You know what? It's getting to the stage where I'm reading some posts (by different posters) over and over with the same sort of arguments. And it annoys me to think that there are posters who don't see the bigger picture.
What I'll be targeting here is the Playcalling of Linehan and Olsen, The Criticisms of Bulger that have arisen, and the crap that is being heaped on our secondary.
Firstly- to Linehan's playcalling. I would like to go right ahead and challenge anyone--anyone at all-- to call plays and be effective in doing so with this offensive line and with the unbelievable amount of injuries we have to our franchise Quarterback, our 2006 All-Purpose yardage leader and a recieving core that has been shell shocked.
Linehan's playcalling has hence had to compensate for these injuries. You have a rookie Runningback starting, an injured QB, and this OL-- Just how complex can these plays afford to be? You can't expect Bulger to have all day to throw. In some circumstances he hasn't even had three seconds. He has to get the ball out of his hands-fast. This is due to two reasons a) To stop him doing more damge to his ribs--and b) to prevent him from getting mauled. The result? Hitch plays- plays designed to get the ball out of the passer's hands, and alloow the reciever to make the play.
Let's not forget, our reciveing core has been beat up, too. Bruce isn't healthy, Bennett and Holt haven't been running on 100% all year. Hall is out. They, too are beat up, which must be a mitigating circumstance in their inability to make plays. That, or blanket coverage, which has been made possible becuase our OL hasn't been able to stop the pass rush-- are they too banged up? 4/5 starters can't be wrong. As a consequence, we made Darryl Tapp look like Julius Peppers. Four of his 5.5 sacks were against the Rams.
Then, this makes it necessary to run the ball on first and second down, even if it is for small gain. A small gain is much better than taking the sack or getting Bulger crushed.
I can't defend the boneheaded calls, but I empathise with Linehan because he is copping it from all sides. He is making adjustments to cater for a Banged up Offense, and even the adjustments don't work, because the players are unable to make the plays, either throough injury (Offense) or mediocrity (Claude Terrell et. al.)
Secondly I'd like to plead for a stop to the barrage of criticisms against Marc Bulger. He is our man, and there are 65 Million reasons why. Yes, he's not been able to make plays, but who has? Honestly, He's injured, 100% of his OL is different to the way it finished the preseason (Barron now on left side) and yet, we still have people who want to make him accountable for our losses.
You want to blame something? Blame the injuries. Blame the miscast starters who are unable to hold up. Blame he missed opportunities. Blame some of the (obvious) bad calls Linehan made. You can even blame Bernie! But do not blame Marc Bulger. He's doing the best he can with what he's got. The fact that he pops back up time after time after time is, quite honestly, remarkable, and for that reason, the very notion of drafting a first round QB to replace bulger after just two years of his deal is preposterous.
Last Point- The Secondary
Some people don't realise that the pressure generated by your defensive line is in every way conducive to your success defending the pass. And who have we got? Little and Hall? Give me a break. They have not been able to turn it on. Little has been hurt and hasn't produced. Hall has been the epitome of mediocrity. Thus, if you even want to get something that resemble pressure, you have to send your linebackers or safeties on the blitz, in turn leaving more and more players open. If you can't get pressure, the QB will pick you apart.
Case in point, Derek Anderson to Braylon Edwards. We touched him once, I swear, and he and Edawrds cashed it in. You can't expect the corner to cover a guy if he has all day to get open.
Further evidence? The Brett Favre pass on Monday Night to beat Denver, who supposedly have the league's top cornerback tandem (Though Mcallister and Rolle May say otherwise). Favre has all day to throw because there is nobody even close to him. The result? Pinpoint accuracy and a W in OT. The Bulger pass? You'd better believe there was a pass rush.
The moral of the story? It all starts up front.
Thanks for reading.
