New Poster Making People Mad

[Schneed10]

Tinkering with our QB situation right now would be pointless, because Jason Campbell does not represent an upgrade over Brunell at the current time.

So there's no use banging our heads against the wall about Brunell. He is what he is. Accurate when given time, gets shut down when pressured.

Since you can't do much about your QB right now, you've got no choice but to plan to play with him. To make Brunell successful, the line HAS to block very well. Our offense depends upon the line, not on Mark Brunell. If the line gives him time, Brunell's going to do what all average NFL QBs can do: deliver the ball.

If there's one thing we've learned over the last few years it is that Brunell is consistent within situations. When he's hurt, he's horrible. When he's healthy and has time, he operates the offense very well (just like most QBs can do). And when he's pressured he dumps the ball off avoiding turnovers, and punting over and over.

The throw-away and punt strategy usually works better when you have a defense that can get the ball back and get off the field. But when you have a defense playing like swiss cheese, Brunell's throw-aways become a bigger issue.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Tinkering with our QB situation right now would be pointless, because Jason Campbell does not represent an upgrade over Brunell at the current time.

So there's no use banging our heads against the wall about Brunell. He is what he is. Accurate when given time, gets shut down when pressured.

Since you can't do much about your QB right now, you've got no choice but to plan to play with him. To make Brunell successful, the line HAS to block very well. Our offense depends upon the line, not on Mark Brunell. If the line gives him time, Brunell's going to do what all average NFL QBs can do: deliver the ball.

If there's one thing we've learned over the last few years it is that Brunell is consistent within situations. When he's hurt, he's horrible. When he's healthy and has time, he operates the offense very well (just like most QBs can do). And when he's pressured he dumps the ball off avoiding turnovers, and punting over and over.

The throw-away and punt strategy usually works better when you have a defense that can get the ball back and get off the field. But when you have a defense playing like swiss cheese, Brunell's throw-aways become a bigger issue.

Well said.

Brunell is what he is. He's not a QB that's going to win games for you all by himself. I've said it before and I'll say it again, his play mirrors that of the players around him. When the offense is playing well as a unit, chances are he also plays well. When the unit stinks like last week, he's going to stink.

If you're waiting for Brunell to magically become Peyton Manning overnight, keep dreaming because it isn't going to happen.

[724Skinsfan]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

The throw-away and punt strategy usually works better when you have a defense that can get the ball back and get off the field. But when you have a defense playing like swiss cheese, Brunell's throw-aways become a bigger issue.

That is a very good point, Schneed! In fact, in may be one of the best posts I've read since the season started. The offense can't rely on the defense to keep them in the game as it stands now. Saunders is going to have to open it up a little bit and take some chances. We have extremely talented playmakers and it needs to be a case of "you versus me, let's see who's better."

[Schneed10]

Originally Posted by 724Skinsfan

That is a very good point, Schneed! In fact, in may be one of the best posts I've read since the season started. The offense can't rely on the defense to keep them in the game as it stands now. Saunders is going to have to open it up a little bit and take some chances. We have extremely talented playmakers and it needs to be a case of "you versus me, let's see who's better."

Thank you for the compliment.

But I slightly disagree with your conclusions. Brunell always has been very good at avoiding costly mistakes. He had only 10 INTs last year as evidence.

Brunell loves to throw the ball away rather than force bad passes. He'd rather play the field position game and punt than take a chance and maybe get intercepted. If your defense plays like swiss cheese, then throwing the ball away and punting can get you into trouble because the opposing offense can just march the field and put up points. Then again, if you throw an INT, the opposing offense has a short field and has an even greater chance of putting up points.

How Brunell plays needs to depend upon the situation. If we're behind by 10 points with 7 minutes to play, I don't want to see him dumping the ball off, ever. But if we're up by 3 points, the last thing I want him doing is forcing a ball into tight coverage, risking an INT.

All this talk about swiss cheese defense should not be an indictment of Brunell's conservative style of play. It should be an indictment of our swiss cheese defense. We shouldn't expect Brunell to be any more than he is. He is a game manager, a QB with average talents and way-above-average decision making. You want to win a Super Bowl with him, don't expect him to play like Peyton Manning. Expect him to play like Trent Dilfer, and expect your defense to play like the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

[724Skinsfan]

Originally Posted by Schneed10

Expect him to play like Trent Dilfer, and expect your defense to play like the 2000 Baltimore Ravens.

What happens when you're defense can't play like the 2000 Ravens? Something has to be done. Both the offense and the defense need to adapt to each other. I definitely don't want Brunell to turn into a chariot-riding, pigskin-slinging offensive maniac but he will have to realize that during a game if the defense is not performing well then the offense will have to re-evaluate their risk tolerance. Sometimes, in few and far between situations, you have to say "F*CK IT! WE'RE SCORING NOW!" Like the Greatest Game Since 1991 last year when he hurled the ball deep to Moss twice in the final 5 minutes. If he hadn't taken the high-risk chance then obviously the game would have been over with happier Cowboy fans.