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the 2 big factors that will determine success next season


Fewell733

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1. Pass Rush. This is primarily a personnel issue, but also some coaching. Pass rushers must be obtained in the draft - probably our 1st round pick - and Schobel needs to come back at 100%. It's unlikely there will be many decent pass rushers available in FA - teams don't let good ones hit the street. Fewell needs to be more willing to bring linebackers in on the rush.

 

 

2. Intelligence on Offense. Clearly the more complex issue. We started to see a better mix of playcalling as the season progressed. Unfortunately it was derailed by a rattled mid-season Edwards, an inept late season Losman, and blunders at key moments by a variety of individual players and playcalls. However the running game became established, we were calling things like draws and pitch-outs and running them with success. Our offense is one of the youngest in the league (if not the youngest) and some level of inconsistency should not be surprising. The necessity of Trent and the other young players' progression goes without saying.

- Turk should really study what a team like Miami does on offense - they have a smart approach - they take full advantage of their personnel and are relentless in attacking the weakest part of the defense - see their unabashed use of trick plays to open up defenses a bit for their playmakers, and see their merciless attack of a injured McGee with Tedd Ginn - they never called off the dogs on that advantage.

- We are hampered in our flexibility with an interior offensive line that is too big to get out on the edges. A new center that is a complete player (Fowler too weak, Preston too immobile) will seriously help us get the ball to the edges on screens, pitches, or even just rushing off the edge with pulling lineman. Dockery and Butler also need to be pushed and in general we need to get our line lighter and in better condition. Need to draft a center in the first 3 rounds and probably another guard within the first 5 rounds as well as bring in a FA - it's likely Fowler, Preston and Whittle will all be gone next year. Forcing defenses to be wary of the whole field is key to taking advantage of a defensive weakness.

- Better veteran receivers and tight ends. Rob Royal is our most veteran player on offense and he stinks as a starter and makes the mistakes of a rookie. When Reed was lost we had no real veteran receivers that we could rely on and our passing game evaporated. Evans is taken away by the defense, Roscoe isn't a true receiver, and everyone else was a rookie. I really believe we need to bring in some smart veterans at these spots to provide valuable leadership and reliability to our youth while they grow as players. Obviously, this requires action in free agency.

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