What's the cause for the slow starts?

[getnasty]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

 

[Siouxhawk]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

It's just his way of weeding out the bandwagon fans. If you've paid attention to how he runs things, and you certainly have as indicated by your accurate post, you realize that there's no reason to panic. Just some minor turbulence en route to s smooth-sailing playoff run.

 

[mistaowen]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

It's just his way of weeding out the bandwagon fans. If you've paid attention to how he runs things, and you certainly have as indicated by your accurate post, you realize that there's no reason to panic. Just some minor turbulence en route to s smooth-sailing playoff run.

You've officially gone full heel.

 

[kmeleon]

But the real kicker in all of this every year, is a slow start ends up costing us a chance at the #1 seed. And when we don't get the #1 seed our chances go down heavily to get back to the SB. I have no doubts they will turn it around....the question is when does it click? Hopefully its in the next week or two and we can be 3-1 going into the bye.

I know we'll be playing great football and be a force by the end of the year (barring some crazy injury) but I'd rather be playing at home come playoff time :drool:

Hopefully they don't piss away the 1st half of the regular season.....like last year. ukeface:

 

[TwistedHusky]

Good teams win games they should.

Great teams dominate games they should win.

We are 'slow starting' because we are now a good team, not a great one.

This should be obvious.

Would a great team leave it to a make or break on one drive to win?

 

[blue 22]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

It's just his way of weeding out the bandwagon fans. If you've paid attention to how he runs things, and you certainly have as indicated by your accurate post, you realize that there's no reason to panic. Just some minor turbulence en route to s smooth-sailing playoff run.

Nothing to see here! Move along! All is well!

 

[johnnyfever]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

It's just his way of weeding out the bandwagon fans. If you've paid attention to how he runs things, and you certainly have as indicated by your accurate post, you realize that there's no reason to panic. Just some minor turbulence en route to s smooth-sailing playoff run.

So you actually think that losing in the first part of seasons or a game is Petes plan? If so, you are insane. I have read a couple of your posts now, and every time I'm boggled at the lack of insight.

To answer the actual question with an actual answer:

We have slow starts in games because offensively our coaching staff comes up with what they think the other team will do. They then develop a plan to counter this. They most often times are wrong. Then, once the game is underway, they tend to stick with this flawed plan until the 4th quarter, at which time the players go into panic mode and start improvising instead of running the gameplan. This is why we do well in a hurry up offense.

As far as slow season starts: The offensive coaching staff has an overall view of what they want to scheme for offensively. As we saw last year, their scheme was completely wrong for the personnel we had. Finally they had a come to jesus meeting halfway and actually looked at the personnel and developed a plan that got the ball out of Russ's hands quickly, spread out the defense and took the pressure off of our lackluster OL.

Looks as though we have the same MO this year. I don't blame just Bevell, as I don't think it is all him. I am not privy to coaches meetings, or who has what say, but for sure this is a coaching issue. The patriots OL is just as bad as ours, but offensively they know how to take the heat off of that line. Many other teams in the NFL have bad OL's. We do not have the cap space to have top tier offensive linemen, period. As far as offensive lineman go, you have a handful of great ones in the league, and then a ton of mediocre and low level guys. The reason for this is the spread offense in college has taken the pressure off of the OL, so they are not being trained or getting the reps on how to deal with a stacked box.

Until our coaching staff realizes that spreading out our offense Is the number one thing that will help, there will continue to be slow starts in games. Until they realize that bunching everyone up in the center of the field only clouds Russ's vision and allows opposing teams to stack the box, then our seasons will start slow.

Intermixing 5-10 yards hot read outside passing, long speed receivers breaking to the middle to draw the safety on long routes and 15 to 20 yard center of field outlets all happening simultaniously is what forces defenses to back off and spread out. If they rush 5 in the above scenario, guarantee they get burned with russ in shotgun. You have to intermix this passing scheme with runs up the middle AND outside the tackles as well as this further keeps the defense scrambling.

Just like we run our defense in a simple format and dare opposing teams to beat it, this offensive strategy will work the same way. there are only 11 defenders on the field and if you allow them to all hang out in a small area they are going to be able to cover each others backs. We don't have to have exotic plays or make it harder than it is. Just change our strategy fundamentally to a more spread scheme. We saw the overwhelming success this had at the end of last year.

 

[Ganton]

In a word: coaching, or lack thereof in prep. for this game....

 

[hgwellz12]

LMAO @ 'smooth sailing playoff run...'

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Cause this is the way Pete and John have built this team...............to win in November and December with a power run game and QB that can take advantage of depleted and tired defenses.

Pete and John have also gambled on spending our cap space on the defensive side of the ball and hoping Cable can get these Walmart O-lineman to gel by mid season.

Which I guess has worked, it's hard to deny this blueprint. But holy moly is it hard to watch this offense and especially O-line struggle YEAR AFTER YEAR in the first half of seasons.

 

[TwistedHusky]

The cause, generally, has been a repeated failure of the offense.

During the 2nd half of the season, we went on a bit of a tear but part of that was just playing crappier teams.

So the cause is obviously the offense or lack thereof, and the blame then falls on the guy who runs the offense.

He Who I am Tired Of Naming.

 

[NFSeahawks]

Bevell's play calling.

 

[RussB]

Every year it seems like we hover somewhere around that 3-3 mark the first 6 games and then go on a tear. I know Pete preaches its not how you start it's how you finish, but that doesn't mean we have to be horrible the first half of the season.

It's just his way of weeding out the bandwagon fans. If you've paid attention to how he runs things, and you certainly have as indicated by your accurate post, you realize that there's no reason to panic. Just some minor turbulence en route to s smooth-sailing playoff run.

Smooth sailing playoff run like last year?

Barely scraping past the vikings then getting demolished by the panthers in the first half and having the offense trying to make a 31 point comeback. Smooth sailing indeed. :2thumbs: