Believe it or not I saw some positive signs

Well you have to be smart out there when you have 300 pound players looking to take you out. Moss is no fool why take a hit if you can get down and protect the ball. You leave to make another play.

Several of the youngsters did fare well at times last night, but there were so many plays left on the field due to the ineffectiveness of the OL. There were plays that would have gone for big gains had Campbell been able to get the ball off. This team can accomplish some things once the line is improved.

I thought Fred Davis demonstrated he could get into patterns and catch the ball, but still has work to do on his blocking. Time now to get Marco and some of the other young players some reps.

My positives...

Davis- I think him being forced to get more catches helped. JC had to look elsewhere.
Thomas-I still think he can shine.
ARE- If used properly. Although getting old.
Betts/Rock- I can't believe I'm saying this. They actually played better then Sellers/Portis. Betts picked up the blocks and Rock hit the holes hard and fast.
D-Line- Held their own. Looked good. AH, Carter, Orakpo, Golston(sp).

Personally, I would play all the young O-lineman at this point to get them playing time and to see what they have playing against starters. Use the older guys as backups for breathers. I would start the Betts/Rock combo for the rest of the season. Use Portis sparingly or put him on injured reserve and use the new RB/FB we picked up. I would find a way to start Kelly, Thomas, and Mitchell and sit Moss or ARE, time to force JC to go to other receivers and let the young guys get their experience they need. Only use Davis for passing routes, hell even Gruden figured out Davis can't block. Time to start Tryon, Westbrook, and all the other young CB's to get them experience and see if they can play with the best.

I'd cut all the older often injured players and bring in youth at the end of the season. Tell them they practice hard, they get to play. They play preseason or they are cut.

Yeah there were some positives, this team is not without talent. I think they just lack direction and focus, mostly on offense. A quality OL would work wonders too. I think Gruden had to have been thinking last night, "yeah I can work with this bunch".

how exactly does Davis' complete and total inability to block take away from his performance? I am very happy to see him do well, but he is such a liability in pass protection that I'm not sure we can afford to have him on the field.

how exactly does Davis' complete and total inability to block take away from his performance? I am very happy to see him do well, but he is such a liability in pass protection that I'm not sure we can afford to have him on the field.

Cooley isn't a great blocker either but yeah Davis is worse. Still, that's up to the coaches to be aware of that and not leave him alone on a guy like Trent Cole who eats up TE's one on one.

Yeah there were some positives, this team is not without talent. I think they just lack direction and focus, mostly on offense. A quality OL would work wonders too. I think Gruden had to have been thinking last night, "yeah I can work with this bunch".

I was going to make that point too. Gruden said several times that this team has talent.

What I never understood. Cooley is a "Receiving TE" not a "Blocking TE". Then we go out and pick up another TE with the same abilities. I understand the whole "Best player available" thing but if we were in the market for another TE, it would have been prudent to have picked up a "Blocking TE". I'm not putting down Davis, with at little work he will be probably just as good as Cooley.

I think the coach's are having trouble using the players talent to their benifit. Maybe I'm wrong, but don't call plays that won't work with the talent you have. Shit can the call and move on to plays that do work best with the talent you have. I like what I saw in Betts being the lead blocker and Rock running the ball behind him (I can't believe I'm saying it again) but we saw only a few plays of that. Mostly single back system with Portis, or I-formation with Sellers blocking. We did better with Betts and Rock.

One positive, we can still sweep Dallas!

eff yeah :food-smil

Yeah there were some positives, this team is not without talent. I think they just lack direction and focus, mostly on offense. A quality OL would work wonders too. I think Gruden had to have been thinking last night, "yeah I can work with this bunch".

I thought that myself. He was very political and I was watching for him to be so before the game started.

It's not like he'd have to remake the whole team. The defense is set for the most part. SS only needs to get rid of El.

All he has to do is fix the offense. All the offense really needs is lineman and a kick in the ass. He'll have to cut out some of the cancer too.

I want B-Mitch for attitude coach.