Posted on 11/28/2006 8:44:57 AM PST by Terpfen
I wonder how much hope Shanahan even has left in a Super Bowl trip this year by making this move.
It's setting up to once again be a very interesting AFC playoffs this year.
I'm sure he still has some hopes. It's pretty safe to say he's not doing this because he feels pressured to produce or get fired, because he's never going to be fired. Coach Kevlar indeed.
I'm just glad he drafted Cutler instead of Maroney which he was very close to doing last April.
Except a playoff birth. Stupid move..real stupid. Dever beat New England and should have beaten the Colts--with Plummer. This kid (cutler) is going to have growing pains...season over for Dever.
I think everybody knew it was a matter of time before Shanahan benched Plummer for Cutler. What's surprising is the timing. Either the coach knows something, or he's given up on the the season.
Maroney definitely looks pretty good, but behind that line, who wouldn't?
Denver Broncos in 1992. Drafted Tommy Maddox in the first round after losing the AFC championship the year before.
Well the line is doing a great job protecting Brady but in terms of opening up running lanes they still need some work.
That's right. Didn't understand that decicision.
Granted, I don't watch every Patriots game, but from what I've seen, the line looks good enough to give Maroney plenty of those highlight reel running lanes.
If he can stay healthy he's going to be awesome in a few years.
The problem is there's a list of games they "should have" won but because of Plummer's ineptness they lost. Had they held their lead against San Diego instead of blowing it (largely with bad QB play that couldn't continue drives and eat the clock) and put up some points against KC (again lots of bad incompletions that ended drives pre-maturely) and not chucked 3 INTs against ST Louis they'd be 10-1 right now and #2 in the conference thanks to the Indy loss. Instead Jake played for crap in those games (and in a few they won thanks to their defense putting up two consecutive 11 quarter streaks without giving up a TD) and they're 7-4 nursing the last spot in the playoffs.
Cutler might have growing pains but will the be any worse than the growing pain that has been Plummer this season (and most of his career really). Shanahan apparently thinks they won't be. It was clear when they drafted Culter that the plan was to get rid of Jake and do it fairly soon, the only question was how soon, now we have the answer.
Maroney really doesn't look so good behind the line. It's those too-unusual situation where he makes it more than two yards downfield and is still standing that he shines. The Pats have got to figure out how to get him running at speed on one or two defenders more.
The Ravens are playing alot better and far more physical than they did when they played the Bengals in Baltimore. They have taken their game both on O and D to a new level from the second half of the Atlanta game and it carried over to the Pittsburgh game. And from what I have seen of the Bengals is that they have trouble in physical smash mouth games with teams like Pittsburgh and Baltimore over the years. This game will be won by who wants it more. From what I've read in the Baltimore Sun it does not sound like the Ravens are complacent. I look for a smash mouth game on Thursday.
The O-line for Cincinnati has really gelled as the band-aid replacements build chemistry. Sometimes Rudi is unstoppable, others he is stuffed. Chris Perry's season is over so the running game will suffer. However, with Palmer firing on all cylinders again, and the WR corps of TJ, 85, and Henry, the running game will be more useful for setting up the pass and eating up the clock rather than for its own sake.
Nothing needs to be said about the Baltimre D. The Ravens O is more than adequate with Todd Heap and Steve McNair, and a D that routinely gives it short fields.
Baltimore is the class of the AFC North and will easily win the division but the Bengals can beat them. Their only hope is the WC. I too look forward to the game.
Nothing needs to be said about the Baltimore D. The Ravens O is more than adequate with Todd Heap and Steve McNair, and a D that routinely gives it short fields.
That's changing a bit. Baltimore's 3 first half scoring drives were 70-85 yds each. Jamal Lewis is running over people. He knocked Polamalu out cold and ran over a few of their LBs too. Billick rested Jamal and McNair in the 4th quarter to save them for this game.
Can the Bengals beat the Ravens? Sure they can they are very talented. But if the Ravens play anywhere close to the way they did versus the Steelers they will win by 10-14 points.
I hope they can. The Pats need to finish strong in order to grab that second seed.
IMO, Cutler will end up being a better QB than Young or Leinart.
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