NFL Week 1 - without starting tackles..

[rjdriver]

I've had a almost a week since I compared us to battered wives. There is always a cooling off period after a tough loss where objectivity sneaks back in. Not blind optimism, objectivity.

Now in the infamous 12 (3) yard half we were without both starting tackles. I started looking at week 1 results.

Lions, Saints, and Raiders won by 1 point
Bucs by 3
Commanders by 4
Eagles by 5
Chargers by 2
Jets by 6

Every single one of those games (more than likely) has a different outcome had the winner been missing their two starting tackles.

Now would we have won with Cross and Lucas the whole game? Probably not. Our defensive scheme was that horrible. Would the game have been more competitive? Absolutely. Perhaps Waldron doesn't abandon the run. Perhaps Geno isn't crying out to the Almighty to save his life. Perhaps a few offensive first downs gives our D a little rest.

Is this a always trust and excuse Pete post? Hell no. The non existent pass rush and soft zone were embarrassing and once again the Mcvay/Carroll matchup proves to be the NFL's version of Ike and Tina. This bend but don't break BS because it worked a decade ago with entirely different players is maddening.

However, no one misses a beat without their starting bookends. No one. Not a Reid coached team. Not a Shanahan coached team. Not a Belichick coached team. Are we 13-3 without Jones and Locklear? Are we 13-3 without Okung and Breno?

There is plenty of criticism to be had and I fully expect us to get beat down the next three weeks, but I'm going to temper my expectations on what this (or any) offense is capable of doing without it's two starting tackles. Remember, we just signed a 41 year old who was binge watching Netflix last Sunday. For me, a "win" Sunday will be seeing the defense somewhat resemble an NFL or even SEC caliber squad.

 

[had2bhawk]

 

[TheLegendOfBoom]

Well said, OP, just to add onto this somewhat dreaded outlook, Detroit, is believe to have a very good offensive line.

Defensive pressure may be next to nothing this weekend…

But, hey, I hope I am wrong…

 

[nanomoz]

I'm less optimistic. The defense last week wasn't an isolated incident. The defense has been among the league's worst to start every season since . . . we lost Kam? It's a tradition at this point. Shit defense for 5-8 games to start the year.

And people still act surprised. The Hawks are 3-7 since the running-game-less Bucs went Earl Campbell on us in Germany.

And the fix was apparently a defense so hesitant that the pass rush win rate was under 5%. It's pathetic.

 

[hgwellz12]

To me, losing both our starting tackles was simply the rotten, rancid, moldy maraschino cherry on the top of a superlatively shitty sunday. And the football gods dumped the whole damn jar on top.

That said, until this defense gets a flippin' clue and grows some nuts, it would take a Hurculaen effort from Walden + Geno and the gang for us to even have a fighting chance against the above average teams on our schedule every week. Has any of y'all went back and watched that rams game in more detail? The shit's pretty damning.