One year away from what?

Repeatedly...all over this board...we are "a year away" from something. From What? A Superbowl? HA!

I have a feeling people here believe we are (or at least should be) reliving 2003 this season- the season that Hass ended with a pick-6 at Green Bay. I wish we were indeed that good. That was Hass's 3rd season as a starter and Shaun was starting to run rampant in the league...it was TWO MORE years before we even won a playoff game and were competing for championships.

When all of our recent draft picks are in their primes, we will compete at the highest level. That's a couple of years away...and with the way that we find talent in the draft- we should be able to stay competitive at that point in time.

It is extremely hard to be patient with this team, because it seems like we are really close. But we have to be patient. I don't enjoy wallowing in mediocrity any more than the next guy...but we are getting better...and the path is not a straight one. Once all of our units are performing optimally, consistently, and complimenting each other...all working parallel...we will be there. Hard to do with such a young group. We'll be there soon.

It was Holmgren's 5th year when we lost in 2003. In Pete's 5th year, we'll be there ready to win at that level.

I say two years before we are serious contenders. And we should be there to stay for a while when we get there.

That's fine for us as fans, and may be reality. I really hope the players aren't thinking anything like that though.

Every single one of them better be thinking nothing but win now.

Anyone who says we're a <insert year> away from anything doesn't understand the NFL. This isn't college where you control your roster for multiple years in a row because there's no free agency or salary cap.

This is the NFL, too many variables to plan for future years as if it's a competitive fact. Coaches that do this are usually looking for a job after 3-4 years of saying "we're building for the future." The future is now in the NFL, you win or you get fired.

With a better GM and a coaching change, I think 2004 could have been a Superbowl year. Hell, I think 2003, 2004, and 2005 could have been. Holmgren got the team playing at a high level, but i think other coaches could have coaxed even more out of those teams. Our defensive coordinator sucked at that point. Marshall had a good season in 2005, but Holmgren was pretty conservative at all times, and I think he had built a really good team and Ruskell did a nice job filling in with Tatupu, Hill, Dyson, Joe J. and a couple of other nice moves that pushed us over the top. But I don't think coaching was necessarily our strong suit. Holmgren was a good coach, but was on the downside and things just continued to get progressively worse. Talent was what got that team so far. I think with a young coach (look at what Harbaugh has done in SF) that the team would have had a longer run of more success... and I'm a Mike Holmgren fan. A big fan. I just don't think he was in his prime at that point. I think somebody like Gruden could have gotten at least one superbowl victory out of that squad the way it was constructed.

as much as it bums me out, i'd have to agree...too young , too inexperienced at this point... need time to learn how to execute week in and week out.. need team leaders to develope and take charge, need time for the coaching staff to 1. get the right personnel in there, or 2. figure out what the hell it is they want/need to do to be successful... like i said in an earlier post, i will continue to cheer them on till i'm blue in the face, good with the bad.. realistically i just want to see improvement week in and week out.

Imagine the 05 offense versus this year D, that would be a great matchup but 05 could dink and dunk us. I bet SA would be scared of this Defense though.

Shaun would gash this year's defense, just like Frank Gore did last week. He'd probably put up 200 yards if it were 2005 Shaun with 2005 line, and I'm not trying to be an exaggerator. That line would have opened up the same lines that Iupati and Staley were. Shaun was far superior at running through those lanes than Gore is in my view. If he had those holes he would have broken at least 2 long TD's that Gore didn't because he isn't as fast as Shaun was.

SharkHawk":3usd5luy said:

Shaun would gash this year's defense, just like Frank Gore did last week. He'd probably put up 200 yards if it were 2005 Shaun with 2005 line, and I'm not trying to be an exaggerator. That line would have opened up the same lines that Iupati and Staley were. Shaun was far superior at running through those lanes than Gore is in my view. If he had those holes he would have broken at least 2 long TD's that Gore didn't because he isn't as fast as Shaun was.

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Agree, and Shaun 's speed was just above average for an NFL RB. He had GREAT vision. Imagine him with excellent to great speed.

Coincidently, I watched Gore lie down a few times last week as well. So his comparison to SA holds water. On one particular play, after a long run, Gore folded like a QB. Lynch likely would have scored on the play. Now, I know it's not PC to knock this teams all time RB, but put Lynch behind Walt and Hutch and see how many yeards he'd get.

Hutch and Walt might gash this line, SA would have just ran thru that truck sized hole, like Gore ran thru his. Back to the topic: I for the life of me cannot understand how anyone can be upset with the progress we've made this year. Of course there's going to be a "next year" vibe to it all. Those that have issues with this, and somehow seem to think it translates to soft fans, I ask WTH did you expect from a rookie QB with a patchwork line and WRs that few others in the league would have on their roster? How many of tofday's team would carry Obo and Edwards? Tate has been less than stellar, IMO, Baldwin hurt and Rice isn't exactly known for 16 games seasons...yet he is basically our lone bright spot. Miller has been a lineman and McCoy can barely be trusted.

The above doesn't add up to contender, but some of us believe we are a year, maybe two, from that designation. Bitch all you want...but you'll be back next year along with the rest of us. Expect good things.

CaptainSkybeard":2pz3wyd6 said:

That's fine for us as fans, and may be reality. I really hope the players aren't thinking anything like that though.

Every single one of them better be thinking nothing but win now.

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I don't agree. I've neve had a coach tell me that's what I need to be thinking. I hope beyond hope that these guys are thinking more along the lines of "keep working hard, learn from your mistakes, continue to improve, do my job better than my opponent, etc..." concentrating on getting better and execution will provide results- always does. You can't win if you're just focused on winning.

As a result, I think they all understand that this is a marathon, not a sprint. They can't reach the big goal until they conquer the smaller ones along the way.

You can't win a Super Bowl in week #8.
...and no, I'm not expecting a Super Bowl this year.

Look at the Giants of last year. They got hot with their pass rush late in the season and rode the wave to the title.
Everything is a work in progress until playoffs begin. Then, It's a week to week match up game.

A time consuming run and throw it deep offense will always have a shot with a good defense.
This team is built to create close games no matter where they're played.
We all see the writing on the wall.
Games will to go to the last second all season long.

Until we are out of the playoffs for this year, posts like this are needless handwringing.

Sgt. Largent":3uth5e6k said:

Anyone who says we're a <insert year> away from anything doesn't understand the NFL. This isn't college where you control your roster for multiple years in a row because there's no free agency or salary cap.

This is the NFL, too many variables to plan for future years as if it's a competitive fact. Coaches that do this are usually looking for a job after 3-4 years of saying "we're building for the future." The future is now in the NFL, you win or you get fired.

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So, if I understand this correctly, college teams have more control of their roster than pro teams? I was under the assumption that it was constantly turning over due to, you know, graduation. Teams are never the same from year to year in college.

Of course teams build for the future. They have to; if you don't believe teams build and look forward to te future, man I'm just not sure what to say about that. Teams don't build for the future? Really? You really believe that teams that build for the future fail? Of course some do...just as many that build for now (see Philly?). It seems that teams that build for now either overpay and lose or they overpay and win for a very short period of time. Teams built for the long haul are deeply invested in organic growth of young kids, draft picks, and use free agency sparingly (see Pittsburgh, NYG, Baltimore, New England). These teams BUILD to the point that all they need in the offseason is to reload a bit and continue to inject young blood...of course, the success then is dependent on the coaching staff's ability to identify talent and develop players.

Didn't PC and JS mention the "4-Year Plan"?

So according to their "plan", we are now 3 years into it. So simply going off of their plan, next year should be spectacular, no?

Am I missing something?

Scottemojo":3posq2pp said:

Until we are out of the playoffs for this year, posts like this are needless handwringing.

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Whether we go to the playoffs or not doesn't matter to me. What matters to me is that we have a group of young skilled football players who I am terribly excited about- but that are also still a bit green. If these guys are good enough for the playoffs this year, AWESOME, and if that's the case then we can be extremely excited for the yrs to come. My point was simply that our really great years are still out quite a bit ahead of us and that we should feel fine about anything this season playoffs or not. I don't think we should be expecting playoffs, but not surprised if we make it either.

I never had any realistic expectations of the playoffs this year. Maybe I should have, but I personally felt, and still feel, that we are too young, still developing to expect playoffs. You add a rookie QB (as fantastic as I think he will be for us, and in many respects already is) and a WR group that frankly puts the fear of God into absolutely nobody, a talented, hard-hitting but bend and apparently break defense...This team is at least a legitimate year away from putting it all together and seeing where it takes us.

Some have said it and I agree...This season feels like an extended preseason to me. Not really sure why, it just does. The losing still stings just as much as usual, but the overall feel is a practice year.

Certainly, this team IS capable of making the playoffs this year and maybe even doing some damage. I just think there's enough inconsistency and SOS-centric road woes that keeps me from feeling anything other than 8-8, 9-7 right now.

As long as we are better than 7-9 this year I will consider it an improvement. But next year? Yeah, I expect to be Division Champions. Anything less and Carroll should get cozy on the hot seat.

Next year we will come up with a newly recycled excuse. Injuries, perhaps. Or 'chemistry' between Wilson and his new receivers. Or 'sophomore slump'. Whatever it takes!

I just don't see it. We are a 3 plays from being a one or two loss team, so why think about next year right now? It feels like some of you are steeling yourselves for a disappointing second half of the year, not getting excited for some great playoff run football.

Scottemojo":14k0syji said:

I just don't see it. We are a 3 plays from being a one or two loss team, so why think about next year right now? .

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I agree with your overall observation but the converse is also true. We are EASILY 3 plays away from being 1-7....

bestfightstory":2lsrtpz6 said:

Scottemojo":2lsrtpz6 said:

I just don't see it. We are a 3 plays from being a one or two loss team, so why think about next year right now? .

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I agree with your overall observation but the converse is also true. We are EASILY 3 plays away from being 1-7....

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You ain't lying. I still point at last year's Giants as a good reason not to view this as an expendable season. Finish strong, see what happens in the tournament.