NFL "mid-season" thoughts?

[cthomer5000]

Just a bit past Mid-Season Review

Everyone is done with their bye weeks, we're just a tad past mid-season, and playoff races are starting to take shape. I thought it might be a good time to take a look at the NFL season so far. I'd really like to see everyone's input on any teams, and specifically their local teams (as they've probably gotten a good look at them).



New York Jets

status: playing for pride
As much as the media loves to harp on the Chad Pennington injury, I can tell you with a straight face that his absence did not cost the Jets a single game. Testeverde played surprisingly well this year, enough to convince a certified Vinny hater like myself that I would really like to see him back next season (as backup, naturally). The defense has been atrocious, best exemplified by Oakland's opening drive from last week: 19 consecutive runs for 80 yards and a touchdown (it was like watching a high shool game). Think about this: the Jets nearly lost to a team that featured Rick Mirer as starting quarterback.

2nd half forecast
The Jets will probably finish right at or very close to .500. They'll do more than enough to help Herman Edwards keep his job (despite my protests), and they'll de drafting in a middle position next year. I expect a 4-3 finish down the stretch, to end the year at 7-9.

suggestions for next season
Blow up the linebacking corps and secondary. We've got decent corners, lousy safeties, and very old, slow linebackers. Even the defensive line (consisting of 4 first round draft picks) has not really been pulling its weight. The occassionaly superb pass-rush doesn't really off-set the unbelievably poor run defense. In the first round I'd like the team to either draft a big-time offensive tackle, or a playmaking linebacker/safety. I'd like to see a 2nd or 3rd round pick on a receiver to complement Santana Moss. Curtis Conway sucks, and Chrebet may be finished (due to injury). Re-work the offensive line, which seems to pick which (infrequent) weekends it feels like run-blocking. Ultimately I want Herman Edwards gone -he simply does not have what it takes to win games on Sunday, and actually loses them sometimes. I realize he will not be fired, and will instead guide the Jets to complete mediocrity for years to come.

[kid_dynamite]

Chicago Bears

status: playing for...well not really playing at all
I do believe there is talent on this football team but they are not playing like it. Offense has hardly been productive and neither has the defense. Offense is too afraid to throw the ball deep and is unwilling to make changes on the fly in the gameplan. Apparently they do not like to run on 3rd and short very often which usually leads to incomplete passes. Also on 3rd down do not like to throw the ball past the first down marker so when passes are complete they still come up short. The defensive veterans seem to be getting outplayed by young/rookie players. The most productive DL is Alex Brown (2nd year), LB is Lance Briggs (rookie), DB Charles Tillman (rookie). Urlacher seems to have his head up his rectal area along with mike brown. Basically the talent is there in my eyes but the football playing is not.

2nd half forecast
With a tough road ahead (not that it matters, we lost to the lions) i doubt we will see more than 2 victories the rest of the way. St. louis, Denver, Arizona, GB, Minnesota, Washington and Kansas City is not a great schedule. 2 victories leaves our final record at 5-11. I imagine we will see some of Rex Grossman in the near future.

suggestions for next season
Fire the coaching staff is step one. Following that we need to address our LT position because Gandy is just not working out. Gallery out of Iowa might not be a bad person to select come next april. Also a DT is in order, traylor will not be playing much longer and alfonso boone and bryan robinson just dont cut it. We need some production from our ends but i hope our talent on the ROOSTER can step up. I think these few suggestions would turn our team around into a contender.

edit: TE and FB need to be upgraded next year and they need to be utilized better. if the coach feels they are adequate currently then at least use them.

[Franklin]

Washington Redskins

Status: Who the hell knows?

Last week, I was calling for Steve Spurrier's head. I had decided that his style of coaching and play calling just doesn't work in the NFL. Patrick Ramsey was getting killed, and the offense just plain sucked. The team obviously lacked discipline, and that starts at the top.

Then they went out and beat Seattle on Sunday. No sacks. And a few brilliant instances of play calling. Now, supposedly, Spurrier has handed most of the play calling over to his offensive coordinator, but it was clearly his decision to go for it (and succeed) on a critical 4th and inches in the 4th quarter, and the lateral-pass razzle dazzle that scored the game winning touchdown practically had me peeing my pants. I love plays like that.

They're 4-5 in a very schizophrenic NFC East division. Anything can happen.

2nd Half Forecast

The defense still scares me - very soft up front in the middle - and good rushing teams will beat them all day long. They've never shown any real ability to pressure opposing QB's, and that's putting a lot of stress on the secondary - even though the CB's and Safeties are pretty solid. I think they need to blitz with Arrington more often.

The Seattle game could have been a fluke, because the Seahawks obviously didn't bother to watch any game tape on the 'Skins. They didn't blitz much at all, and that's been what everyone has done to punish Ramsey and stall the offense. I expect in the second half of the season we'll see more QB pressure and more trouble from the defense. That means we're probably 9-7, at best.

Suggestions for next season

Dan Snyder needs to play a lot of golf. During severe thunderstorms.

Other than that, we need defensive linemen badly. Some help on the OL, including a better TE or two, might be nice. Spurrier needs to modify his playbook a bit if he's still around. Aside from that, they have all the pieces they need to compete - they just need better discipline and execution. This might require a coaching change...

[JeeberD]

Dallas Cowboys

Status: Shooting for the playoffs
The Cowboys are one of the surprises of the NFL with their 7-2 record. The team has completely bought into Bill Parcells and his strategy of playing to the teams strength. The defense, which has been good the past two years, has been playing exceptionally well and is ranked #1 in the NFL in yards allowed. The offense got off to a fast start but has faltered the past three games. Quincy Carter has been playing much better than anyone imagined he would and the addition of Terry Glenn has been huge. Troy Hambrick has struggled behind a suspect offensive line, yet he is still on pace for 1000 yards.

2nd half forecast
The Cowboys have a very tough second half ahead of them. They play at New England, Philadelphia, and Washington and have Carolina and Miami at home. If the Cowboys can win three or four of their remaining seen games they should be in good shape for the playoffs. It remains to see whether Adrian Murrell (who rushed for 76 yards on 16 carries last week) will continue to take carries away from Hambrick. Parcells said today that he will stick with Hambrick as the starter, but how long that remains is anyones guess.

Suggestions for next season
The Cowboys need to find a running back ASAP. Hambrick most likely isn't the long term answer, and Murrell is just a stop gap. But Hambrick can't take all the blame. The offensive line needs some work (but should receive a boost next season when center Al Johnson, who was very impressive in pre-season workouts, comes back), and everyone knows that Parcells covets size on the defensive side of the ball. It should be interesting to see whether Bill stick with undersized MLB Dat Nguyen (who has had a very, very nice season so far) or if he tries to get a bigger backer. Bill will almost certainly go for some size on the D-Line and the Cowboys desperately need a pass rusher besides LaRoi Glover.