Elephant in the Room

[Dvl Dug]

I like Smith, always have. People can slice it up anyway they want, but Drew won that competition last year to be the starter. Smith ONLY got it because he's been there and deserved a shot and Drew was the new comer.

That, and Drew Lock came down with Covid; he didn't get a shot to play in the preseason a year ago and showcase himself. He did well in this year's preseason though.

 

[hawks85]

Yeah, Smiths career speaks for itself imo. He's not capable of taking this team to the promised land. Neither qb is imo. Nice fairytale last season,but he'll come back to reality this year I think. Be interesting to see how it all goes tho

Everyone on here is blaming the D for that loss on Sunday. I am not, I'm blaming Smith FOR ALL OF IT. Defense played good in the first half. Geno only generated 3 ******* yards THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF!!! How is that the defense's fault.

 

[AgentDib]

Stafford was a lot better than many here are apparently willing to credit. He was getting the ball out on time and placing throws perfectly into tight windows. Obviously a disappointing day for the pass defense, but one bad game where the opposing QB was elite. Our run defense meanwhile was encouraging, holding Akers to 17 total yards on 21 of his 22 attempts.

People are also underselling the impact of losing two starting tackles. OT is one of the key positions in the NFL and losing both of your starters is a catastrophic blow for any offense. That's a good reason in my opinion to predict doom and gloom about the current state of the team.

 

[Dvl Dug]

Stafford was a lot better than many here are apparently willing to credit. He was getting the ball out on time and placing throws perfectly into tight windows. Obviously a disappointing day for the pass defense, but one bad game where the opposing QB was elite. Our run defense meanwhile was encouraging, holding Akers to 17 total yards on 21 of his 22 attempts.

People are also underselling the impact of losing two starting tackles. OT is one of the key positions in the NFL and losing both of your starters is a catastrophic blow for any offense. That's a good reason in my opinion to predict doom and gloom about the current state of the team.

Agree with AgentDib.

• Rams also went something like 11 for 17 on third down conversations.
• Considering that the Rams also started the 2nd half with the football, the Hawks basically lost both their OT's within the first 5 minutes of their very first 2nd half possession.
• Holding the Rams to 95 yards on 40 carries is also impressive.

Only thing I might mention is the three rushing TD's surrendered. (Still need a real NT)

 

[hawkfan68]

Everyone on here is blaming the D for that loss on Sunday. I am not, I'm blaming Smith FOR ALL OF IT. Defense played good in the first half. Geno only generated 3 ******* yards THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF!!! How is that the defense's fault.

How is it not partly the defense's fault when there were two no name Rams WR's getting 100+ receiving yards for the game? The defense gave up a 10 play drive resulting in a Rams TD to open up the 2nd half.

The fault for this losing this game lies with both offense and defense.

 

[Maelstrom787]

Everyone on here is blaming the D for that loss on Sunday. I am not, I'm blaming Smith FOR ALL OF IT. Defense played good in the first half. Geno only generated 3 ******* yards THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF!!! How is that the defense's fault.

I can't tell if this is a joke

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Everyone on here is blaming the D for that loss on Sunday. I am not, I'm blaming Smith FOR ALL OF IT. Defense played good in the first half. Geno only generated 3 ******* yards THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF!!! How is that the defense's fault.

All of it? Come on man. Geno AND the offense was brutal in the 2nd half. And so was the defense. They got flat out dominated.
The entire team, and the coaching staff got owned........again.
All of it on Geno? No

 

[strohmin]

Everyone on here is blaming the D for that loss on Sunday. I am not, I'm blaming Smith FOR ALL OF IT. Defense played good in the first half. Geno only generated 3 ******* yards THE ENTIRE SECOND HALF!!! How is that the defense's fault.

I am not blaming Smith at all. Im blaming Pete for putting together a terrible gameplan.

 

[pittpnthrs]

This GM, coach and staff combo isn't equipped to develop a high flying multi-layered offense......like the Rams, Chiefs, etc.

So what you're asking for isn't possible. Not with this staff and GM.

It's why I'm focusing on the defense, because if the Hawks under this regime want to ever get close to sniffing another SB? It's going to be with another great defense.

Then maybe its time for the staff and GM to go because another great defense seems like a pipe dream at this point.

 

[WarHawks]

please show me the plays where there were yards to be had on offense in the passing game and Geno failed to get them. If you can do that, than the argument that Geno cant do X or Y carries water.

The play calling in the second half and overall execution was just poor. The Rams knew what was coming and even when they didnt, brought a pass rush that killed any chance we had.

It remains to be seen what Geno can do. But Sunday's game was not an indicator.

Geno executes the plays Waldron sends in. There was little juice to be squeezed from them.

Which plays? Pretty much all of them. Wilson routinely made plays where there were no yards to be had. He was able to make filet mignon out of a crap sandwich for years. You said yourself Geno doesn't have that improvisation gene, and that is correct. In my opinion, it doesn't remain to be seen what Geno can do. We've seen it, and it's just not good enough. But there's not much we can do about it now regardless, except hope he turns into something he isn't. I'm baffled why people think leopards are somehow going to miraculously change their spots.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

I think they need to be quick to open things up this year and instill a sense of urgency here and now.

But let's all not pretend that the LOB came into being with elite players. Many of those players seemed elite because they played here. Maxwell wasn't the same dude on the Eagles. Thomas, Browner, Clemons, Bryant, Smith never achieved remotely the same success elsewhere... the system made the players as much as the players made the system. Sherm, Bam, Bennet, Wagner... all great regardless, but it's not as though 11 HOfer made the D go.


Thing is, with all the hand wringing and calls for firings, it is one week with a significantly different team than last year and a wake up call out the gate that things need to shift for them to succeed. The team can easily improve because we have the talent to do so. And when things click for this group, I think the results can still be very good.

The key will be keeping everybody together and focused on task.

Love, Jones and the new guys need to find their place in the lockerroom as much as on the field. Leadership, accountability are what will turn this, from the coaches down.

But the bend but don't break philosophy on D and 'walk, but don't run' strategy on O needs to go.

Get aggressive. Play angry. Call plays like you have nothing to lose. If they do that, we may all be singing a different tune come the bye.

Whoa, whoa, whoa… Thomas was absolutely elite when he was a Seahawk. Injuries and ego may’ve hindered him in Baltimore but let’s not play revisionist history and say Thomas was a system guy. He arguably WAS the system that made everyone else look good.

 

[FattyKnuckle]

I can't tell if this is a joke

It’s definitely a joke. Which direction is the punchline going though, that’s a good question.

 

[scutterhawk]

I was never sold on Geno. Career backup for a reason. Last year was probably his last chance at improving his situation. I think he like many are able to push themselves to get what they want but find it hard to maintain a certain level if its not in them already. And like so many others he got paid! Sometimes theres no motivation after they get paid. I remember when Shawn Alexander use to run through guys, after he got paid he'd fall forward soon as he got touched or he run out of bounds.

You mean like last year when he made the PRO BOWL & "Come Back Player of The Year"?
4,000+ YARDS isn't ''Backup'' QB stats.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Then maybe its time for the staff and GM to go because another great defense seems like a pipe dream at this point.

Yeah maybe.

If the Hawks crap the bed this year and only win 4-5 games, you might get your wish...........and with a 41 year old and Jake Curhan playing tackle for the majority of the season? It's not only possible, it's probable.

 

[GemCity]

The elephant in the room is the D-line.

It’s bad….real, real, bad.

 

[scutterhawk]

Yep. Wilson dealt with it for years.

You mean getting sacked, hit, hurried, tackled for a loss, coughed up the ball AND got a broken finger, out for several games "dealt with it"?

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I am not blaming Smith at all. Im blaming Pete for putting together a terrible gameplan.

So, he gets NONE of the blame? Hmmmmm

 

[Sgt. Largent]

The elephant in the room is the D-line.

It’s bad….real, real, bad.

Yeah man, probably the biggest takeaway I had watching some of the Rams offensive plays was how big and clean the pockets were for Stafford to throw.

I mean, not only were the pockets huge, but our NT's were getting completely pushed out of the middle giving Stafford like 10 yards of clean vision to see the middle developing routes. It's why he made it look so easy throwing all these crossing and middle dig routes.

Did Jones even play Sunday? Idk, I didn't see him even once make a play, or even get penetration.

 

[SoulfishHawk]

I heard Stafford picked up a few college credits while standing around in the backfield, all damn day long.

 

[MizzouHawkGal]

That, and Drew Lock came down with Covid; he didn't get a shot to play in the preseason a year ago and showcase himself. He did well in this year's preseason though.

I understand that but saw live weekly 2 years ago he's definitely not a starting quarterback in the NFL just like Geno isn't but he's far worse.