When DC took over the team we lacked talent. But we played hard. We played like we knew we had to over perform. Dan was aggressive - not just on 4th downs but with play calling. Fake punts, trick plays, onside kicks. Anything that could give us an advantage. That mindset stuck and carried over even into last year. Despite or maybe because of the massive number of defensive injuries we once again knew we had to over perform. We HAD to convert 3rd downs, we HAD to maintain possession, we HAD to smack offenses in the mouth even with lesser talent. It worked until the injuries finally just overwhelmed us.
I don’t feel that edge or urgency this year. Its like they know they are good and they just need to clean up execution and they will be fine. But they are not. They are not playing with that edge and that is up to Dan to fix. We don’t need more players - we need more edge. Dan needs to tell these guys they are good but NOT good enough to just roll up everybody. We have to play with urgency. If the coaches are not calling plays and making in game decisions that show urgency then the players wont’ either. If a player is not giving his best rotate him out with the next guy for a few plays. IF you really want it then act like it. That has to be the mentality.
We don’t want to just beat the other team. We want to wear them down. We want them exhausted and sweating and crawling off the field begging for the game to be over. NOT because we are better but because we want it more. If we play like that I don’t think anyone can beat us. Unfortunately I have not seen us play like that since last year.
I definitely think in this last game and against the Packers we were the less physical team. Both those teams spent the entire off season looking on ways to beat Detroit…..and it shows. I think we kind of got complacent with beating the teams in the division. Hopefully we get some payback with the rematches.
Now that Natty’s talked me off the ledge… both Pack and Vikes had continuity in coordination. Chicago and Detroit made changes. So that means the Pack and Vikes know us better – and know how to prepare for us – better than we do. Bears lost to the Vikes too. And we crushed the Bears, as there was no coordination advantage to be had.
So maybe it isn’t complacency. Maybe it’s just a learning curve.
Yes - I think we will be also but I also believe this team needs to mature some. Dan should not have to “get them up for a game”. They should have that fire already. Some do but some have been flat. Dan did say several players just did not perform well this last game. I imagine if any player trends in that direction Dan won’t hesitate to give someone else more playing time.
We will win games because we have more talent than the other team in a lot of matchups. I’m not on the fire everyone or we suck again bandwagon, but Morton and the offense are a problem.
For those getting on Hank, he was around last year and the line seemed to do just fine. What changed? Yes, I know the players changed, but we are underperforming our talent level. The other change is the person at the top on the offensive side of the ball running the show. Get his ass away from play calling before it’s too late.
Simply put - an athlete needs 3 things to become a professional. Understanding of the game, work ethic/determination to maximize personal potential, and the God given physical traits. Morton may have the first two, but he doesn’t have the God-given ability when it comes to game-flow and in-game adjustments.
Hank is now the run game coordinator as well, that’s a big change… He could simply be an excellent OL coach… Obviously the run game is struggling, the OL is struggling, coincidence? I’m not so sure.