Paup 1995MVP

How about we worry about beating Cincinnati and New England. Let’s get on a roll and it shouldn't matter who we play in the playoffs. We have 5 regular season games left. Just enjoy the ride.

What year was that? Was that under Marty Schottenheimer, Bobby Ross, Mike McCoy, or maybe Norv Turner as head coach?

We had best be able to cover Hollins. Hard to believe but we are #1 in pass defense in the NFL. Probably still bottom 5 against the run. But the group we have in the secondary right now seems to be doing a pretty good job. Did Bosa hurt his hamstring late in the game? Lets hope he heals faster then Kincaid. Anyone have an update on Ms Kincaid? (That's Bill Parcells would call him. LOL) That guy is as fragile as a china doll. We could really use him on the field. I forgot about Morgan Fox. Has he had some good seasons in the NFL? Wasn't he on the 2021 Rams super bowl team, and played a lot of snaps on their D line?

I am more concerned about containing Mayes and his receivers. NE doesn't run great, but they give Maye all sorts of time. And their receivers are always open. I would load up and rush 5 on every play from all different angles. A couple of big shots on Maye is what's needed. Teams almost never send the house anymore. I think if a team started using the 46 defense of yesteryear, it would take some time for offenses to adjust. You just can't drill the QB under the chin anymore like the 85 Bears did constantly. But you can still bring heat. I am surprised that no DC's study that, and come up with a modern version. Instead they lay back and play a shell. Good offenses will bleed you to death like the Pats do. And then take shots over the top when you bring LB's up on the short stuff. I don't like Trey White against either the Bengals or Pats. They will target him.

Why can't we do the same with VandeMark? He will do just as well as Dawkins at this point in their careers. But agree with your premise that we need to come in takings shots down the field. If I am Al Golden the DC for Cinci, I am certainly loading the box. And the Bills had best be prepared. If not, fire Brady at halftime. (I would absolutely love that.)

I am a Michigan alumni. He was real good leading us to the Nat Championship. But again at Michigan we do not run a modern passing offense. He has the tools, arm strength, leadership, energy, and can move. But it remains to be seen if he can become the guy in Minnesota, or someplace else. Fingers crossed. Because I really like the kid. Its funny we used to pass the ball at Michigan a lot better. I was there from 83-87. And Harbaugh was our QB in 84-86. He broke his arm against MSU in 84. And we ended up 6-6. But played BYU in the Holiday Bowl when they had Robby Boscoe and won the Nat Championship after beating us. But their O lineman were holding us on every dropback. And then in 85 and 86 Harbaugh was chucking it all over the field. And was a gunslinger for that era. He ended up being drafted in the late 1st round after his career at Michigan. And was a good NFL starting QB. And then we had Brian Griese lead us to the 1997 Nat Championship. And he threw well for us. Especially out of play action. Think of a more mobile Jared Goff. And then Harbaugh comes and coaches us and we become ground and pound. (hope you appreciate some Michigan football history. Go Blue!!)

A great group?? That’s comical to even mention the word great when talking about our receivers. They border on non existent since Kincaid went down. He at least opens things up in the middle of the field. It’s a must that we get them going to a degree over the next few weeks. We will continue to run against Cinci and NE. But we will have to mix in some deeper pass plays to keep teams off balance when they stack the box. Any OC and HC should know that. And Josh Allen has to dominate w his legs. We have no other choice given how meh the WR group is as a whole.

So we like players because they do community stuff. But all of them pretty much go and see sick kids and hand out turkeys to the poor at Thanksgiving? That’s kind of standard operating procedure for most athletes. No reason to Keep his fat ass overrated hype on the team after this year. He is a mediocre player at this point. Do any of them hang in strip clubs anymore like PacMan Jones? Maybe the Dolphins. lol😂😂

He sure did against the Bears opening night in the 4th qtr. The kid has moxie. Their O line has been lousy. All he ever hears is how Minnesota should have kept Darnold. The kid is just 22. He did not play in an airial circus at Michigan. It was kind of like…our passing game this year. Give him an offseason to get comfortable. The kid is going to eventually ball out.

Good point about having the bye.. 3 wins on the road is very difficult. Not impossible, but difficult. That's a lot of physicality after playing 17 regular season games. But we were tough in the trenches yesterday. Just need to find some passing game, to keep defenses honest. That should be a high priority for the coaching staff and players.

Dawkins is a big teddy bear. Doesn't play angry enough. Almost seems distracted, where he loses his focus and jumps Offside a lot. He obviously doesn't suck. But I would not lose any sleep if we traded him for a second round pick. Spencer Brown has that meanness that's needed on the O line. But we sure know how to develop our O lineman. Dam they were stout yesterday. Put a whupping on the Steelers. All their players from past decades could not have been happy watching that beatdown. We have matched up well against the Steelers in the McDermott era.

You must have too much time on your hands coming up with all that. I got a headache just reading it. That being said, regardless of if we get the #1 seed (which isn't going to happen) or the 7th seed. If we play well over the next 5 games, we will have as good a shot as any team to win the AFC, and get to the Super Bowl. Home field is overrated. We lost to Cinci in 2022 and the Chiefs in 2023 on our home field in the playoffs. (I think there is more pressure on the home team in the playoffs.) If Josh and the rest of the team get their confidence at peak level, I like our chances at anybody's stadium. Should be fun to watch it play out after curb stomping the mighty (LOL) Steelers.

That's a very intriguing idea SC. Do you really think we could get a 2nd for Dawkins at this point in his career? If so, I would do it in a heartbeat. Resign Van De Mark and maybe bring in someone (a rookie or lower price vet) to compete with him for the starters job. I think Kromer is our best coach on the roster hands down. He really gets the most out of each of our O linemen. Starters or backups.

Anderson and Vandemark are solid players. I would argue that either is at least as good as Dawkins at this point in their careers. (Dawkins is overrated. Has been his entire career. Now it’s just more because he is fatter and slower) We need Kincaid back. He is the only true receiving weapon we have. And he is good down the middle. Maybe Cooks can help. The rest look like they are in mud. Although it wouldn’t hurt to try and throw to Gabe Shavers and Coleman down the field some. And as long as we are paying Knox so much, send him down the field some too. He seems to know how to get open, despite his marginal hands. No reason we can’t win out. We just need guys especially on defense to elevate their games some like Benford did yesterday. Defense has looked better of late. More organized w lining up w Shaq Thompson calling the signals. And the coaching staff needs to draw up solid game plans each week based on our opponent. (Can’t do the same thing every week) We just need to be better than our opponent each week. (The NFL is a week to week league) And when Josh Allen is playing like he did yesterday, we are a tough out. I never agreed w the posters who said we should limit his running. The dude is a big man. He can take and dish out the pounding. He plays better that way.

Yes agreed. I would play those 3 over Bernard. Other than the late pick against Miami in week 3, I don’t know if Bernard has made a play all season. I have always said he is just too small to play NFL LB. Another 10-12 pounds would do him wonders. And he should learn from Shaq Thompson, who has been a revelation for us.