In my humble opinion, I believe that the offense begins and ends with the line. The line isn't opening rushing lanes nor giving enough comfort to Sam in the pocket. We talk about this running back and that running back but it doesn't matter who the back is if the O-line is not doing their job. And I also believe that this "RG by committee" thing is contributing to the problem. It has to affect Sundell in his line calls because he knows that each guard brings different skills and abilities so he has to constantly adjust. And is the RG committee negatively affecting Lucas who's having a terrible season thus far? Will the return of AB fix these problems? I'm anxious to find out.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I see 3-1 or 4-0 for the Hawks' next 4 games to be "head in the clouds" optimistic. This offense has regressed badly this season, and especially recently. The D can keep us in every game...but with an OL playing that poorly, and with Sam getting the happy feet you get when you are getting hit like he's getting hit--with picks a result--this team ain't going either 4-0 OR 3-1. I do not know what is up with Lucas, but he looks stiff and slow-footed, with bad technique. Cross has never been great against speed rushers, but his feet this season are stuck in concrete. And Zabel is getting his ass handed to him regularly--he's lunging, reaching and getting overpowered off the snap. No clue what has happened, but it ain't good at all. They are playing .500 ball, and their record reflects it. So 4-0 or 3-1, on this record so far, is barely worth even talking about. Everybody on that team knows this, and that includes the coaches, so let's see what they all can do to snap the hell out of it. Because on offense this has not only been stupid football--penalties, turnovers, bad calls in crucial situations, etc.--it's also been bad football more generally.
SJ is better at analysis and research than any other NFL journalist I've run across, though I haven't scoured the internet to locate and read other ones. Plus, the movie references are fun.
That said, my personal experience of the NFL is a trial: trying to see through the fog of war and counting the casualties, with the soundtrack of Doris Day singing "Que Sera, Sera" from the movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Looking ahead, all I know is that the Hawks could beat the Chiefs because war is hell.
I answered a pre-season poll question about which team is most likely to implode, saying the LA Rams. Not because they would actually implode, but because the Hype was so high that anything short of perfection would seem like an implosion. So, I get half credit, right? They are imploding, but it's because they actually are, you know, imploding. FTR!!
There was a time when many thought that if Mr. Anthony Bradford was out, our O-line would be vastly improved. hah, hah. Heal up 'n come back, Tony. Also, when Charbonnet 'n Price retun, things will settle down.
A failure of your OC is a failure of the entire staff. He will only lose if he insists on losing. Fleury looks to be holding the position well. This game challenges even the most genius among us. Otherwise, they find something else to pursue. Watch out for A.I.
Seaside Joe nailed it “ before the season, I wrote that the Rams were much more flawed than the picture being painted “
I though that they maybe aging on key spots on offense namely QB. I believe we are seeing that as well as special teams but did I believe they would have only two wins at this point? Absolutely not.
I think we can mostly agree not at least tagging Walker was a mistake and too big of a risk going into the season, but that’s water under the bridge
So how can we get in probably as a wildcard
Obviously, we need a running game. We can’t blame things on the OC when we are pulling players that are third or fourth string on most teams.
There is a lot of heat on the offensive line, but in the fourth quarter of the last game, they did not look too bad. I think they need to have the tight ends out more and play from heavy packages utilizing the tight end receivers.
As far as Darnold goes, I still believe he is protecting an injury or he is afraid of getting hurt again if you look at his eyes, he looks scared. He is not reading the defenses properly and he is making mistakes. He needs to trust himself again, go through his progressions and don’t overthink. I believe he is one of those fellows that gets into his own head a lot. I believe he is a good leader and talented but he is one of those that starts making mistakes get scared of making a mistake and then makes more mistakes as a result.
There’s nothing to be said about the Defense. They may have a bad series or two, but that’s about it. They are elite.
I had hoped we were passed this with Sam. Taking Command and holding Command are 2 extremely difficut endeavors. Right now, I'm not sure the guys are with him. Again. This year. It is not a birth right. The exception that saw him return is not holding up well. We will know it when we see it.
True that. Same as he said last year. When Coach Mike gave him a Super Bowl Win Hug, Sam's only response was "Thank you for sticking with me". He later told MaCafee the Game he gave us that day was was not the best he could deliver. Trying to rest the Defense this year probably has a lot to do with his difficulties. Forcing his passes to make up for our running shortfalls is now compounding the problems. Charbs now has a helluva load to carry. Believe it or not, our OLine is up for the challenge. HooAh.
I also thought we had a fantastic week off, considering the loss. Maybe the Bears win was the only one that would have been better to have been Falcons -- but we get Bears head to head in a couple weeks so we can right that ship. Eagles suddenly seem like a much less daunting winter road trip too. And that Carolina match-up between the Rams games suddenly more important than I had been thinking, those will be three BIG games with the 5 seed (or the 1 seed?) on the line
There's such an incongruity with the "halftime adjustments" myth you've proven several times over (the Rodgers quote being yet another). So many ex-NFL TV analysts still talk about it anyway, they keep feeding the notion -- even though they personally know that it's not really a thing. Do they keep this up just bc it's the accepted schtick and keeps the viewers hopeful?
My wife and I fuss about this sort of thing frequently. She thinks announcers should always be fair, objective, and impart their special insights and knowledge to help the less knowledgeable viewer. I think she's smoking crack. The announcers are only there to hype the game. If the game is close, they hype the offence; if it's not so close, they hype the underdog.
In my humble opinion, I believe that the offense begins and ends with the line. The line isn't opening rushing lanes nor giving enough comfort to Sam in the pocket. We talk about this running back and that running back but it doesn't matter who the back is if the O-line is not doing their job. And I also believe that this "RG by committee" thing is contributing to the problem. It has to affect Sundell in his line calls because he knows that each guard brings different skills and abilities so he has to constantly adjust. And is the RG committee negatively affecting Lucas who's having a terrible season thus far? Will the return of AB fix these problems? I'm anxious to find out.
Perceptive stuff, Maxx. i think you are on to something.
Not to be a Debbie Downer, but I see 3-1 or 4-0 for the Hawks' next 4 games to be "head in the clouds" optimistic. This offense has regressed badly this season, and especially recently. The D can keep us in every game...but with an OL playing that poorly, and with Sam getting the happy feet you get when you are getting hit like he's getting hit--with picks a result--this team ain't going either 4-0 OR 3-1. I do not know what is up with Lucas, but he looks stiff and slow-footed, with bad technique. Cross has never been great against speed rushers, but his feet this season are stuck in concrete. And Zabel is getting his ass handed to him regularly--he's lunging, reaching and getting overpowered off the snap. No clue what has happened, but it ain't good at all. They are playing .500 ball, and their record reflects it. So 4-0 or 3-1, on this record so far, is barely worth even talking about. Everybody on that team knows this, and that includes the coaches, so let's see what they all can do to snap the hell out of it. Because on offense this has not only been stupid football--penalties, turnovers, bad calls in crucial situations, etc.--it's also been bad football more generally.
SJ is better at analysis and research than any other NFL journalist I've run across, though I haven't scoured the internet to locate and read other ones. Plus, the movie references are fun.
That said, my personal experience of the NFL is a trial: trying to see through the fog of war and counting the casualties, with the soundtrack of Doris Day singing "Que Sera, Sera" from the movie "The Man Who Knew Too Much". Looking ahead, all I know is that the Hawks could beat the Chiefs because war is hell.
Just making the Playoffs is all we need. Our guys are second to none. All 70.
I answered a pre-season poll question about which team is most likely to implode, saying the LA Rams. Not because they would actually implode, but because the Hype was so high that anything short of perfection would seem like an implosion. So, I get half credit, right? They are imploding, but it's because they actually are, you know, imploding. FTR!!
No, Ray, you havta take full credit.
Good article SSJ. What seems so different to me is the O line and running the ball. Is there a disconnect with the offensive coaching staff?
There was a time when many thought that if Mr. Anthony Bradford was out, our O-line would be vastly improved. hah, hah. Heal up 'n come back, Tony. Also, when Charbonnet 'n Price retun, things will settle down.
A failure of your OC is a failure of the entire staff. He will only lose if he insists on losing. Fleury looks to be holding the position well. This game challenges even the most genius among us. Otherwise, they find something else to pursue. Watch out for A.I.
Seaside Joe nailed it “ before the season, I wrote that the Rams were much more flawed than the picture being painted “
I though that they maybe aging on key spots on offense namely QB. I believe we are seeing that as well as special teams but did I believe they would have only two wins at this point? Absolutely not.
I think we can mostly agree not at least tagging Walker was a mistake and too big of a risk going into the season, but that’s water under the bridge
So how can we get in probably as a wildcard
Obviously, we need a running game. We can’t blame things on the OC when we are pulling players that are third or fourth string on most teams.
There is a lot of heat on the offensive line, but in the fourth quarter of the last game, they did not look too bad. I think they need to have the tight ends out more and play from heavy packages utilizing the tight end receivers.
As far as Darnold goes, I still believe he is protecting an injury or he is afraid of getting hurt again if you look at his eyes, he looks scared. He is not reading the defenses properly and he is making mistakes. He needs to trust himself again, go through his progressions and don’t overthink. I believe he is one of those fellows that gets into his own head a lot. I believe he is a good leader and talented but he is one of those that starts making mistakes get scared of making a mistake and then makes more mistakes as a result.
There’s nothing to be said about the Defense. They may have a bad series or two, but that’s about it. They are elite.
I had hoped we were passed this with Sam. Taking Command and holding Command are 2 extremely difficut endeavors. Right now, I'm not sure the guys are with him. Again. This year. It is not a birth right. The exception that saw him return is not holding up well. We will know it when we see it.
I cannot disagree with anything you stated. He knows what he has to do. He has said so he just is having trouble doing it.
True that. Same as he said last year. When Coach Mike gave him a Super Bowl Win Hug, Sam's only response was "Thank you for sticking with me". He later told MaCafee the Game he gave us that day was was not the best he could deliver. Trying to rest the Defense this year probably has a lot to do with his difficulties. Forcing his passes to make up for our running shortfalls is now compounding the problems. Charbs now has a helluva load to carry. Believe it or not, our OLine is up for the challenge. HooAh.
I also thought we had a fantastic week off, considering the loss. Maybe the Bears win was the only one that would have been better to have been Falcons -- but we get Bears head to head in a couple weeks so we can right that ship. Eagles suddenly seem like a much less daunting winter road trip too. And that Carolina match-up between the Rams games suddenly more important than I had been thinking, those will be three BIG games with the 5 seed (or the 1 seed?) on the line
I'll offer that Dallas really should have beaten GB.
There's such an incongruity with the "halftime adjustments" myth you've proven several times over (the Rodgers quote being yet another). So many ex-NFL TV analysts still talk about it anyway, they keep feeding the notion -- even though they personally know that it's not really a thing. Do they keep this up just bc it's the accepted schtick and keeps the viewers hopeful?
My wife and I fuss about this sort of thing frequently. She thinks announcers should always be fair, objective, and impart their special insights and knowledge to help the less knowledgeable viewer. I think she's smoking crack. The announcers are only there to hype the game. If the game is close, they hype the offence; if it's not so close, they hype the underdog.