Something to Prove!

[RMSkins]

I would add 49ers coach Mike Nolan. Nolan is going to have to live up to the enormous hype the 49ers are getting this year, and personally I have no clue what these people see in the 49ers team. To me they are a 7-9 team at best.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by RMSkins

I would add 49ers coach Mike Nolan. Nolan is going to have to live up to the enormous hype the 49ers are getting this year, and personally I have no clue what these people see in the 49ers team. To me they are a 7-9 team at best.

Well they came on late in the season last year and finished strong, they had a few Pro-Bowlers on the squad and their still a young team. Alex Smith may be finally coming around too. Add that along with all the upgrades during the off season, and conventional wisdom makes them this years Arizona Cardinals.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

But how do you guage a good pre-season? Historically speaking, Gibbs' teams usually don't fair too well during pre-season. It's important to stay healthy and see some degree of timing between JC and his recievers, but I wouldn't look for too much more than that.

True, but I think this year's preseason is different. For one thing, we had such a bad year last year - Gibbs' worst season as head coach. I think it's important for the team to start out on a positive note as soon as they can.

[12thMan]

Originally Posted by skinsguy

True, but I think this year's preseason is different. For one thing, we had such a bad year last year - Gibbs' worst season as head coach. I think it's important for the team to start out on a positive note as soon as they can.

I agree there, but just as a word of caution, if go something like 1-3, don't read too, too much into that. I think it's how we win or lose games that's going to tell us a lot about this team.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

I agree there, but just as a word of caution, if go something like 1-3, don't read too, too much into that. I think it's how we win or lose games that's going to tell us a lot about this team.

I think it's how well our first team and second team guys are playing in these games. I mean, if we lose the games because of the rookies or third string guys who probably won't make the team, then I'm fine with that...but I definitely feel for the short time that our starters and second team people are playing, that they need to have a good showing.

[wolfeskins]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

How so? Philly and Dallas will be hungrier than ever, and the Gmen somehow found a way to beat us last year. Unless we surprise ourselves with an effective pass rush and better WR output, don't count on us being in the preseason. Only hope we have is to repeat 1999 when we totally surprised folks and had the most high powered offense with Johnson, Davis, Alexander, Westbrook, Connell, etc. Johnson and Alexander were upgrades for sure from the Gus era. Thing is we didn't really upgrade at all this season with the exception of LB and S. I still think we have too many ifs to be answered to get overly excited this season. I guess I am like Randy Quaid in Major League. Cheer the hell for them when they lose and can't believe it when they win and expect them to botch it in the end. Bottom line is these guys need to start winning for get me on the bandwagon this season.Being a homer can be mighty disappointing, especially when the Cowboys make it to the playoffs.

the skins biggest upgrade is having jason campbell working all offseason on his game and on saunders offensive scheme, plus having all of the offensive players getting more comfortable with the system. they have all admitted to not being comfortable with it last year. i also feel that the other nfc east teams are entering this season with bigger losses than the skins. the eagles are hoping mcnabb comes back healthy, if not, the loss of garcia will prove to be huge. they allso lost their best wr. the giants will surelly miss tiki, how could they not miss him ? he was 80% of their entire offense. the cowboys lost,arguably, one of the best head coaches to ever coach in the nfl. say what you will but bill parcells was a very good coach. i think the loss of parcells will hurt romo. not that i ever thought romo was good to begin with, he should have never been voted to play in the probowl. the way he finished the season is the real romo.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by wolfeskins

the skins biggest upgrade is having jason campbell working all offseason on his game and on saunders offensive scheme, plus having all of the offensive players getting more comfortable with the system. they have all admitted to not being comfortable with it last year. i also feel that the other nfc east teams are entering this season with bigger losses than the skins. the eagles are hoping mcnabb comes back healthy, if not, the loss of garcia will prove to be huge. they allso lost their best wr. the giants will surelly miss tiki, how could they not miss him ? he was 80% of their entire offense. the cowboys lost,arguably, one of the best head coaches to ever coach in the nfl. say what you will but bill parcells was a very good coach. i think the loss of parcells will hurt romo. not that i ever thought romo was good to begin with, he should have never been voted to play in the probowl. the way he finished the season is the real romo.

That had to be the GusFrerotte that wasn't worth a shit in DC that put together that post....? lol

We are very hungry this year, and will make a statement. IMO, we will be the BIG SUPRISE IN THE NFC EAST! When we WIN the damn division!

[wolfeskins]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

That had to be the GusFrerotte that wasn't worth a shit in DC that put together that post....? lol

We are very hungry this year, and will make a statement. IMO, we will be the BIG SUPRISE IN THE NFC EAST! When we WIN the damn division!

i agree, adding players is only one way to UPGRADE a team. and why would dallas, philly or the giants be anymore hungry then the skins? makes no sense.

[GusFrerotte]

I am not tripping out at all. I decided to get off the bandwagon after last season after Gibbs decided for the second time in 3 seasons to ride out Brunell and effectively waste another season. IF Gibbs put in Ramsey or Campbell in say 4-6 weeks earlier after Brunells unbelievable ineffectiveness in both 2004 and last season we would have had a bona fide shot at the playoffs. How can one get jacked up, when the franchise itself seems to be on self destruct so often? This season is going to be different. This season it is going to be "show me the money" before I get geeked up about it.

[SmootSmack]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

I am not tripping out at all. I decided to get off the bandwagon after last season after Gibbs decided for the second time in 3 seasons to ride out Brunell and effectively waste another season. IF Gibbs put in Ramsey or Campbell in say 4-6 weeks earlier after Brunells unbelievable ineffectiveness in both 2004 and last season we would have had a bona fide shot at the playoffs. How can one get jacked up, when the franchise itself seems to be on self destruct so often? This season is going to be different. This season it is going to be "show me the money" before I get geeked up about it.

I think it's remarkably naive for anyone to automatically think that Jason Campbell would have led the team to the playoffs if only he had started several weeks earlier.

Doesn't anyone consider even the remote possibility that maybe, just maybe, the coaches were monitoring his practice every day of every week and actually doing him a favor by not throwing him into the fire before he was ready. Especially with the rest of the team learning Saunders' offense as well.

[skinsguy]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

I think it's remarkably naive for anyone to automatically think that Jason Campbell would have led the team to the playoffs if only he had started several weeks earlier.

Doesn't anyone consider even the remote possibility that maybe, just maybe, the coaches were monitoring his practice every day of every week and actually doing him a favor by not throwing him into the fire before he was ready. Especially with the rest of the team learning Saunders' offense as well.

I wouldn't think coaches would actually monitor their players progress in practice. Come on SS, what are you thinking? j/k

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

IF Gibbs put in Ramsey or Campbell in say 4-6 weeks earlier after Brunells unbelievable ineffectiveness in both 2004 and last season we would have had a bona fide shot at the playoffs.

I understand the whole wonderful "spark" theory, but to this statement, I have this to say:

No.

No we would not have. That is incorrect.

Hope I wasn't too wordy there.

[EARTHQUAKE2689]

Originally Posted by skinsfan_nn

That had to be the GusFrerotte that wasn't worth a shit in DC that put together that post....? lol

We are very hungry this year, and will make a statement. IMO, we will be the BIG SUPRISE IN THE NFC EAST! When we WIN the damn division!

Damn the division we will win the conference.

[Crat92]

Originally Posted by GusFrerotte

How so? Philly and Dallas will be hungrier than ever, and the Gmen somehow found a way to beat us last year. Unless we surprise ourselves with an effective pass rush and better WR output, don't count on us being in the preseason. Only hope we have is to repeat 1999 when we totally surprised folks and had the most high powered offense with Johnson, Davis, Alexander, Westbrook, Connell, etc. Johnson and Alexander were upgrades for sure from the Gus era. Thing is we didn't really upgrade at all this season with the exception of LB and S. I still think we have too many ifs to be answered to get overly excited this season. I guess I am like Randy Quaid in Major League. Cheer the hell for them when they lose and can't believe it when they win and expect them to botch it in the end. Bottom line is these guys need to start winning for get me on the bandwagon this season.Being a homer can be mighty disappointing, especially when the Cowboys make it to the playoffs.

Dallas is a train wreck waiting to happen. Wait and see how Romo does when Defenses have damn near a whole season of film to game plan against him. He'll come back to earth real quick. Then there's the "T.O. grenade". 'Nuff said.
Philly's season depends on how McNabb comes back from the knee injury.
Then there's Eli and the G-Men. No Tiki means more pressure on Peyton's 'lil brother. He'll crash and burn too.
We really got a nice chance to do something special this year. I think we will, so I guess I'm a homer too>

[backrow]

Originally Posted by 12thMan

Yes, let's continue with the theme of fives. Here's my short list of 5 coaches who, aren't neccessarily on the hot seat, but they have something to prove this year.

Jon Gruden. Training camp couldn't have started soon enough for Gruden; He's been chomping at the bit and drawing new diagrams since January. Gruden was once considered one of the darling coaches of the NFL, but has seen his teams decline since becoming the youngest coach to win the Super Bowl. I don't care who's in the starting line-up for Tampa Bay this year, you'll see a different team. Gruden is itching to return to his winning ways, and look for that intensity to tranfer to the field.

Marvin Lewis. Still considered one of the brightest defensive minds in the game, when he arrived in Cincy, Lewis thought he was signing up for the NFL not JV football. Lewis is now faced with the task of taking a talented team and keeping them focused on football, and more importantly winning. If anyone can do it, Marvin Lewis can. Look for Lewis to have the Bengals in the thick of things this year.

Joe Gibbs. The pundits are already chomping at the bit with their annual "Gibbs has lost it" rhetoric. If the Redskins can keep their budding star quarterback, Jason Campbell, healthy this could very well be the year Joe Gibbs blows the whole thing open in Washington. Coach Gibbs adheres to a quiet intensity, and his players will be focused and ready to compete for the 2007 campaign. Joe Gibbs has a special attachment to the city of Washington, D.C. and more than anything, he wants to bring the Vince Lombardi trophy back to what Gibbs calls,"The greates fans anywhere."

Bill Belichik. If anyone thinks Belichik isn't pissed about not going all the way last year, think again. The bar is high in New England, and with all the off-season additions, Belichik will expect even more from the Pats in '07. Another Super Bowl run by Belichik could cement his legacy as the greatest coach of all time. Don't think for a minute that it's not in the back of his mind either.

Norv Turner. Norv Turner is an average NFL coach.

There now, quote corrected. I'd delete Norval, and insert Reid. At least he's been to the dance and lost, as has Lovie Smith.