2023 Philadelphia Eagles - Complete waste of a season finally comes to an end. (8 Viewers)

[Gachi]

I still can’t believe we had 1st and 20 and went with 2 QB runs with our gimpy slide happy qb and a screen. This offense has Hurts, Swift, Brown, Smith and Goedert and that’s the path they chose. To play for a FG when your defense had given up 3 straight 70+ yard TD drives.

***** playcalling. Nothing else to call it

Only question is it BJ or Siriani

It’s clearly BJ.

Now, what id like to know is what the conversations are. The play calling is so bad, somebody has to notice/have an opinion.

 

[need2know]

I still can’t believe we had 1st and 20 and went with 2 QB runs with our gimpy slide happy qb and a screen. This offense has Hurts, Swift, Brown, Smith and Goedert and that’s the path they chose. To play for a FG when your defense had given up 3 straight 70+ yard TD drives.

***** playcalling. Nothing else to call it

Only question is it BJ or Siriani

It’s clearly BJ.

Now, what id like to know is what the conversations are. The play calling is so bad, somebody has to notice/have an opinion.

People are getting fired.

 

[Insein]

I still can’t believe we had 1st and 20 and went with 2 QB runs with our gimpy slide happy qb and a screen. This offense has Hurts, Swift, Brown, Smith and Goedert and that’s the path they chose. To play for a FG when your defense had given up 3 straight 70+ yard TD drives.

***** playcalling. Nothing else to call it

Only question is it BJ or Siriani

It’s clearly BJ.

Now, what id like to know is what the conversations are. The play calling is so bad, somebody has to notice/have an opinion.

My concern is how if you're the head coach listening in and you hear another QB draw called on 2nd and 16 do you not say "Hold up guys WTF are you doing!?"

 

[Bigboy10182000]

My concern is how if you're the head coach listening in and you hear another QB draw called on 2nd and 16 do you not say "Hold up guys WTF are you doing!?"

And there was another sequence very similar to this earlier in the season IIRC.

 

[Bigboy10182000]

Did Alabama hire Brian Johnson and I missed it?

 

[GoBirds]

Did Alabama hire Brian Johnson and I missed it?

We wish. Oh, we wish.

 

[need2know]

Did Alabama hire Brian Johnson and I missed it?

They have very similar problems. As a bama and eagles fan it's been tough. Sadly Reese is better than Johnson. That's not saying much

 

[Qammy]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

Starting with getting a new QB

 

[need2know]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

Starting with getting a new QB

Nope. But you need one

 

[Pip's Invitation]

I already have one Hurts troll on ignore. Do I need to make it two?

 

[renesauz]

NOt pleased with some of the offensive play calling, but far more concerned about the defense. ZERO pressure for multiple weeks now, and lineman rarely getting off blocks to make any tackles at all. They were supposed to be the strength of the defense. With them playing poorly, the secondary is more then exposed. ONe sack a game, one turnover every other game just doesn't cut it.

 

[unckeyherb]

I already have one Hurts troll on ignore. Do I need to make it two?

For real. Hurts has more passing yards than last year, more passing TDs than last year, similar rushing yards but more rushing TDs than last year. All more than in a year where he was an MVP candidate. But he’s the problem? GTFO

He’s definitely taken a step back in terms of ball protection (something he excelled at last year) and decision making as to where to go with the ball. I think the latter is due to play call and coaching - specifically looking first for the explosive play when 4-5 yards will do the trick. That’s coming from Nick.

Either way, we have around 157 things that need to be fixed on this team and QB play is like #146.

 

[Pip's Invitation]

NOt pleased with some of the offensive play calling, but far more concerned about the defense. ZERO pressure for multiple weeks now, and lineman rarely getting off blocks to make any tackles at all. They were supposed to be the strength of the defense. With them playing poorly, the secondary is more then exposed. ONe sack a game, one turnover every other game just doesn't cut it.

It should have been a warning when Mac Jones passed the ball at will against us in Week 1, and did not look like a functional quarterback the rest of the year.

 

[The Noid]

Had a nightmare last night we lost to KC, went on a 3 game losing skid, and lost the #1 seed so we had to host a WC game. It was against MIN and Josh Dobbs threw 4 TDs and knocked us out of the playoffs.

That would be such a Philly outcome.

Amazing that this "nightmare" from 7 weeks ago now would have been a better outcome than what actually is playing out.

 

[Insein]

Had a nightmare last night we lost to KC, went on a 3 game losing skid, and lost the #1 seed so we had to host a WC game. It was against MIN and Josh Dobbs threw 4 TDs and knocked us out of the playoffs.

That would be such a Philly outcome.

Amazing that this "nightmare" from 7 weeks ago now would have been a better outcome than what actually is playing out.

I mean it's pretty much the same. Just insert Baker Mayfield instead of Dobbs.

 

[Snotbubbles]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

 

[Insein]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

 

[unckeyherb]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

It seems fairly obvious to me that this team as an ORGANIZATIONAL philosophy believe that in order to win you need to generate "explosive" plays and limit the opposing team from making "explosive" plays.

Its why every game there are multiple times where we need to control the clock with a long sustained drive, are looking at 3rd and 4 (where a draw and a tush push move the chains and keep the defense on the field) and decide to launch a 40 yard bomb down the sideline to AJ or Davonte.

Its why the defense plays soft cushions and opposing teams just feast on the underneath stuff in the middle of the field, chewing up yards and marching down the field for 75 yard TD drives. By the time the defense needs to not bend or break in the RZ they are exhausted from the 10 play drives and multiple 3rd down conversions that they've just given up. All in an effort to not give up an explosive play. Who needs explosive plays when you can dink and dunk 10 times?

This is why getting new coordinators probably won't do much for us. The team's entire philosophy on how you play the game is what's hurting us. That's a real problem.

 

[babydemon90]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

It seems fairly obvious to me that this team as an ORGANIZATIONAL philosophy believe that in order to win you need to generate "explosive" plays and limit the opposing team from making "explosive" plays.

Its why every game there are multiple times where we need to control the clock with a long sustained drive, are looking at 3rd and 4 (where a draw and a tush push move the chains and keep the defense on the field) and decide to launch a 40 yard bomb down the sideline to AJ or Davonte.

Its why the defense plays soft cushions and opposing teams just feast on the underneath stuff in the middle of the field, chewing up yards and marching down the field for 75 yard TD drives. By the time the defense needs to not bend or break in the RZ they are exhausted from the 10 play drives and multiple 3rd down conversions that they've just given up. All in an effort to not give up an explosive play. Who needs explosive plays when you can dink and dunk 10 times?

This is why getting new coordinators probably won't do much for us. The team's entire philosophy on how you play the game is what's hurting us. That's a real problem.

And yet, pretty clearly teams ALSO get explosive plays against us. Cardinals hit a 30+ yard pass on their drive to win the game. Giants hit a 69 yard TD to make it a 5 point game with 5 minutes left. Seahawks hit a 29 yard pass to win the game (and had a 34 yard pass on 3rd and 10 in that same drive to keep it going). 49ers had a 49 yard TD pass. I could go on.... we absolutely give up big plays in key moments all season long.

 

[babydemon90]

And yea Hurts is the least of the problem. He has things he needs to improve on...but we'd be losing these games with Mahomes at QB.

 

[Insein]

And yea Hurts is the least of the problem. He has things he needs to improve on...but we'd be losing these games with Mahomes at QB.

If Mariota was QB all year, we're a top 5 pick.

 

[unckeyherb]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

It seems fairly obvious to me that this team as an ORGANIZATIONAL philosophy believe that in order to win you need to generate "explosive" plays and limit the opposing team from making "explosive" plays.

Its why every game there are multiple times where we need to control the clock with a long sustained drive, are looking at 3rd and 4 (where a draw and a tush push move the chains and keep the defense on the field) and decide to launch a 40 yard bomb down the sideline to AJ or Davonte.

Its why the defense plays soft cushions and opposing teams just feast on the underneath stuff in the middle of the field, chewing up yards and marching down the field for 75 yard TD drives. By the time the defense needs to not bend or break in the RZ they are exhausted from the 10 play drives and multiple 3rd down conversions that they've just given up. All in an effort to not give up an explosive play. Who needs explosive plays when you can dink and dunk 10 times?

This is why getting new coordinators probably won't do much for us. The team's entire philosophy on how you play the game is what's hurting us. That's a real problem.

And yet, pretty clearly teams ALSO get explosive plays against us. Cardinals hit a 30+ yard pass on their drive to win the game. Giants hit a 69 yard TD to make it a 5 point game with 5 minutes left. Seahawks hit a 29 yard pass to win the game (and had a 34 yard pass on 3rd and 10 in that same drive to keep it going). 49ers had a 49 yard TD pass. I could go on.... we absolutely give up big plays in key moments all season long.

Oh absolutely. The philosophy on defense is faulty AND THEN the personnel is ALSO faulty. Its a recipe for losing to Drew Lock or the Cards.

Jonathan Gannon's decision to go onsides at the end of the game is proof positive. He KNEW (as did many of us watching) that if the Cards got the ball back they'd score a TD. Kick the onsides and yeah, maybe you get it, maybe you don't. But more importantly, by going onsides, he shrunk the field and therefore our ability to burn the clock. He was supremely confident that as long as they got the ball back with some time, that we would give up a TD. He was correct. Its embarrassing.

 

[ChiefD]

From a guy watching a team play like dog crap all year to another fan base watching their team play like dog crap all year, remember this:

Both teams are STILL in the playoffs. One of them has a division title and the other has a chance at one. Either way we are both in the tournament.

These are still the good times. I've had to remind myself of that, considering where we were Before Pat.

Enjoy - you guys have the talent and experience to turn the switch. The playoffs are a different animal and you are battle tested to the max.

 

[Bigboy10182000]

For a good laugh, check out our LBers lol

 

[Qammy]

And yea Hurts is the least of the problem. He has things he needs to improve on...but we'd be losing these games with Mahomes at QB.

Definitely Not ! Mahomes throwing to AJ Brown and Smith with that Oline = Undisputed MVP !!!
Eagles would be undefeated with Mahomes at QB

 

[Insein]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

It seems fairly obvious to me that this team as an ORGANIZATIONAL philosophy believe that in order to win you need to generate "explosive" plays and limit the opposing team from making "explosive" plays.

Its why every game there are multiple times where we need to control the clock with a long sustained drive, are looking at 3rd and 4 (where a draw and a tush push move the chains and keep the defense on the field) and decide to launch a 40 yard bomb down the sideline to AJ or Davonte.

Its why the defense plays soft cushions and opposing teams just feast on the underneath stuff in the middle of the field, chewing up yards and marching down the field for 75 yard TD drives. By the time the defense needs to not bend or break in the RZ they are exhausted from the 10 play drives and multiple 3rd down conversions that they've just given up. All in an effort to not give up an explosive play. Who needs explosive plays when you can dink and dunk 10 times?

This is why getting new coordinators probably won't do much for us. The team's entire philosophy on how you play the game is what's hurting us. That's a real problem.

And yet, pretty clearly teams ALSO get explosive plays against us. Cardinals hit a 30+ yard pass on their drive to win the game. Giants hit a 69 yard TD to make it a 5 point game with 5 minutes left. Seahawks hit a 29 yard pass to win the game (and had a 34 yard pass on 3rd and 10 in that same drive to keep it going). 49ers had a 49 yard TD pass. I could go on.... we absolutely give up big plays in key moments all season long.

Oh absolutely. The philosophy on defense is faulty AND THEN the personnel is ALSO faulty. Its a recipe for losing to Drew Lock or the Cards.

Jonathan Gannon's decision to go onsides at the end of the game is proof positive. He KNEW (as did many of us watching) that if the Cards got the ball back they'd score a TD. Kick the onsides and yeah, maybe you get it, maybe you don't. But more importantly, by going onsides, he shrunk the field and therefore our ability to burn the clock. He was supremely confident that as long as they got the ball back with some time, that we would give up a TD. He was correct. Its embarrassing.

That's why I said it was genius in the game thread. The announcers couldn't understand it but when you look at how that game was going it was brilliant.

 

[Insein]

For a good laugh, check out our LBers lol

More concerned about Sidney Brown there. They all bit HARD on that play action.

This again is regular schlubs looking at the film. How is this not drilled into their heads all week in the film room? Are they too stupid to get it or the coaches not making it clear what should be done?

 

[DJackson10]

There's nothing we can do to help the defense this year. But this offense has a couple easy changes that can make it a 40+ ppg team. This in turn will help the defense.

Again no faith they make the changes. We'll see how desperate they feel.

We can control the clock on offense and shorten the amount of possessions the other team gets. That would require them to commit to the run though.

That's exactly what I mean. We all know they can do it. Teams seem to be holding their breath and breathing a sigh of relief when we don't. I'll never understand professional coaches that cannot see whats right in front of their face.

It’s ego and trying to think they are the best guy in the room. Look at all the running QBs over the yrs who coaches think they thought they could fix. Any with Vick and Bill with Cam Newton. You can’t teach old dogs new tricks at that stage. It’s also a game thing. People say X team coach can’t do this so they try and make it work to prove people wrong.

If only half these guys stuck to their original philosophies things would be different. This happens in all sports too. Sometimes the fans are actually the ones right.

 

[DJackson10]

I already have one Hurts troll on ignore. Do I need to make it two?

For real. Hurts has more passing yards than last year, more passing TDs than last year, similar rushing yards but more rushing TDs than last year. All more than in a year where he was an MVP candidate. But he’s the problem? GTFO

He’s definitely taken a step back in terms of ball protection (something he excelled at last year) and decision making as to where to go with the ball. I think the latter is due to play call and coaching - specifically looking first for the explosive play when 4-5 yards will do the trick. That’s coming from Nick.

Either way, we have around 157 things that need to be fixed on this team and QB play is like #146.

Hurts is part of the problem not the whole problem. The problem is more that Hurts and Brian aren’t on the same page. Hurts is changing some plays in the huddle that just aren’t working. Not sure if BJ is calling those draws or Hurts is calling his own number but when QB and OC aren’t on the same page both are a problem.

Also I’ve said it before but context matters with some of the numbers as well. A lot of hurts rushing tds are vultures goal line scores. I can only remember maybe 1 legit running TD and that was the buff game. We are also passing more this year then last especially second half of games.

 

[DJackson10]

From a guy watching a team play like dog crap all year to another fan base watching their team play like dog crap all year, remember this:

Both teams are STILL in the playoffs. One of them has a division title and the other has a chance at one. Either way we are both in the tournament.

These are still the good times. I've had to remind myself of that, considering where we were Before Pat.

Enjoy - you guys have the talent and experience to turn the switch. The playoffs are a different animal and you are battle tested to the max.

The problem for us is a lot of our issues can’t be fixed this year. I don’t know what LC weakness have other then getting some legit Recievers would do, but a lot of our issues aren’t easy fixes and will cost us in the playoffs

 

[DJackson10]

For a good laugh, check out our LBers lol

More concerned about Sidney Brown there. They all bit HARD on that play action.

This again is regular schlubs looking at the film. How is this not drilled into their heads all week in the film room? Are they too stupid to get it or the coaches not making it clear what should be done?

Apparently from Tim McManus article on Gannon after the game Sunday the defenders were/are getting too much info at once where they couldn’t play lose and fast. This sounds very similar to the year we lost most of our DBs besides Jenkins. Schwartz wouldn’t dumb down the defensive scheme for the new DBs so Corey Udlin and my Buddy Dino Vasso spent hours and hours after practice trying to help dumb it down for the DBs so they could better understand it. Coaches coach at the highest players understanding and won’t dumb it down for others. This is an issue that schools have as well as they teach at their best students level but won’t dumb it down or break it down into easier learning for the other students. And it hurts the overal value of students/athletes.

 

[Kwai Chang Caine]

I would rather have a bad record and be looking at a high draft pick than where we are right now. Dead man walking. Go sixers

Wake me up if the Sixers make it out of round 2…

Call me crazy but I like the way they look. New coach and no Harden is some serious positives

Agree man. Just ya know, “battered spouse” syndrome and all….

 

[Cowboysfan8]

He has things he needs to improve on...but we'd be losing these games with Mahomes at QB.

Curious, what makes you think that?

 

[Insein]

He has things he needs to improve on...but we'd be losing these games with Mahomes at QB.

Curious, what makes you think that?

If our OC was calling for Mahomes QB draw two times in a row on 1st and 20 with 2 mins left, we'd still be losing.

KC figured out they need to run the ball. Even Andy got that memo. Why can't the Eagles?!

 

[Cowboysfan8]

If our OC was calling for Mahomes QB draw two times in a row on 1st and 20 with 2 mins left, we'd still be losing.

Ah, got it

 

[Scooby1974]

Did Alabama hire Brian Johnson and I missed it?

You wish. haha

 

[ChiefD]

KC figured out they need to run the ball. Even Andy got that memo. Why can't the Eagles?!

If Andy continues to do that throughout next week AND the playoffs I swear to God I will kiss him on that mouth of his. French and all. And I won't be ashamed about it.

 

[G-King]

What’s the injury status on Smith? If he’s out, who steps into that position?

 

[Insein]

What’s the injury status on Smith? If he’s out, who steps into that position?

I imagine it would be Quez. They don't really have anyone else. maybe use Julio some more.

 

[Pigskin Fanatic]

What’s the injury status on Smith? If he’s out, who steps into that position?

I imagine it would be Quez. They don't really have anyone else. maybe use Julio some more.

more Julio please, not sure we can trust Quez. i guess he's never had the volume, but his field awareness is not great. i love AJ, but without Smith stretching the field I think all passing stats take a hit. let's hope Smith isn't out for more than a week. at least last week it looked like Goedert is back to form, so that helps.

 

[unckeyherb]

Listening to a pod with Baldinger and he said this was only the second time in 60 years that the Cardinals didn't punt in a game.


Happy New year.

 

[Cowboysfan8]

https://twitter.com/1kalwaysopen_/status/1742315768614686926?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw%7Ctwcamp%5Etweetembed%7Ctwterm%5E1742315768614686926%7Ctwgr%5E%7Ctwcon%5Es1_&ref_url=

Lol

 

[need2know]

Listening to a pod with Baldinger and he said this was only the second time in 60 years that the Cardinals didn't punt in a game.


Happy New year.

I think the only stop we made was the pick 6. That's nuts

 

[Long Ball Larry]

What’s the injury status on Smith? If he’s out, who steps into that position?

Greg ward available on the practice squad still…
(as it was in the beginning, and it shall be in the end)

 

[oldmanhawkins]

I took my son to the game this weekend. His first Eagles game. I told him he’s now an official eagles fan because he’s experiencing a letdown for once (the phils and eagles have been so good for his lifetime). I don’t like what I’m seeing from this team…but I really hate what I’m seeing from this fan base.
I was upset to hear fans booing on the first drive. As the cardinals held the ball throughout the second half there was no energy and no noise in the stadium. All I heard was people griping about the linebackers or the play calling.
I’ve always thought that Jimmy Rollins described this city perfectly and no one wants to hear it.

"They’re frontrunners. When you’re doing good, they’re on your side. When you’re doing bad, they’re completely against you.”

We hate to lose so much that we turn on our team and the players. We point fingers. We stir up drama. We scream to anyone that will listen that we have the right to boo, but we do so much more damage than just a few boos. We say dumb stuff like we’d rather them be 5-12 so we’d get a better draft pick and we make rash decisions about giving up on players and coaches. This compounds the problems. My optimistic view is that the one thing that could save this season is that this team has to go on the road. Get away from the noise and the negativity and try to figure out how to play together as a team instead of a bunch of individuals. Or lose in the first round. Either way, I’m rooting for them because this is my team and that’s what you do.

 

[Insein]

They deserved to get Booed.

 

[oldmanhawkins]

They deserved to get Booed.

No, they deserved to lose. And they did.
The fans deserved to suffer through that debacle because from the very first drive they were already not supporting their team. This isn’t “you get what you pay for” this is “you get what you give.”

 

[unckeyherb]

They deserved to get Booed.

No, they deserved to lose. And they did.
The fans deserved to suffer through that debacle because from the very first drive they were already not supporting their team. This isn’t “you get what you pay for” this is “you get what you give.”

This is week five of literal garbage being displayed by the best team in football six weeks ago. They deserved to lose and they deserved to get booed. From the very first drive. Because I saw the ineptitude that was laid bare 30 seconds into the game and masochistically continued to watch until the bitter end. How could you support this team? There’s no drive. There’s no heart. They deserve to be booed because they have fallen short of our expectations. Expectations that they set last year and didn’t carry thru this year. Don’t blame the fans, blame the team that let us all down.

 

[fred_1_15301]

They deserved to get Booed.

No, they deserved to lose. And they did.
The fans deserved to suffer through that debacle because from the very first drive they were already not supporting their team. This isn’t “you get what you pay for” this is “you get what you give.”

This is week five of literal garbage being displayed by the best team in football six weeks ago. They deserved to lose and they deserved to get booed. From the very first drive. Because I saw the ineptitude that was laid bare 30 seconds into the game and masochistically continued to watch until the bitter end. How could you support this team? There’s no drive. There’s no heart. They deserve to be booed because they have fallen short of our expectations. Expectations that they set last year and didn’t carry thru this year. Don’t blame the fans, blame the team that let us all down.

I know he’s a hero in this town but a lot of the blame goes to Howie IMO. He turned the defense over with unproven young guys and aging veterans and assigned a rookie D coordinator to lead it. I don’t buy into this lack of heart. It’s not the same team as last year at all (especially on D).

 

[Insein]

They deserved to get Booed.

No, they deserved to lose. And they did.
The fans deserved to suffer through that debacle because from the very first drive they were already not supporting their team. This isn’t “you get what you pay for” this is “you get what you give.”

This is week five of literal garbage being displayed by the best team in football six weeks ago. They deserved to lose and they deserved to get booed. From the very first drive. Because I saw the ineptitude that was laid bare 30 seconds into the game and masochistically continued to watch until the bitter end. How could you support this team? There’s no drive. There’s no heart. They deserve to be booed because they have fallen short of our expectations. Expectations that they set last year and didn’t carry thru this year. Don’t blame the fans, blame the team that let us all down.

I know he’s a hero in this town but a lot of the blame goes to Howie IMO. He turned the defense over with unproven young guys and aging veterans and assigned a rookie D coordinator to lead it. I don’t buy into this lack of heart. It’s not the same team as last year at all (especially on D).

We can say what we want about Howie but we all thought he did a good enough job on D. For the first 6-7 weeks it looked pretty good. Run defense was incredible. Pass defense wasn't letting up the plays were seeing now either. But we did overestimate them. They were never top 10 but they were somewhere between 11-20. Injuries have decimated an otherwise mid level defense. Dean was obviously a lot more important than we thought.