Success

They took a huge risk not bringing an experienced OC on to a team that was already a contender. It's just not working out. When I watch our O, the word that comes to mind is "vanilla." Other offenses have much more creativity and unpredictability.

Both had enough of a body of work to determine that they SHOULD be a bigger part of this offense. I don't think Dorsey knows how to use them, or how to be creative enough on offense to work them in more. If Daboll was still here, they would have triple the usage & stats (imo).

The season will dictate how things go (I'm stating the obvious, I know). I don't see how they can retain him if we actually miss the playoffs. That would kind of shock me - and be a little depressing. I don't think we miss the playoffs, though. Then, it's more iffy. I think a 1st round exit would still leave things very much in doubt for his future here. But any kind of run, and he'll be back.

Miami is more of a pretender than we are, and they have almost as tough a schedule. If we aren't tied w/ them or still a game back when that game comes around, I'll be surprised. I think we'll still have a chance to win the division that week. The Bills did that after the Hail Murray that one year. Last year we started hot & ended cool. I think this team is capable of a strong run. But it's completely unpredictable as of today. They're in a funk that started in London.

Title runs come in all shapes & sizes. Sometimes, a team just rolls through the season, and it's almost like a coronation at the end. Other times, it's a struggle. Quite a few teams have looked lost and like they would surely miss the playoffs by this point, and then just got hot. The 2007 Giants come to mind (that was an incredibly tumultuous season for them, and fans were even calling for Eli to be benched at a point), but there have been others before than and since. As the OP said, I'm just going to enjoy it either way. I think we're still making the playoffs - but I have no idea how it's going to look. We may limp through the rest of the season and eek our way in for a 1st round exit, or go on a tear & come in as the hottest team, and make a real run. Gotta love sports.

If we judge by the moment - we probably end up 9-8 or 10-7, and lose in the WC. But I think we can turn it around. Another week of Joseph & Douglas learning the D will help - and who knows; we might get some bigtime reinforcements for the playoffs with Milano or Jones, or both. And Knox. So, I'll go 11-6, AFCCG. Not a SB or title year, but a deeper run than we'd expect right now. Laugh away.

Honestly, Wilson is turning into a decent QB. He's making some nice throws out there (and has been for a few weeks now)....

I thought there would be more talk about the end of the 1st half. That was inexplicable. Why punt when you can call timeout w/ a second left, and try a hail mary? The latter isn't a huge chance, but that just looked like bad situational awareness.

It's starting to feel like this staff is in over its head.

The announcers actually singled him out a few times for making impact plays in the game...

Miller WAS very good before he got hurt last year. Even though he's older, there is at least a shot he becomes an impact player again. It took Tre awhile to get back from the same injury (and unfortunately, within a few games of being back, he got hurt again).

I was sure he was an upgrade from McKenzie, but we're using him so much less. Seems like he has quickness & moves in the few chances he's gotten. But who knows. It's been so rare that he's gotten the ball.

Man, there sure is a lot of glee nationally from other fanbases & pundits re: our perceived demise. I find that kind of weird, personally. I definitely like seeing teams like the Pats and Cowboys lose. But they already have a ton of hardware in the trophy case. How enjoyable is it to see a fanbase that has arguably had more prominent heartbreak over decades than any other team continue to experience that? It would be like being stoked if the Cubs hadn't pulled through and instead lost that World Series in a tough way....

I hate to say the words: "complementary football." Life is easier for defenses when their offenses stay on the field longer. Our TOP in the 1st half last night was awful. And it's also easier on a defense when their offense can take leads. It makes the opposing offense more predictable. Our offense hasn't been as good - so our defense is struggling accordingly. Not that the D doesn't have their own issues, too.

# of commercials.

Just a quick reaction to the personality/demeanor thing - I heard Allen say in his presser the McD "we have to play more complementary football" line, and my heart kind of sank. The team parroting and taking on the outlook of this HC is not a good thing. I also thought of a memory from the '90s. Bledsoe's Pats were down a score against the Bills with not much time left, and I think it was a crucial 4th down play they had to make, or something like that. There was a lot of confusion on their side, and from what I remember, Bledsoe almost let the clock run down but took a TO just in time. As he was running over to the sideline, Pete Carroll was looking at him and giving a kind of wry smile. I also think of Rollie Massimino during Villanova's title run way back when calling a TO in a key moment and saying something like "who could go for a hot fudge sundae right now?" And then our own Marv Levy w/ "Where else would you rather be?" Most of these players are in their 20's and are pretty impressionable. It really helps if the coach doesn't make everything seem like it's ultra-serious and tries to lighten the tension once in awhile.

I'm ready for anything. My expectations are way down from even a few days ago. If we lose another primetime game, to the Broncos - or the Jets sweep us - or both...it's just not the year. No fighting that, and just something to accept & move on from. I don't think that's the way it will go. I think we win both, and then see what happens w/ the top teams. But, as I said - I'm ready for anything.

I might be projecting some of my own feelings as a longtime fan onto this: but I see a team that looks like it has a 2-ton weight on its shoulders. They look heavy - as you allude to, they are not having fun anymore. I remember that COVID season, it was such a young, optimistic & loose team. Now, they look like me - like they're carrying wide right & the MCM & the drought & 13 seconds around like a ball & chain. Teams like the Jags & Bengals don't look like that. They look more cocky, more confident, and are playing more loose. And we're soft. We shrink under the lights a bit now, and take time to recover when we get punched in the mouth, as we did in the 1st half last night. I like McD, and think he has done a great job turning this team into a contender. But he seems to have hit a ceiling, and I don't see anything I just talked about changing w/ him at the helm. We need someone to come in and fundamentally change the attitude and culture of the team.

It depends how they're playing at that time, and who is healthy. Joseph & Douglas just got here, and I thought both looked pretty solid yesterday. We MAY get Milano or Jones (or both back). And we might just get hot. This team IS good enough to get on a run. There is usually a surprise team or 2 in the playoffs.

We can beat ANYONE on that schedule. The flip side of that is that we can lose to anyone. But I don't think we should be writing off games like the Eagles & Chiefs. We'll be rightful underdogs in those games - but on a good day, we CAN beat any team in the league. I think the Dolphins are weaker than we are. We'll see how things play out. I think that last game will likely be for the division.

We have a bye in between Philly & KC. We kind of have to win ONE of those games. If we can't beat on of the top teams - making the playoffs is pointless.

Coaching, imo. We should be better than last year w/ some of the upgrades. We looked like our old selves against Miami - I thought that was the start of something, but it looks flukey now. The playcalling is generally lacking. It was actually thrilling to see the one trick play yesterday, even though it didn't work. I feel like our scheme is predictable and easy to gameplan against. It's almost vanilla/preseason at times.

We missed Knox yesterday. He is both a bit overpaid, and also underrated (on here). Cincy has a tougher time covering TE's, and he probably would have given us a boost yesterday.

I was so stoked when we got Von - but that contract is really hurting us now. We could have gotten Adams, we could have gotten Hopkins. Take your pick. Miller is contributing absolutely nothing on the field right now, and a real #2 receiver would have had us in a much better position for the stretch run. I hope Von CAN make it back - but right now, it's looking like that move set us back.

I remember how low this felt, and Pats fans ALL telling us the ol' 'thanks for keeping our place at the top of the division warm' stuff. The title-winning teams have almost always been the ones that got hot later in the year. I hope this team has a run in them - it's hard to predict, and I genuinely think things could go either way. But the way this team is, it wouldn't shock me a bit to see them catch some fire and beat even the Eagles & Chiefs.