Atlanta's plan

Funny.

2007 was cataclysmically bad for them. Their owner--whatever you think of him personally--did a few simple things:

1. Hired a little-known defensive assistant.
2. Hired a legitimate personnel man from a perennial winner.
3. Drafted the best QB from the 08 draft.
4. Drafted a franchise MLB.
5. Signed the perfect HB for their system.
6. Hired an OC with a track record of balanced results.

Since then, Blank's team is 26-15, with a playoff appearance, back-to-back winning seasons, and well on their way to a 3rd consecutive winning season.

As much as I hate Dimitroff's grooming, I respect the hell out of Mike Smith. Sure, it sucks to lose to them, and I don't like any division rival.

Out of the bunch, though, they're the model for how to do it from scratch.

It also reminds me that we don't HAVE to hire an offensive coach. We do need, at the least, a confident, proven OC. Chan comes to mind, if he gets fired.

I can't sit here and openly root for the Falcons, and I want (badly) to sweep them in 2010 with a replacement team. But, Jerry should just follow his friend's very simple blueprint to get his team back on track--and in a hurry--for the next NFL season.

 

To continue.

Line play is so critical on offense, regardless of who's in there.

Take NYG. Down to their 3rd team C. Been dinged up all year across the line. Yet, they've protected Eli enough to assist him with his 18 TD passes, and to give Bradshaw (probably not as talented as either of our backs) a 5.1 YPC average.

So much is made of the QB, as it should. Yet, Moore put up good, if not sick numbers vs. a few very stout defensive units since 2007 (that ended this fall, clearly).

I think our offensive line--with the QB conundrum assisting--has been the absolute lowest drop-off since last December. We were, I believe, the only team to have a single back break the 100-yard mark vs. Minny in 2009. Despite their slide, NYG were absolutely blown off the ball, in their place, last December.

I honestly don't recall--was Otah injured last December--or was it Gross?

Really shouldn't matter. We gashed teams in 2008 with Handgartner and Omiyale in the mix.

Sorry, Darin, but Moose was more than just a possession WR. He was one of the best edge run blockers I have ever seen. Hines Ward-good.

 

Hard to disagree with anything you have there.
Clearly Fox will be gone,however Hurney from all reports seems to get a hallpass in all this mess.
Sometimes I wonder if he has pictures of JR with the body.
I would love to see a quality football guy in here running the show not a capalogist/sportswriter.

 

BOTH Otah and Gross were out late in the year last season. But I agree with you on this. IMO, our biggest dropoff has been on the O-Line. It's been awful.

 

It doesn't take much. See Tampa.

What I would do if I owned the team:

1. Organizational Management: Hurney stays--moves to a Dir. Of FB Ops role. Manages the business end of the cap (assuming there is one.)

2. Hire a General Manager, damn the price. Parcells wants it, and he would do what he always does--shoot his instant-turnaround jizz all over Mint Street.

3. Allow Bill to lead the search party for an entire new staff.

4. Demand that Bill pursue a quarterback that not only fits the new OC's vision and style, but has played in and won games. There will be plenty of solid veterans available.

5. Sit back, light a cigar, and let my staff of ballbusters get it fixed.

Honestly, if something close to this actually happens, it would not shock me. Might not be Big Bill, and might not fit Jerry's model to have Hurney AND a GM on the payroll. Hurney, with Don Gregory and Mark Koncz (sp?) can't, and shouldn't be permitted to, do this alone.

Need some smart football people in that building. I think we have average football people--results speak to it (that goes for Fox, too. He's advocated some pretty shitty personnel moves too)

 

I would cum in my pants with glee if Parcells came on board

 

I honestly think we were 2 players away from having a playoff team. I think if we had gotten mcnabb and boldin or housh we are right in the middle of the playoff hunt. Richardson could have spent 15 mil on these 2 guys and kept the fans from wanting to hang him...oh well, fuck him. He deserves every bit of what he is getting now.

 

housh stinks. mcnabb is ok, better than anything on the panthers roster and able to at least get the ball where it needs to be most of the time. boldin and smitty would be nice.

but still, the o-line troubles are difficult to overcome. this is a team that NEEDS a strong o-line to do anything on offense. the qbs need the protection, the wrs need the time to get open, the rbs need the hole and the second-level blocking.

this wasn't the time to hand over the keys to moore, especially with a bunch of rookie receivers. look what baltimore has done with flacco. the biggest arm in that draft, smartest qb out there -- and they surround him with a strong D, solid TE, veteran receivers and a hell of a pass-catching back. they set him up to be successful. and he's only pretty good. near the top of the middle third of starting QBs.

 

awesomeness.

 

Houshmandzadeh was NEVER coming here. Seattle was on the hook for $7 million no matter where he went and his salary at his next team simply reduced that amount. That is why he signed for the vet minimum in Baltimore. That was not a money thing. He also has a grand total of 11 catches for 162 yards. That gets us over the hump.

Boldin wasn't coming here either...for a bunch of reasons.

As for your math, McNabb costs $11.2 million this year and Boldin cost the Ravens $12 million this year. That's a bit more than $15 million.