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Originally Posted by Thom Yorke
Our offensive line is great? We have a young stud LT and a great C. Every other position (not to mention our depth) leaves a lot to be desired. AP was seeing absolutely no holes the entire first half of the season.
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Fusco is one of the best guards in the league, and Loadholt is one of the best power tackles in the league. Come on man, you know the reason why our left side sucks is because of Charlie Johnson. We have an elite offensive line if he's replaced by someone more of Fusco's caliber. I've heard great things about Jeff Baca, but Frazier always likes to let his rookies sit until he thinks they're ready or they're needed.
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Receiving corps has potential, but I think it's far from "great". I've had this discussion with you before though. Patterson is unbelievably dangerous but has a lot to learn about the position. Jennings is looking like a legit #1, but not an elite one by any means. Simpson has filled in fine as a #2, but isn't anything special, really. Solid, not great.
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I told you this before the year, and it's becoming painfully obvious that they've all been held back by Ponder. How much evidence do you need that Greg Jennings is still a #1, and between Simpson, Patterson and Wright, we have a bunch of #2 type receivers. Doesn't even count the potential that Greg Childs has. Dude ran the 40 nearly as fast as Calvin Johnson and had nearly as high a vertical leap. Beast at college, if it weren't for injuries he would've been a top 5 pick. If he can stay healthy, he's going to be an elite receiver. Promise you that. Big "if", but at this point with the guys we have, he isn't a necessity.
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Yeah, AP is amazing, but we all know how hard it is to have a RB as the focal point of your offense. I'm hoping they can get something better to surround him in his career, but I really think the first Favre year is the closest we're going to get.
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We're already seeing it, he needs a QB to take the pressure off of him and he will succeed. This is the best offensive line he's ever had to work with.
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Defense is beyond terrible. There are some really nice individual players like Allen (who, let's be honest, is probably not coming back next year), Greenway and Smith, and some other good players like Robison and Williams (who's nearing the end), but everywhere else is lacking. Hopefully Rhodes can develop nicely; he's shown some flashes of greatness in his rookie year.
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Our defense is only terrible because we have 3rd string type players starting in key spots. Our best DT is ranked 38th in the league. WTF is that? We used to have the best interior line in the NFL, now we can't stop runs up the gut to save our lives. Like I said, Nix or Hageman would do wonders for this defense. Carolina has proven that a great front 7 is just as effective at shutting down your opponent as a great secondary. You take away the run and put pressure on the pass, you're automatically making them one-dimensional. I think the Vikings plan on drafting a NT with the first pick. There's no way they keep going with Guion and Evans. I think both are FAs anyway.
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As for DT, they just drafted Floyd, so I don't think it's necessarily the most glaring issue. Outside of Greenway, the linebacking corps is inexcusably awful, and the secondary as a unit might even be worse.
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Lol, the linebackers have been a strength for a few weeks. The current group is actually quite above average. Cole is a "we'll see". DT is definitely the most glaring issue aside from maybe CB. Floyd is just one guy, you need 2 great tackles to stop the run.
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I don't get how you think this team can compete in the immediate future, or think we're a couple pieces away from contending for a Championship.
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Honestly, I only see about 3 guys on the team who are consistently not doing their job, and some who are so-so. Some of the guys who are getting beat might not be getting beat if other guys did their job. That's why I say, put that defensive line over the top by drafting a NT, I bet the secondary plays better on top of that.
We'll see. I didn't think this year we were that great of a team. I thought we had pieces, but I didn't think we'd make the playoffs. Certainly didn't think we'd be 1-7 at any point, but I didn't think we'd win 10 games again. We have a great receiving corps, a very steady offensive line and the best RB in the league. I figured Ponder would be better, but he's only regressed in year 3. Cassel's stepped up for us in almost every game he's played, but he's still just Matt Cassel.
Get a nose tackle, a corner (Purifoy?), maybe sign Jairus Byrd in the offseason, and put Freeman in at QB next year. We'd probably win the division.