Thoughts after speaking with my therapist

[lightsout]

OK, not literally. After this game, I felt like I need a therapist though. Like most here, I didn't just have a knee-jerk reaction. I had a "the world is on fire" reaction. Cam looked awful, Matt Kalil is still being a model of inconsistency and bad pass protection (called this out in week 1 and I remember some here saying I was being silly and that he is the best LT we've had since Gross), defense was anemic, Shula was Shula, Rivera lost his pair. 

After breathing and listening to the post-game pressers and probably over-analyzing, I've reached a more sound mindset.

- Cam had a bad day. Poor decision making and forcing the ball when he didn't have to. One sack in particular where he had Samuel WIDE open on a deep in that he just didn't see or didn't pull the trigger on. Granted, Funch got that yardage back the next play and we ultimately picked up a new set of downs, but those sort of things can be back-breaking more times than not (I know, I harp on guys saying that Cam holds the ball too long, but this is one instance where that criticism is 100% valid). Cam has to be better is the point. If he can't have a week of reps in practice, he shouldn't be out there. Point blank. He's a vet, but getting reps and timing and actual throwing reps is important for every QB. Cam needs this and if he can't go for a full week of preparation all season, sit him until he can and find a QB that isn't Derek Anderson.

- Defense looked flat from the jump. KK made plays, Luke made some, but overall, it was bad. Pass rush didn't get there often, but it did get there a few times which was good to see. Front 7 played fine, I thought. Only flat out bad plays were because of Peterson's ability to stay on his feet through the first two hits. Secondary lacked communication often and it showed with wide open receivers. This needs to be fixed. One bad performance in three isn't the end of the world though.

- OL for most of the day was hit or miss. All the pressure was linked to Matt Kalil not knowing who to block or how to block. Run game was there most of the day, and they got some decent push, but nothing world beating. This unit needs to improve.

- Rivera is a coward. He didn't go for it in Saints territory or even try a field goal because he was afraid of giving them a slightly shorter field than normal. This sort of thinking is a loser's mentality. This has to change. 

- Shula may be the smartest idiot ever. Utilized Samuel and McCaffrey pretty well early. We looked to be back to running our Super Bowl season offense. I was hopeful. Then Matt Kalil destroyed that hope and from there, Shula went into full-on Shula mode. He can direct a mean scripted first series, but the guy cannot go from there. The end around to Samuel was beautiful. There were several calls that just looked good. Then there were far more that made absolutely no sense (3 TE set, run McCaffrey inside. You know, since that formation draws 9 or 10 defenders into the box anyway). Later, I'm not sure if Cam called the plays during the hurry up or if Shula did, but we again looked fine. Cam had time to check the defense and adjust and everything looked pretty good minus some of his decision making. We need more of this. We just operate better that way as an offense. Bottom line: Shula needs to script the first series and then let Cam freestyle after that because Shula doesn't have a clue what to do in situational football.

- Bouncing back. This team lost it's edge today. Or rather, it never got it. That sack on the first drive deflated the offense. The Saints first TD deflated the defense. From there, we never recovered. It was written on the play of our team. Munnerlyn missed several key plays that could have swung momentum our way. Even Luke and TD had instances where they flat out lost in a matchup, be it with AP on a run or in coverage. We need to do better at recovering from those failings and not "flinching". Not letting the negatives effect the play.

- At no point in time did we ever do anything close to "adjusting" on offense or defense. Our offense has been a gigantic Madden catastrophe for a while now, with random personnel decisions and playcalling that is nonsensical, but at no point did I see us "adjust" to what New Orleans was doing and attempt to counter it. We just...kept doing the same things. Passes at linebacker depth, screens, sideline shot. Literally it. All game Run left, run middle, run right. We didn't try to establish any of those, we just...ran plays. On defense, we never accounted for Michael Thomas. Due to this, he ate us alive. Ginn got behind coverage once, Brees misses. What do the Panthers do? Continue the same style of coverage, which later allows Ginn to get over the top and into the endzone. This is a problem and the fact that Rivera nor Wilks adjusted to account for either of these issues tells me plenty. Now, it could be that they DID, but piss poor execution is to fault. Fair play and probably more accurate, given the spotty play of Worley.

- Cam in his post-game didn't seem dejected. Cam in his post-game didn't seem down and out. He seemed....oddly fine. He flatly stated that he's frustrated, but he really doesn't come off as frustrated. He said all the things everybody expects ("I have to get better. I support whatever the coaches choose to do. I have to put the d in better situations. I made mistakes and tried to force balls to spark us when I should have taken what the d gave me. Etc, etc."). I don't think it was apathy I sensed, but maybe just optimism. Maybe Cam knows something we don't. Maybe he's just over it emotionally and is mentally checked out. Maybe Cam knows our history of slow starts that lead to us being in the hunt by December. Time will tell, but I found Cam's demeanor and the things he said more interesting than normal.

- Rivera seemed highly upset. He spoke loud and clear, as always, but he had a snap to his speech that is telling of other losses he has suffered while the head coach here. He seemed frustrated or even angry at the result of the game and while he didn't blame the players execution directly, I got the feeling that he is putting most of the fault there for this one. He did however mention the need to look at film and "see if we put them in positions to be successful and if not, fix that" (not a direct quote, but pretty close). Is the frustration more than JUST with player execution? Is Rivera getting annoyed by the offense's inability to help this defense at all? If so, does he REALLY fault player execution or is he perhaps starting to grow tired of Shula's decision making in key situations? This isn't just throwing things out there, I honestly feel like the specific sentence I did my best at quoting had more to it than "we'll look at film and correct it", because THAT is the stock response he gives every week. No, this was more biting and specific. Or, as I said in the opening, maybe I'm just over-analyzing.

New week starts today. Getting prepared for a trip to New England is all that matters. Preparation is the key. Let's see if this team can piece this thing together and play a complete game for 60 minutes.

[Fright]

A person who says they're frustrated and doesn't show it, doesn't really care. He's just saying what needs to be said and going through the motions.

How many posts do I have to read saying "Cam just missed the open guy" or "he over threw so and so, but that will get fixed" before people realize he just isn't that good of a QB to make into a pure pocket passer. This evolutionized offense will be the end of Cam's career. Canning Shula might be the only save.

[Jeremy Igo]

Good reasonable post. 

[jfra78]

[Paa Langfart]

7 hours ago, lightsout said:

One bad performance in three isn't the end of the world though.

Take a guess where the two teams we barely beat  will pick from in this years draft.

[Daeavorn]

3 minutes ago, Paa Langfart said:

Take a guess where the two teams we barely beat  will pick from in this years draft.

The Bills just beat the Broncos, and they didn't look awful doing it.

[catnip]

What would Gettleman do ?  Its up to Rivera who plays and who sits , Kallil needs to sit . most of the sacks are from the LT position.  He needs to talk to Shula and put a fire under his butt because if this continues his own seat will be hot.  Time to use his new weapons better . Funchess is not a deep threat . Put CMC in the slot and Samuel at the wide out and use his speed . No playoffs = No Rivera, Shula, and Hurney !