I know it's still very early and a lot needs to be done still, but with the bye this week I was just thinking about this squad and coaching staff and couldn't help but just keep picturing 2009-2010. Now obviously the coaching staff is very different than Rex and Co. were, but this team is built a lot like those years. We have an average to good QB, which is better than Sanchez was during those years. We have a crazy good offensive line that has let up, I believe, one sack and has one of the best ratings in the NFL currently. We have a crazy talented running back that will consistently produce and who is on pace for 1,000+ yards. We have awesome offensive weapons. Decker and Marshall remind me a lot of Holmes and Edwards. And our defense is STACKED. Secondary is one of the best in the league, if not the best, a lot like 2009-2010. And out defensive front seven are on an entirely different level. If Fitzpatrick continues to play like he's doing and gets better as the season progresses, we very well might find ourselves in a similar position as 2009-2010. This team is built very much like it.
I'll wait to make comparisons until after halfway through the season. Remember the 2008 Jets? 7-1 Favre team...They looked Super Bowl bound after beating the Patriots in Foxboro
Agreed but I'm talking about the way the team is built. Yes, it is very early. But I can't help but notice that this team is built almost exactly like those years
The offensive line has really surprised me more than anything else. Did not expect them to be THIS GOOD whatsoever.
That was the one thing that really had me concerned going into the season. Talk about a game changer! They have been superb!
I'll say one thing about the NFL. The league is set up so that you can go 4-12 one year and then make the playoffs the next. Only league I can see that happening. Let's ride Fitz as far as we can!
If we can beat New England in Foxborough I'll start to think similarly. We've played garbage so far, and that doesn't change week 6.
Our schedule is soft enough to realistically have a playoff spot. I'll hold my breath at least until we come out and pound Washington, win the games that you are supposed to. If we do that, we should get a playoff spot.
The defense is better than 2009-2010. It's hard to imagine that but we've got the best DL in the business right now and we've got Revis and a bunch of guys who can play on the backend. If the opponent at the end of the line is a power rush team we can handle that and if they're a spread team we can handle that also. The offense is better than 2009 and better than 2010 as long as Chris Ivory stays healthy. If Ivory goes down or gets hurt and loses effectiveness we're worse than 2010 and maybe 2009 as well. If we lose Brandon Marshall or Eric Decker we're probably not good enough on offense either, although Ivory and either of them might hold the fort if somebody like Owusu or Devon Smith suddenly emerged.
The offensive line can't run block and if Ivory goes down our run game is fucked, which we've already seen in the Eagles game.
That was one game I don't find that comment to be true. I think we can definitely run the ball even with Ivory out. Powell and Stacy are very serviceable. Its about keeping the d honest with good passing plays and we have good wideouts. Esp once Smith finds his niche so that they don't stack the box
If/when Ridley comes back, I think he and Powell could hold the fort when Ivory gets dinged up. Not a fan of Stacy at all.
I dunno, the running lanes generated by the OL haven't been great. It's telling when the mediocre back ups aren't generating much yardage but the demented-gazelle running of Ivory is working. All the RB's are getting tackled almost immediately but it never seems to bother Ivory.
Only thing missing is the 'Merry Band of Lunatics' wandering around before the ball is hiked. That was awesome!
The reality is our o-line is much better at pass protection than it is opening up running lanes. Ill reserve my full judgment on the unit until they have time to completely gel ( new system, new players). We really need a 3rd passing option to emerge for us. Whether it be Owusu, Smith or Enunwa, someone has to step up and take some heat off of Decker and Marshall. Amaro's injury could damage this season more than we originally thought. Ivory just has to hold out till we can bring Ridley back to speed. If Ivory manages to stay healthy the whole season, Ivory and Ridley will be an awesome 1 2 punch for our running game, with powell rotating in for pass protection duties. The defense is great. All around it is a solid unit that is capable of ruining other teams. Now that Richardson is back our d-line will always have fresh, dominate players ready to go. This will be crucial when we play the pats this year. I see a 10-6 team here if we avoid any costly injuries. That should be more than enough to sit us in a WC spot.
with all the wasted focus batting back the Smith Fans, the real concern on O right now is who is the third wideout? I had what I thought were reasonable hopes it would be Enunwa. But he's dropped too many to have much confidence in him. Smith has yet to show that he can run routes. And while Kerley made some plays in the Philly game, he's obviously not a CS favorite. ANd this is on top of the fact that the TE's both suck at receiving. It's a concern.
2010 team had more talent on offense but it greatly underachieved ( Schotty, inconsistent play from Sanchez, Rex's influence on the offense, etc) 2010 team on defense overachieved in my opinion. It was all Rex's scheme and Revis If this team can stay healthy, we'll be a dangerous opponent for anyone come playoff time
Maybe a more PG version but I don't see too many similarities. We have a good leader at QB, an O-Line that doesn't block that well, a beast RB, a bunch of really good receivers, no TE's. The defense I guess is similar but any defense with guys like Harris and Revis in their prime going to be really good. We'll see after week 7 where exactly we stand, it's too early to tell right now.
They are not that similar really, besides not being completely terrible. It feels like those days, cause the team actually was fun to watch. 2011-2014 it was literally awful.
