

I have faith that we'll see the same. People correctly observe that this team isn't as strong as previous teams. But the league & the AFC also aren't as strong. When I look at our schedule, it's easy for me to see a potential run, starting next Sunday. Honestly, I could even see winning out if guys get a little healthier and the injury bug starts to dissipate.

Great perspective here. I've gotten better in general. Losses don't linger for me too much - but when we lose a night game, it still impacts my sleep that night. I kind of get upset w/ myself for that, but it's a process.

There has already been a lot of criticism for Beane on this - but as poorly as the roster is constructed, I think he'd get much more of a pass if it wasn't for the sad, stubborn negligence on the WR position. I think he believed that Coleman might really replace Diggs or something. He took a wild gamble this season w/ that unit, and it is proving to be his biggest & most impactful failure. If he stays, there is no excuse. The WR corps needs a 180 heading into next season, starting with a true star at the #1 spot. Someone proven and great.

I am still so impressed by that defense. That defense EARNED the win for that team. I'm pretty old school, so I love a good smothering defense. I miss the days when we could play D like that - we had good defenses during the drought at times, and certainly in the '90s. But this thread is good perspective. That's the best D we'll face. I still have hopes for this season & a good late run - slim hopes, but hopes.

I hate to say - I no longer consider Bernard to be a big loss. He hasn't played that well, and he just gets hurt a lot. I hate that for him, but it's what it is. Brown is a tough loss, but we have built some good depth on the O-line at least. 1st guy in that unit that seems like he might be gone for awhile, if not the season (at least at 100%). We have been BANGED UP this year. Crazy how many injuries. But to this point, we really haven't lost many guys for the entire season. The hope is A) we don't sustain too many more injuries, and B) the guys who are hurt mostly make it back by January, particularly Oliver & Brown.

I didn't think that play was that close until I saw the replay. Josh really is incredible. Nice catch by Gabe, too. It would have fooled all of us, though. We would have talked ourselves into the idea that we can pull it out anytime, and further ignored the major flaws in this team.

Josh will probably stay - but the primary adjectives I'd use to describe him this year are "weary" and "frustrated." Maybe I'd add "exasperated." Beane has to step up and we have to go all in on receiving targets. Allen needs to have fun again - that's when we win. If he had legit #1 & #2 receivers, along with Kincaid & Cook, everything would look completely different.