Doc Walker One-on-One Interview with Vinny Cerrato

[70Chip]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Truth is though, if not for that blocked punt (a unit that sucked all year), we probably win or are at least in the game in the second half.

BHA pointed this out in another thread, but the general lethargy of the offense in the first quarter when game strategy is fairly neutral was terrible all season long. We always performed better later in the game than we did earlier in it, but whereas a healthy offensive unit led comebacks against New Orleans and Philadelphia (two very good teams), they failed to come back against the St. Louis', Pittsburgh's, Baltimore's, and Cincinnati's of the world.

There was a pretty clear line between the aptitude of this team in the second half of games drawn in the sand between Weeks 5 & 6, and then again between Weeks 14 & 15. What two events occurred during those two weeks?

1) In Week 5, Chris Samuels hurt his knee and was less effective from that point out the rest of the year.

2) In Week 14, Samuels tore his labrum and missed the rest of the year.

The season-long issue with sustaining offense was a receivers issue. But the ability that the team had early on in the year to put teams away and not turn the ball over appeared to be a line-based issue. As the line decline, those dominant fourth quarters turned to mediocre performances in losing efforts as we chased points against the best defenses in the league.

Bottom line: If we want a great offense, we need to rebuild the OL and have the Receivers develop. If we want to win close games, simply one or the other will suffice.

It's hard to disagree with this. We definitely need to get younger up front. I just sense that too many people are in denial about the dismal state of our receiving corps. It's just as easy to assume everything will magically improve on the line as it is with the receivers which is what I hear. "I'm sure Thomas and Kelly will come around." Really? Why on earth do you think that? I'd rather put my money on Jansen being the Comeback Kid than on those two doing anything. You can't just chalk everything up to the fact that the offensive line is less than All-Universe. Not you, but a lot of people in here.

It's like a baseball team that averages less than 1 run a game and then blames the pitching because they only have 1 Cy Young candidate instead of 4.