The season isn't lost. Yet...

[AnonEmouse]

Originally Posted by GridIron26

Great post. I remember someone said that we should not use injuries as an excuse and pointed to the 49ers team as an example. Lynch and Shanahan are now in their 8th year, so they had plenty of time to build the team that can withstand injuries. AP and Dan are now in the 2nd year and it's unrealistic for us to expect them to build a such team within 1.5 years.

I think that was me (49ers) but what I was referring to is that injuries can't be used as an excuse to give up, not that we should be doing as well as the 49ers. Key difference for us is we've lost our top edge rushers and top WR's for a good proportion of the season to date, and our depth has just about kept us going rather than step into the breach.

And agree with Skins; we've had too many drops. Ertz and Moore are 9th and 10th in drop %, McNichols not far behind, and of the top 10, Ertz is 3rd in targets. JD5 isn't the problem, he's still in the top half of the league, by rating, and our offense is in the top half on TD's. He missed (by my count) 3 passes v Dallas before he went out the game, and the INT v Chi was the only other pass I've seen that badly thrown when not under pressure. The Dallas game is still fresh in our minds and clouding the picture. The O isn't really the problem (though it isn't the solution either), its the D that's let us down.

Injuries are a factor, but the standard of play has to improve. And this is where I'm, looking at Whitt. he doesn't seem to have them prepared and playing the right scheme for the opposition. There were at least 3 plays v Dallas I remember when he only rushed 4 and clearly should have blitzed. Without a rusher than could get in Prescott's face, he had all day and he picked us apart. Coverage doesn't help, but at least 2 of his passes were undefendable, and that's because he had the time to make the best throw. The players have to play better, sure, but the DC needs to call better plays to put them in position to perform better.