Bob in STL

What is missing? 1. First of all Schoebel is average against the run. Fletcher and Crowell can make tackles if the DT's eat space and take up some blockers. For that we need more stout DT's. Hargrove usually only plays DT on passing downs. Williams is getting tired as the season goes on and is getting handled by older, bigger, stronger opponents. He will be better next season. Anderson is marginal. We need a true run stuffer to replace Anderson. 2. Sometimes the LBs are not staying in lanes, then they get seal off. 3. Spikes is a shadow of himself and has only 2.5 assists in the past two game, no solo tackles. 4. Whitner is not playing the run very well. Arm tackles, misses, and over pursuit. He is doing OK for a rookie but his tackling needs work. Ditto for Ko Simpson. That explains the run defense.

Just practicing I'm thirsty. pretty cool

Jauron's move was the right one at the right time. Peters is an improvement at LT, Gandy is an improvement at LG, and Pennington is holding his own RT. Heck, I see no reason to play Villareal ever again, let Preston keep the job. All the Gandy bashers need to admit that the middle of our OL, which has been a sieve for years, is much better with Gandy at LG.

1) Agree. Fletcher is one of the best players on the team. 2) I am not ready to anoint Peters with a Pro-Bopwl, but he is getting better. Gandy is doing a great job at LG. He was a guard in college and should stay at there. 3) you must get better TV angles than we do to see that detail on the DL? I could not make that assessment. Williams took a bad panalty. Anderson is a limited player and may be gone next season. 4) OK 5) So now your comparing Peters to a Hall of Fame Guard from the 70's? FYI --- Playing for NE, how many games do you think Hannah actually played against Randy White? 6) Whitner was a non-factor against the run. 7) JP made his breaks too. 8) Why not? 9) Peters for State Senator! 10) Rah Rah!

No way!

TKO looks like a non-factor. He gets a blocker on him and he is taken out of the play. Maybe he will make a comeback? Hard to say. I hope so because a healthy TKO is great player.

Biggests needs are offensive line, defensive tackle, WR, and I am starting to think that LB is becoming a a need.

Jauron and Co. are doing a very good job. The team is in the game just about every week. We have some major holes, especially on offense but we are managing to keep it close and be competitive. We are definitey not an elite playoff team, but we are moving up from bottomfeeders toward the middle of the pack.

Hope is not gone because of a loss. I agree that this win could inspire them further and we could see more wins as the season goes on. Of course, if we win 7 games there will be those who whine about the player we can't draft because of the wins. That will certainly happen.

I don't rank it at all. It was a good road win. I don't know about it being JP's coming out either.

Bob, Great post. Very insightful. Keep 'em coming!

Really? I looked for him all game. He was blocked almost all of the time. He was getting killed on run plays. Yes ... he was in on the fumble and he came in late on another tackle ... so he was credited with 2 assists. Will the real TKO please come back?

I am very pleased ith the win. Props to JP, Evan, the coaching staff, etc. I am concerned about the defense, especially in the first half. They were giving up yardage with almost no resistance. I am not a Cover 2 expert by any means ... it looked like the DL was getting pressure but the LBs and safeties were either over-persuing and out of postion, missing tackles, or being blocked. Whitner and Simpson played like rookies today. Whitner missed severall tackles in run support and Simpson was late reading plays. The biggest disappointment is TKO. I am afraid that he is not ever going to get back to his great stature. He is completely invisible and accounted for 2 assists the whole game. He used to be a tackling machine and now two assists! All of that said, i must give props to the Fewell and the defense for keeping the Texans off of the scorebaord. Feels good to win!

I am surprised to read this comment from you. I grew up watching OJ and I supoorted him, even when it became obvious that his trial was a farce. I don't know what is in the book, is it some kind of confession? Right now I am so sick of his antics that if he were taken down I would not mind at all.

Excellent comment. when Willis comes back he should get his job but we should use A-train also. A-Train can catch out of the backfield and he is tough.

Why stop at the Cinci game? Why not go back to every game in every year and figure out who we could have drafted? I doubt you ever played competitve sports if you advocate losing on purpose to improve your draft position.

Levy is the Genral Manager. Not the head coach. Not the offensive coordinator. Not the QB coach. He does not call the plays, ever. Please stop referencing what Marv did in KC back in the 70's as if it were relavant to anything that happens today. Get a grip.

I think the sack was huge and turned a routine kick into a more difficult kick. As you pointed out, I am not blaming JP, he had no chance. I just did not like the call. Before the play I said to my friend, "I just hope they don't do anything stupid, just run the ball". I guess I am shell shocked by this offense. I have seen enough of this offense to know we have to minimize the bad. As for whether our defense would have held them? You never know. Conventional wisdom says that Manning takes them on a scoring drive. I would have loved the opportunity to see it.

No. I just think that Brady has more than proven himself in crucial situations. Given his track record how can you blame the Pats for putting the game in his hands. Can the same be said for JP?

OK. So what is Brady's record again?

Well, if the Bills had a decent, NFL caliber, offense I would say you go for the TD and the 2 points. Then Manning needs a TD and a extra point to tie you. Given the state of our offense, running the ball with A-Train was the best play. He ripped off 3 good runs before they stuffed him on first down. Why not got to the well again? Oh well, that is why I am at home watching I guess.

Missing that late FG was not in the script but I would say the biggest problem was the third down offense, especially in the red zone. I don't think there is a worse red-zone team in the league. Close but no cigar this week.

I think this was the play of the game. My thoughts on it are: 1. I did not like the call on 3rd and 5 but that is because I wanted to stay conservative. I just don't trust Losman and too many things can go wrong on a pass play. Unfortunately, one of them did. In reality, 3rd and 5 is a down where you should be able to pass or run. Our offense is so flawed that any 3rd down play is a risk. 2. Dwight Freeney lined up way outside and completely beat the TE, not the LT. The Colts were overstacked on our left, they have been looking for a run to the left side. Freeney blew by #84 (Royal) and JP had no chance. JP's ability to sense the rush is not there. Either that or the carpet must be very soft and quiet in the RCA dome. 3. Others are, but I cannot blame Jauron since Fairchild calls the play. There are just so many missed assignments on the offense. The right side of the line is very poor. The TE's do not contribute. The 2nd WR is a non factor. Then you have Losman who still plays like a rookie. 4. I feel we were fortunate to only lose by a point. Thanks to the defense and special teams for that. I guess Jauron and staff did something right to keep us in the game. 5. There is lots of blame to go around if that is what you seek to do. For me, it is hard to judge Fairchild, Jauron, or even Losman when we have such a lack of talent on offense.

Not really. The Bears fans would have ben mad because he would have called a predictable running play, not a pass. Let's get serious .. Jauron does not call the plays. Talk to Mr. Fairchild about that call.