The Now Moment

The part that I think fans get divided on is some look at the entire drought while others look at the start of this regime on. I like to look at this regime up to this point and I think they've done a nice job so far as we sit at 8-6 and a chance to get into the playoffs with a bunch of draft picks and salary cap space available for this offseason to put try to put this team on track in the future. They've made some future moves that have hurt the now but the hate for those moves just shows our impatience as fans and that's where I think the fans carrying their negativity from the entire drought into this regime causes irrational thinking. It's easy to look at the entire drought and have no optimism but to me, that is a lazy fans game. This regime hasn't been here over the entire drought and neither has this ownership, so to carry on the negativity from the last regime and ownership into this one doesn't make logical sense to me. This is the problem I think we have as a franchise. We carry the negativity and blame from regime to regime like we are passing on the baton. Can we not be excited about a regime after 1 year where we don't go to the playoffs but show promise for the future? I don't know that answer anymore because of the constant calls to fire someone. We have lost all patience as fans because we look at the entire drought instead of a single regime's time in the building. The calls to fire McBeane and McDermott are just lazy and impatient in my opinion. You can't look at the entire drought and have that effect a single regime after 1 season. We can't let them grow? They are both new to their positions. Can they not get better? They have set themselves up to trade up for a franchise QB or reset the roster with young talent which is more than we can say about past regimes. The only other team that has more constant turnover than us is Cleveland...enough said there. I think Murph is right by calling out the fans. The negative fans don't give the team a chance to grow and succeed. While some individual moves don't work out, not every move is going to. Have a realistic expectation. We just had a solid draft. We just had a free agent pickup make the pro bowl. Can't wait for this offseason! From an optimistic fan...

I think you have a point about passing QBs but bringing in a specific stat line throws all of these fans off. Yes we need a QB that can pass better. I think we all know that by now or at least we should. Does anyone care if we win and don't hit your specified stat...I hope not. Simply drop the specific stat or you're going to continue to see people mock it. This is just another Tyrod thread brought up a little differently. Yes, most of us know we need a new QB. No need to talk about a specific stat such as this. The arguing over if a player gets a specific stat or not is just mind-blowing how pointless it is.

Bortles gets a lot of crap but the last few weeks he's been dominant. I'm rooting for them over the steelers and the Pats that's for sure

While he's been very solid so far, I'd still be looking for a big back that can get a third and 1. That is still a need for next year.

I guess we will just have to wait and see.

So we need to take a cheap shot on a guy because we are gonna lose? That sounds pretty low to me

No I'm not okay with it. I want our team to go out there and play hard and hit them hard but in a clean way. Why intentionally try to hurt a player? Why stoop to that level? We are already the trash of the NFL with our fans hurting themselves by jumping onto tables. I prefer to play the right way and with class. I want our players focusing on winning this crucial game not on hurting another player. Athletes have family just like White said. I'm not in the boat of threatening a players career and letting our emotions get in the way of winning.

I wish this was the opinion of every fan and player. Respect

I have no problem with disagreeing having a nice conversation but the fact that fans root for players to get hurt turns my stomach. These guys work all of their lives to get to this stage. It's just a game, injuring someone on purpose is not what the game of football is about to me. Like I said, I would be very displeased if we stoop to that level

I just disagree with stooping to their level. Not saying we can't hit them hard with clean legal hits but there is no need to cheap shot anyone.

If we retaliate though, why wouldn't they retaliate back and then the cycle continues just like it does with the Steelers and Bengals. If we were winning, I'm sure fans wouldn't be as disgusted that we take the classy smart way instead the low road.

Haha dirty teams will be dirty teams. How many times have the Bengals and the Steelers traded blows and gotten penalties and suspensions as a result? It hasn't stopped them from continuing to hurt each other. Why "hurt him as revenge" when all it is going to do is get us a penalty and maybe a suspension? Sounds dumb to me

We wonder why nobody takes us seriously...

Why do we have to hurt someone back? I don't understand this way of thinking. Is it because we haven't won much over the years and fans just want to take out their frustrations out on the other team? Use it as motivation to play harder. The best revenge is to get into the fuc*in playoffs and beat them! Can a football team have class or do they just need to act like cavemen?

Embarrassing to a certain level. We look like the cavemen fans of the NFL.

I honestly think he has just regressed.

A lot of them were hurt on running plays this year. I think even the pocket passer should stop running as much as they do now. They are QBs who are paid more than any position in the league and are the most important player on a team. True pocket passers get hurt less by not putting themselves in danger by running. Just throw it and let the running backs do their job.

...I'd like both a better passing QB and a guy who is going to put himself in less danger. Sure the top three guys have steered clear of injury but a lot of QBs have been hurt running this year, not just 5 plus years ago. Running QBs put themself in danger as has been shown this year. I'd rather have a pocket passer that doesn't put himself in harms way. Who knows if Jackson will be the next Russel Wilson and avoid injury or the next RG3 and constantly be hurt. Either way, I don't want to be taking those kinds of chances of putting what is supposed to be our franchise QB in harms way. I think Colts fans wished that Luck would've stopped running and stuck to the pocket passing.

RG3, Mariota has already been hurt, Luck ran way more than people think and got hurt, looking back further...Michael Vick was constantly hurt in his Philly days. Plus all of the injuries that have happened to players that run a little less but still run a lot like have been mentioned already. Personally, I think we should avoid the running QB. The storyline this year has been QBs getting hurt. Why should we want to get a run first QB especially when the rules don't protect those players?

Players most certainly are bigger. Look at Oklahoma's defensive line and tell me that the NFL doesn't have bigger players. On average, the NFL has bigger, stronger players who hit harder. Many college teams have really small defensive players. Mayfield isn't a perfect player. He has lots to prove. I'm not the biggest fan at this moment. That could change leading up to the draft.

Completely understandable but we also have to be a little realistic. We just got trounced by them on our own field...that's making me look to other teams for a little help

That's not true. The only person that applies to is Cam Newton and he is the size of a truck. All of the other running QBs have gotten hurt over the last few years and their smaller size doesn't help that. That's why I question a guy like Mayfield who at times likes to run and Jackson who is 210 lbs. Can they really handle NFL hits on their run plays? Who knows?

He's 5'11". That is tiny. Also, I'm not talking about the height of his lineman. I'm talking about the NFL size of defensive lineman and linebackers and guys that are gonna hit him in the mouth. Can he take a hit like some of the bigger QBs. These defenders in the NFL are faster and bigger and can hit harder. Can he handle that for his size. I have the same questions about the very thin Lamar Jackson. These guys like to run outside the pocket and take hits. Look how many QBs have been injured in recent years by doing this. I think I have the right to have questions about that. Also, Mayfield has an okay arm. It's not stellar. That's not my issue with him though

RG3 was constantly injured, EJ Manuel had his rookie year halted with an injury on a running play, Watson was injured on a running play, Peterman was injured on a running play, Rodgers injured while running outside the pocket, Wentz injured while running, Andrew Luck injured on a running play, there are so many more examples. That is the entire point. Don't have a QB that runs that much. QBs aren't playing to protect their bodies anymore. Sure Wentz got the TD and I'm sure many fans would have wanted him to make that kind of diving effort but look what happened? QB is too valuable to a team to be running around and taking awkward hits.

I said he was familiar with college offenses as he played against them while coaching Penn State. That probably gives him a little advantage over a guy who has only coached at the NFL level