Lets talk about the offense. What do you attribute to the issue here? Is it Waldron, is it Geno, or is it Pete? I honestly dont know. It just seemed eerily familiar to past seasons with that conservative offense.
It's a core philosophy of Pete to not play the game in a complicated way and rely instead on high execution and chemistry.
Starts with the philosophy and then those calling the plays within that framework.
Then, there's the players.
There were mistakes, but not to the degree that woukd warrant how lopsided the game was. Most of what I saw was a defense still not clicking on the backend with too many holes in our zone, just poor calls on D (Hurtt), and stale playbook in the 2nd half (waldron).
I think it was against the 9ers the first go-round last year when Pete remarked that the offense needed to open up. After that, we did, and were damn near unstoppable for 6 weeks.
Pete needs to get his D to 'get it', rely less on emotion, and more on focused play.
I think in the end, that's the biggest piece here. We have a team built in an unconventional way, around an unconventional philosophy. One that prioritizes intangibles, bond, and the individually will and spirit. This team is rich in that this year. They aren't yet (obviously) on the same xs and os page.
So, when we lose, the losses inherently look different than the typical, 'we got beat' loss. You coukd feel that even in the end of theLOB days. When the intangibles failed, so did the D.
So the answer. The philosophy is Pete's. If you want to fault him in losses, you have to acknowledge it was the same philosophy that made us the most euccessful team in thr league over a decade.
Does it mean the page has turned and this team is lost? Maybe. Or maybe the combination of talent and intangibles will come together over the season and this was just the wake-up call the players needed to understand its not just about the comraderie.
Whether that happens will depend on vets who aren't afraid to get in guys @sses and keep their heads in the game and assignment correct. When we were great, we had a Earl, Cam, and Sherm who woukdnt allow failure. Who is that on the defense now? Not Bobby. Different personality. Not Diggs. Not the young guys, for all their talent. The closest guy we've got? Reed and Adams... others need to step up.
Pete's philosophy needs generals more than most because it's built on the fire of youth.
So as troubling as the D was, and as shaky a ground Clint seems to be on ( I'm not sold on him either for the risk that he may very well lose the confidence of the guys very soon if he can't get them in position to succeed), I don't think what we sae Sunday is the identity of the team. Love is a vet, but new. He's finding his place. Same with Jones. And we will see what changes when Adams comes back and Witherspoon huts the field.
Hard to say how bad a game Waldron called. But there were some questionable decisions. The only way we succeed moving forward though is if the playbook opens up. It has to. The 'execute the simple stuff' philosophy needs to be abandoned.
I think Sunday was a combination of a team philosophy being forced into failure by injury on the O line.
I for one am thankful for the wakeup call 40 minutes into the season, rather than in November when the games get really tough.
We will see how the team responds.
