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It would have been possible the way the NFL is nowadays to have a sucky defense and still win lots of games, as long as the offense was a high-scoring juggernaut. The FO wound up with just such a defense (though ironically not by choice, they spent loads of high draft picks over recent years there), but on paper it would have been OK ... HOF QB, HOF WR, very good OL, good to very good role players (JuJu, even Washington), good kicker …
But the whole plan goes down the tubes without a kick-add offense. And for whatever reason, Ben seems to be, if not toast, then in the toaster. His choices of where to throw are horrible (even I can see open receivers 7-10 yards down the field, and he's going for the big one 35 yards downfield to a double-covered WR … and then throwing the ball poorly to him), and his awareness of the game situation seems horrible (he did that on at least two 3rd downs in the 2nd half last night, missed the long passes of course, and we turned the ball over when we desperately needed to move the chains).
Yes, we're going to see some more brilliant games by Ben this year, but I fear that we're going to see enough games like the 2nd half of last night to keep us far far away from a Lombardi this year. And unless Ben gets sharper and wiser (and is there anything to suggest he will?), it'll be worse next year, not better.
Here's hoping I'm wrong about all this, but if not, thanks Ben for the great years. You won't be remembered for how you went out, the great ones never are!
But the whole plan goes down the tubes without a kick-add offense. And for whatever reason, Ben seems to be, if not toast, then in the toaster. His choices of where to throw are horrible (even I can see open receivers 7-10 yards down the field, and he's going for the big one 35 yards downfield to a double-covered WR … and then throwing the ball poorly to him), and his awareness of the game situation seems horrible (he did that on at least two 3rd downs in the 2nd half last night, missed the long passes of course, and we turned the ball over when we desperately needed to move the chains).
Yes, we're going to see some more brilliant games by Ben this year, but I fear that we're going to see enough games like the 2nd half of last night to keep us far far away from a Lombardi this year. And unless Ben gets sharper and wiser (and is there anything to suggest he will?), it'll be worse next year, not better.
Here's hoping I'm wrong about all this, but if not, thanks Ben for the great years. You won't be remembered for how you went out, the great ones never are!
