Time to bench Brunell? (Mega Man Merge)

No, he's not the only reason, far from it right now.

We've played like shit in all phases of the game.

I have been a big supporter of Brunnell since last year. (not his first year!!) I find it hard to put ALL the blame on one guy in a game like that. I want to see Brunell and this offense when Portis is healthy for me to make a decision. He looks bad, I can see that. We got out played all over the field. the O-line was getting abused pass and run blocking. Our D was getting used on 3rd down. Other than Rock's TD, we were outplayed everwhere. I go back to a very early play in the game when the momentum switched. we were somewhat moving the ball, and it was 3rd and 1. it was in the 1st quarter, maybe 2nd. and they TOSS the ball to Betts ON THIRD AND 1!!!!!. We get mushed for a yard loss. I just dont understand why we kept calling that play. sweep right, stretch right. we had to be -10 yards on that. and why dont you have duckett or sellers running the damn ball up the middle or behind Thomas on 3rd and 1. the play calling last night on some plays was questionable. on both sides. on 3 and a mile williams sends 3 guys after bledsoe, after eating some Texas Toast and drinking a beer in the pocket, bledsoe and Dallas converted another 3rd down. I just dont see the same intensity from our D, and we look confused and unmotivated on offense. I think we screwed up the team chemistry bringing some of these NEW guys in. Andrea Carter has to be the worst of them all. He gets pushed all over the damn field and Arch looks like a 9 year old sitting in a Grad school Med program. is he that damn dumb?

Brunell looked terrible, and I would be in favor of replacing him, but he didn't have any help from Samuels or Jansen. He had no pass protection all game.

However, the guy I blame the most for the loss is Gibbs. If Portis says he's healthy enough to play in a game against your arch-rival, you play him. Are you resting him so he'll be ready for Houston next week? Give me a break.

Portis said he was lying about that to play mindgames with the Cowboys, making them think he was healthy enough. But he wasn't

I am a little upset at Gibbs for sticking by Brunell (who I place the most amount of blame on). Gibbs seems to be sticking by him for personal reasons because he obviously can't get it done on the field at this point. I haven't looked over the stats yet, but I can't imagine many more teams throw the ball to their RB more than we did, but I really don't think that was by design.

The entire offense seemed to be exactly the same as last year, but with less pulling by the o-linemen. I feel like Saunders is useless at this point, but it's probably way to early to say that.

The loss of Portis is really killing us, and not just because Betts and Duckett seem to look for a big group of people to run into rather than looking for a hole. Portis would have been really helpful in pass protection last night. I would be more than happy to trade Betts for just about anyone else at any position.

And last but not least: what's the deal with Cooley? Does he even care about the game anymore? I feel like there was a play at one point (and I'm not talking about the INT) when Cooley was being covered by Williams. Williams overran the pass but Cooley seemed to jump up and bat the ball down rather than try to catch it. I think the only catch that I remember him making was in trash time.

Basically I'm just really pissed today and it's going to take all the patients I have to act like I don't care and not punch the loudmouth cowboys fan in my office in the face.

Brunell refuses to step up in the pocket and take advantage of the pocket the O-line creates. If you watch the film, while both teams DE's were regularly being forced outside of and behind QB, Bledsoe would step in the pocket and make a play while Brunell would sit there on his heels and get sacked or throw it into the grass.

About halfway through the 4th with the Cowboys in prevent he actually began to step in the pocket and get rid of the ball. Its remarkable how much that improved the pace of his passes. I know it was garbage time, but the difference was blatantly obvious.

I think our O-line gave him nice pockets and afforded him plenty of time to make plays, but he just scared or incapable of making them. You are telling me that not once was any of the trio of WR's open for a deep ball? Doubtful, Brunell just knew he did not have the arm to make any of the deep throws. If he looks like this now, imagine what he will look like in week 15.

IMO, Brunell needs to sit this week so we can let Campbell get his first start against a soft Texans defense. If Brunell does play, he will throw for 250 and two scores and Gibbs will be back riding his jock and then he will proceed to stink it up and against the Jags D at FedEx on Oct. 1 and we will be right back in the same predicament we are in now. The sooner we start campbell the better. Though he may make some stupid mistakes, the production reward is well worth the risk.

I said give him a few more weeks. unfortunately, he's our best QB right now. I wouldn't start Campbell until we're out of playoff contention.

On a side note: I go crazy every time I see brunell throw the ball away before it's necessary. On the rare occasion he gets pass protection, he is jumpy and too quick to throw the ball away :(

#56, I couldn't agree more with everything you said. I know exactly which 3rd down play you're talking about and my dad and I were saying the same thing last night. We have a 275lbs FB and a 255lbs RB; why not pound the ball? That was just another costly 3 and out.

I respect everybody's opinion but I think you are dead wrong Hog1. The season is lost anyways if we leave MB in at QB. I think we need to change simply because nobody respects MB anymore. He cant make any of the throws that we need him to make.Do you really believe he can lead us to a winning season? Its time to sink or swim with JC instead of just sink with MB. He consistently throws for less than 200 yards, and cant get the ball in the hands of our playmakers. Defenses can just sit in deep zones and make brunell take the checkdowns time after time because he has no arm strength. JC might not be the answer but to leave MB as the starting qb at this point is ridicoulous. We know MB cant get the job done so we leave him in there because we are not sure of JC? We need to find out NOW if JC is the guy or not. what do you suggest? Leave MB in until the season is completly lost or give the young guy a shot and maybe salvage the season? Brunell probably wont be here next year anyways so I don't understand why anyone would want to keep delaying the inevitable.

It's too early to bring in JC. Until we get some other things fixed, it just wouldn't be fair to bring him into this shit storm.

I say one more week. I dont think he is operating witht he full potential of this offense. WE NEED PORTIS to be successful. Betts is just not good enough. When we see Brunell and this offense with Portis then it will be a fair decision. I just dont understand a lot of the play calling. Running wide on 3rd and 1 or 2?? Especially when you trade for a 265 pound running back and have a 270 pound full back(sellers). Betts is the only person that can get open out of 5?? I find that hard to believe. I did see a couple of ball that should have been thrown over the middle to a WR that was open. Now, saying that Brunell may know that he can not get the ball there with enough zip that he didn't throw it. If thats the case, then he has to go now. I have seem him put some zip on a few passes this year, so just not really sure. Now our O-line was being abused, and he got hit a number of times, so his eyes may be looking at the line man and not down field, who knows?? If we dont have a good showing against Houston, then I think we are going to have to go with Campbell. if we dont win more than 4 games with him, so be it. At least we will get that learning season out of the way.