Mind Character

Seibert has to get more hangtime on those kickoffs

HOUSE THAT BISH>>>>

Odell was lucky he didn't make solid contact or else that Jarvis option play could've been called back

Chefin some good sh*t ... Indeed, perfect time for a strip sack or big TFL...

All bitonio and pharoah brown there.. nice return action down block for the TE

there's a built in option pass on that too ...

Tretter was grabbed and dragged he had to push the guy just to get him off him...

right on time...

Schobert and Whitehead with the ole high low ball blow...

This defense is desperate for a big time playmaker that can play with force in the defensive backfield..

How have our CBs looked? Has Freddie down something more than trips right spread in the redzone? Are we running the ball? Any play-calls from undercenter?

ok great... thanks

the lube lol...

Just got back from work... haven't been able to to see or hear anything.. what's the breakdown of what's happened so far... how have we looked ? how have they looked?

Biggest thing I don't want to hear Freddie say after the game: "I'm new at this; this was my first time in that situation I promise I'll be better next time." There are ways to simulate things via mental simulation of situation and be prepared and know that with 4 downs from the 4 one should run the ball. Even if he really was prepared but made a bad decision saying things like that won't help have people believing in his competency.

Also a great way to generate rhythm. Also, allows playaction to be more effective b/c no one is buying our fake or redundant PA from the shotgun. It's mostly wasted motion for us to this point.

It's possible to support and critique. Possible to think Baker is special in some areas and has issues in others. Possible to root for him wishing the best and voice displeasure over certain things. That's called being a loyal fan but having a mind of your own. Of course, none of us could accomplish even a fraction of what Baker or anyone else on our team has done or is doing, but disagreement is not the same as not supporting.

The need to respond to every little random slight from random twitter users of which mostly do so to get a rise out of him or a response shows a lack of awareness. I mean Baker's been doing this since Oklahoma not only responding to reporters or commentators but also to trolls that were just doing troll things. At some point you have to realize trolls troll and it is a waste of time and meaningless responding so just process that whatever the person said is meaningless and spend your time doing something else. Baker's a smart guy so the need to constantly tweet/clap back at trolls really is a sign of insecurity imo. Now, ultimately it likely means nothing when it comes to his play on the field, but it may be a sign he can't block anything out for his own good.

I very well could've/should've included the change at QB coach from Zampese to Lindley. I think you're right in that Chubb is underrated as a pass catcher, but I don't think opposing defenses see him as a real pass catching threat and thus don't give him the attention that could open things up for other playmakers. Of course, he's the type of pass catching RB that can power the offense through his receiving prowess like an Alvin Kamara or Christian McCaffrey type. I'm not saying we need those elite players but we need a player that can serve that role in order to occupy a LB/NCB/NS attention and thereby open things up for Jarvis and our TE to work quick rhythm intermediate routes with Baker. Your point about D'Ernest Johnson is a good one. He was dynamic as a pass catcher in preseason not only in underneath routes but also down the field. Freddie needs to use him a lot more. Maximizing our personnel's ability is one thing I'll be watching closely. especially the use of Johnson.

It is definitely true that a QB can elevate deficiencies, but that assumes that Baker is that type of transcendent QB. Setting aside my personal belief that he isn't, he still is a quality QB imo that requires both scheme and a specific type of skill position players and synergies around him to thrive. With such things surrounding him, he can be really good. Baker is no where close to the dynamic athlete and never had that clutch factor, magic of Deshaun. The Texans OL finally put it together last week by adding 2 new rookie starters in Scharping and Howard. They're looking like they could have a great unit going forward with LT Laremy Tunsil, LG Max Scharping, C Nick Martin, RG Zach Fulton, RT Tytus Howard. We don't need Baker to be Deshaun Watson or Patrick Mahomes. For those people thinking he was transcendent like that their belief will soon be shattered. All we need to do is build this offensive personnel with a rhythm and safety value go to pass catching back like Darren Sproles or Alvin Kamara for Drew Brees. Luckily we'll hopefully have Kareem Hunt the football player available at some point this season bringing with him pass catching threats to the defense.

(Poll) Rank the reasons for our offensive struggles (See Poll) What Ranking Best describes How You'd Rank Attribute Blame for our Offensive Struggles? ------------------- Our Offense From the Opposing Defense's Perspective: We have to keep it real about our Offensive Unit. When it comes to understanding why we're struggling I've asked myself a few questions that have highlighted a less talked about reason for our struggles: Our personnel as a whole does not pose a dynamic threat to defenses and presents few worries for them based on the synergy of our personnel. 1.) What do defensive coordinators and defensive players see when they look at our offensive personnel? 2.) What threats do they have to prioritize, what type of base defensive calls does our personnel necessitate out of the defensive coordinator, and how do those base calls work against what our QB does best as well as the play-call tendencies of our Offensive Coordinator? --------------- I've been saying it for a while when others have been joyously saying "we're going to have one of the better offenses in the league." It's my belief that we lack dynamic offensive threats and thus allow defenses to sit on routes. In short, our offense suffers because: 1.) We lack a pass-catching threat RB to stretch out and strain the assignments of the defense and a change of pace RB that could cause uncertainty regarding probable play-calls Nick Chubb is fantastic but when he is in the defense does not have to worry about him as a pass catcher. The most dynamic offensive in the league throw to their RBs the most. It keeps the defense having to give their gravity and attention to the underneath routes but also causes RBs that are running slice routes through the middle of zones or near route combos to often be open for chunk yards. The defense is then put in the predicament if they want to die by a thousand cuts. Kareem Hunt will be huge for us to add a dynamic play-maker from that positsion. 2.) We lack a speed slot or boundary threat WR that forces the defense to declare its hand early and one that creates space and/or clear throwing pictures for our QB. Jarvis Landry is an amazing positive force for this team. Defenses also can play-off and sit on his routes because he poses no worries or risk at beating them over the top or on longer developing intermediate routes. He can easily win combat catches, but defenses don't worry about that or assign personnel to worry about that. Instead, they can play a catch zone on Jarvis and double OBJ. With no zone busting speed threat or slice/seam runner Baker's throwing picture's are always muddied and condensed. Even with Higgins back, both Higgins and Jarvis allow the defense to sit on their underneath routes and play close to the box muddying up the route space and making Baker's passing lanes and field vision more crowded. This offense desperately needed Callaway as a clear out player or Njoku to clear out space or run free themselves. 3.) We lack a Seam and Slice TE that serves as a Zone buster or a late in the play target safety blanket 4.) Because of those Deficiencies the Defensive Play-calls to take away what we do have (Double OBJ, everyone else Under Zone calls with aggressive man combos to disrupt quick rhythm throws) just so happen to be perfectly designed to take away what our QB does when he's at his best (quick rhythm on time throws; getting the ball out fast). -------- Beyond just play-calling, OL issues, and Baker's struggles, it's important to recognize imo that we also have core personnel issues. We desperately need Kareem Hunt (the football player), a speed WR (Taywan Taylor hopefully gets going), and a seam/slice zone busting TE (hopefully Ricky Seals-Jones can get going) in order to thrive. Otherwise, no matter what the play-calling is from Freddie imo we're going to continue to struggle.

One of the best and impactful QB coaches on eyes, process keys, and bio-mechanics according to many respected head coaches and QB coaches. He struggled as a primary play-caller in Cincy but is a great resource as an assistant OC and play-callers with his big picture work, extensive play database, and obsession with offensive football trends and advantages. He's the one firing that I knew was going to come back to bite us. Ryan Lindley instead of him is not how I want Baker to be developing.

The most worrying for me is that Freddie seems to have lost all awareness regarding why it makes no sense to run the same formations and do the same thing over and over again against a defense that continues to show that they know what's coming and how to stop it. At some point, creative problem solving should kick in. It hasn't and it's forcing Baker and our players to bang their head against the wall and try to execute on mostly playcalls that are setup to fail (even if Landry was open on one call I'm talking more systemically). What I wouldn't give to have Sean McDermot, Frank Reich, or Kyle Shanahan as our HC.

Baker had nothing to go to on those playcalls in the redzone except for Jarvis on the 3rd down call... We have OBJ and Jarvis ... put them outside on opposite sides and let them go get it. At least try 1 time out of 4 plays.

This defense desperately needs a Jabrill Peppers type of hybrid Safety. Of course, we all knew that when we hired Wilks. Jermaine Whitehead isn't it. Neither is Burnett or Murray. That's a key position we have to upgrade in the offseason. To get value, you have to give up value. I just wish we still had Peppers. I know people didn't like him, but he was a perfect scheme fit and a growing player.