I'd say those are problems that would keep us out of the playoffs this year (probably). The running game, on the other hand, is a major problem that will give us another top 5 pick guaranteed, unless it somehow gets better. If you're implying that Carr is the problem, I completely disagree.
I'd have to imagine the Tennessee Titans thought the same thing when they played the Miami & the Cowpokes. They avg'd 2.8 ypc on 22 carries against Miami, for 62 yards, & 2.9 ypc on 27 carries for 78 yards against Dallas. Then all of a sudden, their running game all of a sudden got better, running 6.9 ypc against Indy, and 4.7 ypc against Washington...... two teams that our defense kept our running game off the field.
So I do agree that the run game is a problem for us, I don't believe we have had ample opportunity to see exactly what is going on their. The three games it looked like there was something there, Philly, Indy, & Washington, we didn't run the ball.... The two games where it looked pathetic, was against two teams that makes everybodies run game look pathetic.
& I am not trying to blame David Carr for anything. But the passing game isn't good enough to open up any running game. We still have to keep too many players back in protection to get enough recievers in play. & still David doesn't have the time he needs to assess the field, and make the best throw.
Some of that was his fault, but I doubt I'd even blame him for half of it. Things like getting blindsided 2 seconds after the snap and fumbling are not the QB's fault in my opinion. If he wasn't getting his head bashed in, he wouldn't be fumbling. Even that I believe was just part of the Colts game.
If the QB can't feel that backside pressure too often, he's in for trouble. I won't blame the QB for getting blindsided, I won't blame the QB for getting stripped, but I will blame the QB for coughing up the ball when blindsided.
Now, you look at the two picks Sunday. What I saw there was a QB trying to make something happen with nothing. You can't run....period....end of story. Nobodies open deep
We have to define open...... I also have to give David the benefit of the doubt, because I can't see the recievers when he makes his decision. However, If you got Moulds, or AJ in single coverage, you take that shot.
His pass to AJ that got tipped, was without a doubt, not his fault. That was an amazing play by Bradie James, and GregEllis. He should take that throw every time, until someone else proves they can make the play Bradie did.
and all the short passes aren't getting anything going after the catch.
Doesn't matter, as long as he's getting 3 to 4 yards per completion. according to his stats, I think we were getting 6..... so all we had to do was be patient, and keep picking up first downs.
The defense is getting worn out and you've got one thing left to do. FORCE IT. It's no surprise to anyone that he was picked and that probably includes him. He shouldn't have tried it, but I believe most people in that situation would've done the same thing. It was the only chance they had, if you even want to call that a chance.
There was no chance at all. The problem was that he stared AJ down. Looking at the tape, there is no evidence that AnthonyHenry ever turned his back to David Carr. He simply stared him down, and waited for the throw. If you are the QB, and you're looking at that reciever that long, and you don't see the CB looking right back at you, then you've got problems. It should be relatively easy to figure out what kind of coverage is going on their, and move on in your progression(this is something David has said GK talked to him about before the season...... something GK has said he talked to David about before the season.... something we all said we hoped David would stop doing before the season... one of those rookie mistakes our 5 year vet shouldn't be making). He had plenty of time. no one was even close to him.
I keep going back and forth on what exactly is wrong with the running game, but I feel very much that it's the running game that's killing us.
Our running backs are doing as well as Edgerin James, and LarryJohnson, except that we've run against better defenses. We've spent the entire summer, and a full week of the bye week teaching our OL how to run the ZBS. Not once have we heard our coach say, "Bye George, I think they've got it" instead, the last thing I heard him say, was that we are at the prelimanary(sp) stage.