I do get it. Geno is a good QB. We're on the cusp of being a really good team. So for guys like you the argument is why not keep Geno and hope they fix the line and the OC is really good and maybe we win 12 games and get a playoff win. Its the same argument that we have used for 5+ years though that next year if we only fix this we're back in it. It's a reasonable take and it could play out that way for sure. BUT you don't understand why a fan after hearing the same argument year after year only to win 8-10 games and no playoff success would rather try something different? I think if you're being honest, while you disagree with it, you can understand the sentiment?
I do understand the pro Geno argument even if I slightly disagree with it.....it's not unreasonable. I also think though that Geno being another year older, not real confident John will all the sudden fix the line when he hasn't done it ever or looking at historical trends and a 36 year old quarterback if he's not names Manning or Brady has never done it that it might be worth the risk of going another direction isn't unreasonable either.
My personal position is I really wanted them to bridge with Geno last year and draft one of these 6 guys that all look to be great prospects to learn under Geno. They missed that window. Now I'm a little nervous to give a 35 year old QB a multi year 40+ million dollar deal when history tells us he will probably continue to trend downwards. I don't think that's a crazy take.
If they roll with Geno one more year and build the line, bring in a great OC etc I will be rooting just like you guys will and hope for the best.
No, I dont understand it because the circumstances around what the problems were in 2020 are different to what they were in 2021. And, we never really fixed the root problem in the first place, so how can the result be better?
This is like the argument i have with my dad about his chevy truck. He wanted to sell it because it 'keeps giving him problems'. But he neglected the fact that he had gone about fixing things that werent related to the main issue.
We were stagnant prior to Geno being the starter why? Because we had a QB who had reached his ceiling and a playcaller who was brought in to appease that QB despite being unqualified. Folks fixate on sacks and a boring offense during that time, but neither were the completely the issues then. We actually had a great OC in Schotty who ran a solid system.. it was just rarely followed. Then we replaced him with a 'broken' OC and created a new issue.
During that same period, we had O-line problems that have been proven to not have been just the result of talent because the issue followed the last QB everywhere he went.
And..
Those problems persisted here when he left. BUT- the coaching of that unit has been shown to have been sub-par across 2 OCs now and at least one O line coach.
the disconnect here is a resistance to taking a more nuanced look at what the problems here have been.
Some around here have been saying since 2021 that Waldron and the scheme were the issue and that he had been solved, that the offense overall wasnt creative and didnt adapt well to defensive adjustments - also that his coordinating was hurting the o line and running game.
That fundamental issue hasnt been fixed, so how can the results be any different? We just went from one unqualified OC to another. Why would the result be different?
From your perspective, Geno has been the problem, and that belief has been reinforced in your eyes by the fact that now he has been given 2 OCs, working on #3, 2 o line coaches, a new star WR and the results are similar. So, you are tired of trying with him, convinced that he has been a major contributor to the issues since 2021 and that nothing has improved.
And... my dad replaced the alternator (with a cheap Autozine unit, so now thats worse), the ignition system, rebuilt the transmission, and still had problems and was ready to sell the truck until he had the motor rebuilt. Were the issues with his truck terminal? No. None of that other stuff NEEDED to be addressed. He just did it because it was easier to do and he was given bad advice. Now, he drives it everywhere again and loves it.
The errors over the period you mentioned:
We should never have fired Schotty to replace him with a guy who wasn't qualified
We should never have replaced Solari with Dickerson for the same reason.
Both moves capped the potential of this offense at whatever maximum one can expext when you allow unqualified coaches to lead your offense.
The o line issues have been persisntent, but the cause has shifted. Russ walked into a bunch of sacks. they werent all on him but he has done the same thing in Denver and now in Pittsburgh. We also didnt have the best talent in 2020 and 2021, although it wasnt horrible and the coaching of that line was solid with Solari.
Since then, we have invested top picks on the line, but married that talent with sub-par coaching.
Same can be said about the Russ / Schotty / Waldron / Geno nonsense.
We had a system that worked and married it with a qb who woukdnt run it. Then we canned that system for one that was broken but married it to a QB who CAN run it. And that marriage continued in Grubb.
