How much longer must we wait to become a steady playoff team once again? Please don't tell me it will happen when Brady retires.
We did take a step back, due to schedule, poor coaching decisions and some questionable personnel moves, as well as injuries to a couple key players. How long? God knows. Depends on if we make the right moves in the offseason.
Just because our record is worse doesn't mean we took a step back. We had a tough schedule and had a lot of key injuries on both sides. We had a lot of young guys playing and for the most part have done a pretty good job. We held our own against some pretty damn good football teams. We will be better off because all these guys got some valuable experience (Henne, Hartline, Starks, Davis, Smith, etc.).
It all depends on the way that you look at the past two years. Did we overachieve last year or did we underachieve this year. We surprised a lot of people last year when we won the division, but we all knew how bad we were the year before. I feel like we have definitely improved but we still have a ways to go to be a really good team. We still have a few pieces of the puzzle to be added but I have faith.
I think this team is better then last years version. They just have some growing to do. Also, we stayed much healthier last year vs this year.
our defense most definitly did. our front 7 is not good. we need a lot of help there. Our safeties are also terrible. And we lost ronnie brown. We're not that far off though. Henne looks to be our guy and finding 'the guy' is a lot harder than strengthening your front 7 or drafting a safety. we're fine.
I remember watching early this season against Indy and a few of the other NFL favorites to go to the Super Bowl and Miami played them tough as nails. By week six I honestly believed that there was not a single team out there that could handle our offense. Ronnie Brown and Chad Pennington were 90% of the Miami Dolphins last year and despite losing them we still fought viligantly. Being blown out once in 15 games playing with essentially second stringers with the NFL's toughest schedule is saying something huge and is definitely not a step backwards. If anything, we will have great depth next year (provided Brown is back to form) and a balanced attack because Henne gained confidence throughout this season. Five years from now, Henne will be compared with the elite QB's of the league and this past season will be viewed in an entirely different light.
I feel last year we caught the entire league by surprise with the Wildcat and that was the sole reason for our success. I feel like it a good thing Ronnie Brown went down because it forced us to go conventional. It also exposed a weakness for Henne right now, his touch passes.
Our FS can't play football, and we have two rookie CBs. I wouldn't lay this at the feet of Bell - he has made some plays. Agree, the front 7 doesn't look as good. Porter really wasn't great in run support last year, but he had that great Sack total. His sack total sucks this year and without Fuguson in the mix, he is really exposed on running plays as the ILBs have to cheat inside more. We need an upgrade at NT, and Weak OLB has gotta be someone who can stop the run as well.
What? Our defensive line is very good...and young. It's our linebackers that are the problem. Along with the safety play.
im not entirely convinced with soliai but starks, langford and merling have all played very well, your right. But i mostly meant our linebackers when i said front 7. Porter and Taylor ould both be gone next season along with ayodele and Torbor. Crowders contract will keep him here but otherwise we're looking at an entirely new unit next season.
