Mikie2times

It’s easier to ask if McD could have done what he did this year. Again, the guy was handed two coordinators he didn’t choose. He was asked to be the CEO and basically let those two run each side of the ball. I don’t see this working for a guy like McD. It wouldn’t work for most HC’s in the NFL. Maybe the only reason it worked for him was he had no choice. But something to be said for focusing on managing your business as whole a HC, letting new concepts in, etc.

Ya, I hear ya. All good dude. Just been a long day.

I said Tom Brady sucks as an athlete and we shouldn't be afraid to draft "character concerns". Hernandez is an extreme example to make a point.

I think we overvalue "fit". Fit could be a players size, speed, or intangible background all relative to the position they play. I imagine we feel this optimizes our picks but it tends to shun some damn good football players. Look at Keon Coleman as a recent example. I think Beane likes larger WR's. Gabe Davis => Kelvin Benjamin => Devin Funchess. Now, could Coleman still be a great player? Sure! But if you need size, then you exclude Worthy, McConkey, Pearsall...Now are we in position to knock out that many very good players because our preference says we like bigger WR's? If you do that you're limiting the talent pool. Which I truly believe we do. I think we go for the guy who is best for "us". But lets be real here, this is hardly an exact science and at the end of the day you need some REALLY talented guys. So can you afford to find that level of fit vs just the best player? Further, this concept of a cultural fit just bothers me. If your good culture can't allow you flexibility to draft some unsavory talent (Aaron Hernandez) then what is your good culture actually worth?

Howie Roseman basically told Siriani, here are your two new coordinators. To his credit he found a way to see the potential in the situation vs getting butt hurt. Most coaches would not have the ability to allow two HC level assistants call the shots while they manage the whole. They have too many ego and control issues. He was able to do that. So good for him.

They have a great offense so sure, they will get some. We forced turnovers and that was big. But at the end of the day I don’t know how you walk away from this season and go, well, at least the playoff defense gets a check. Just no. No way. You might not crap all over them either but it’s still a race to 30 for us. Same as it’s been. Blame whatever, whoever, for it. I’ve gone the rounds on McD but I think it’s at least fair to focus on what he has to work with and it’s just not very good defensively.

I just disagree man. They had over 400 yards, 20+ first downs, and over 7 yards per play. Even with 3 turnovers we ended up one self inflicted error away from a tie game. We got the win. It was a good first half game plan but we had no answers in the second half. Then with KC carving us up the week after it just showed we cant trust the playoff defense again. If we do it again (division level team) our defense will be high 20’s low 30’s, maybe worse. I would bet it all on that outcome. It is the outcome every time. I agree with the second part and to be fair based on my previous remarks, I don’t think we will be capable of defensive performance that is actually Super Bowl level until that happens. I don’t think the defensive line has ever been particularly good since McD got here. We have one player with over 10 sacks and that was a guy who made a pit stop here. It needs to be significantly better. All B talent and no difference makers.

In fairness, we have had plenty of good defensive efforts in the wild card round. Baltimore never punted. We forced the turnovers. Credit to Buffalo for doing so, but it’s hard for me to feel as though the Baltimore game made me feel like we can play defense on a big stage. They rolled us, we forced the big plays. But then the next week the Chiefs took our lunch money (again). But I also recognize this issue overlaps with our lack of talent on defense as well. I’m not thrilled with McD here, but ultimately he hasn’t had a very good defensive line since he came here. Perhaps some of that is his own doing as I’m sure he has a decent say in who we draft, but it certainly is on Beane as well.

They’re built very similar to Baltimore and I think we win that one 3 of 10. Philly was better. So you’re where I think it likely is. But the funny thing with these thoughts is the market really doesn’t agree with them. KC or Buffalo would never be as much as +200 bs the Eagles (even now) which is about a mid 30% implied probability. Converted to a spread would be like -4/-5. Reality is Buffalo or KC vs Eagles would be within 3 points and likely within 2. So while we don’t think we would have a big chance the lines would indicate we do.

Brady has no athleticism that is transferable to football. He had one of the worst physical combines in his class. So maybe you can forgive me, but this is a football Message board no? And as I asked, and you clearly showed, none of that Bartolo Colon raw athlete transferred to the gridiron. At lease a sumo wrestler has short term quickness and strength.

I just want him to reflect and understand that his best quality is probably the management of the entire thing and not forcing a system or methodology onto it. Draft the best players. They don’t have to be fast, smaller, high character. Hand the keys to a new coordinator. It doesn’t need to be the system he ran in Philadelphia or Carolina. Seek some outside ideas. You won’t grow unless you look at what other people are doing and we only promote from within. We will see, I’m asking an awful lot with what I’m saying. I don’t expect it to be honest but I do think he’s embracing more man coverage and showed more signs of being multiple on defense this year which I will take.

Siriani gave two high performing coordinators the keys. He focused on managing the team. What does his situation have in common with ours?

By all means, let me know how is baseball athleticism transferred to the NFL where things like running and jumping (how most athletes are measured) actually matter.

I think it’s also more difficult for a guy as athletic as Josh to be at that level pre snap. Brady didn’t have an ounce of athleticism. Burrow isn’t winning with it. If your limitations force that development it becomes more likely l to grow in that area. We could see Josh grow a lot more here as his physical skills decline. He’s already grown a lot with it comparable to his earlier years. But I think the real growth will come when he just can’t depend on Superman showing up. He’s got the smarts.

Like I said in another thread. It’s weird to condemn both McD and the roster at the same time as a team as close as we were. Logically, both can’t suck. I used to focus more on McD’s shortcoming, but this defense is just lacking difference makers. Then we just keep running it back with the B squad extensions. Locking out the potential for actual difference makers. Yes, it’s a problem. It’s not a problem if we want to be a good team. It’s a problem if we want to be a great team.

I promise, a 6”4 235 WR who runs a 4.6 will be available and Beane will make you forgot about all this

in

I think the two best teams were Baltimore and Philly. We beat Baltimore and probably shouldn’t. KC beat us and probably shouldn’t. In the end Philly was the best, so justice I suppose.

1000% and what is great culture worth if it doesn’t afford you that ability?

Sure, but TBH I think those assets need to go proven commodity. I just don’t think we can depend on the 30 something player in the draft making the type of impact we need him to have. Can it happen? Sure. But with where we are, you mortgage 1st round picks that are always late for us anyway. Beane has done fine in the later rounds. We need to target difference makers.

We really suffer from the curse of being just good enough in so many areas. The Eagles imploded last year. It forced the change that resulted in what you see today. I just don’t think this team will have large scale changes. As much as I want to see it something like that. Curse of being just good enough.

I mean, KC limped thru the regular season the beat a crap Houston team and probably should have lost to us for the second time. They have very few quality wins. The Eagles have been beating up good opponents all year and have “A” talent on both sides. They seemed to be better and no question that is the case. It doesn’t appear like the Super Bowl will change what you would think the outcome would be. I don’t know why it was so hard to see what I just said prior but it was there if you looked for it and didn’t expect the Chiefs to just win because they usually do.

I thought the Chiefs score on everybody. That’s what I’ve been told.

They don’t, Ravens or Bills were better.

Looking like the Bucs Super Bowl