luckily, i don't get paid to make these decisions, because I don't have the answers to the problems -- but this franchise has problems:
1.) Head Coach + QB:
+ consistently wins more games than he should, beats teams with similar or inferior quarterbacks, has shown ability to be creative within an offensive system, doesn't blow leads, defense seems like it's good because of JJ and the way BOB calls plays to limit their exposure
- consistently loses to good teams, teams never seem to show up for Thursday/Sunday night/Monday night/playoff games that matter (like the Eagles game), way too predictable with the play calling (1st down rush % this season: 60% give or take a hair -- it's a passing league), defense isn't actually good when you play anyone worth a ****.
they seem to have a good vibe together, but 4 doesn't have the same Clemson magic he did. Granted this happens (hi Jameis, Cam, Vince Young, Matt Leinart -- the college winners don't necessarily stay winners) -- BOB has to coax that magic back at out of him at this level, as he's got all the tools to do it.
2.) Wide Receivers
We've never had 2 good ones at the same time. Fuller can't be counted on to play 16 games until he actually plays 16 games. Nuk is 80 all over again, freaking Paul McCartney but instead of Ringo, John, or George he met Carl Lewis singing the national anthem and 2 kids playing kazoo after school -- just a straight one man band. We've never had an impact tight end, and I don't need to see the Owen Daniels stats -- Gronk, Gates, Gonzalez, Kelce he was not. And while I'm sure Garrett Griffin, Ryan Griffin, Fiederowicz, James Casey, Joel Dressen, and the rest of the island of misfit toys are all wonderful people -- they're not breaking any games open either. Any production out of the position has always been scheme related, from Kubiak throwbacks to BOB's little stick routes and screens. Someone has to show up. Pittsburgh has gone through Wallace, Holmes, Brown, Bryant, Smith-Schuster, Switzer, Washington, Miller/James @ TE, Parker-Bettis-Bell-Connor at RB. We've got to be able to find some talent at these positions with the way the NFL is designed to be played now.
3.) O-Line
Brandon Brooks is still a stud for the Eagles. Ben Jones has started every game since he signed with the Titans. Duane Brown, would have been nice to have this year -- but will be mitigated if they hit on this 2nd round pick. Bad luck on injuries -- Derek Newton tears up both knees in one play? Seantrel plays 3 snaps and breaks? -- and the whiff on XSF hampered this team. The OL got a worse reputation that it deserved this year in pass pro, as 4 acts like he's allergic to throwing the ball away rather than taking a sack when he's rolling out, is 4 yards behind the line and is approaching the sideline, and there's no one open -- but for a team that ran the ball on 1st down 3 out of 5, we sure as **** didn't see a lot of 2 & 6's or better. BOB isn't changing -- he likes a 24-21 game with 27 cumulative rushing attempts like I like beans in my chili -- so they've got to find them in this draft and they've got to be good right away and for a little while.
4.) D-Line
Watt's beyond description. Clowney is just something else to watch. Everyone else is a rotation piece - I like them, but Angelo Blackson could be DJ Reader could Antonio Smith could be Amobi Okoye could be Travis Johnson. Pay 90 and pray he stays healthy.
5.) Back 7
Mercy is overpaid and overrated. Made no impact this season. I'd DeMeco him sooner than later. Cunningham and McKinney are studs, but they can't cover TE's worth a ****. this team was #1 defending RBs catching the ball and #32 against TEs catching the ball. after watching what the Chargers just did with 3 safeties to the Ravens, I want that. Mathieu does his best Derwin James, Reid and Hal come back, J-Jo. K. Jo. A. Co. and Kareem I'd run it back with, but they've got to figure something out schematically to do something to limit TY and Ebron.
I, like you, love this team. This was predictable -- if they were a legit team this year, they beat the Iggles and don't have to play this week. Here's hoping they find that, because with the right people staying healthy and a little bit of improvement and some avoidance of regression to the mean on winning close games -- they could get to 10-12 wins again next season, and legitimately challenge for a title.
There's a path to get there, but until they win a game like the Eagles or Pats game this year, there's no reason to take them seriously as a contender.