415 replies to this topic

[Mackus]

He was bad this week.  He looked fine against Chicago.  I didn't see the Oakland game but his line was decent in that game and he had the two deep throws.  Was awful against Pittsburgh and especially Jacksonville.  Did nothing in the first two games, but didn't need to.

 

I don't think he's clearly done.  He might be, but I think it's entirely possible that he's able to be fine next year.  Not as good as ever, but good enough.

 

I think he's shown enough in the times he's played well to think I'd rather have him at QB than pay him even more to go away.  At least at this point.  Obviously we have nobody in-house who we care to give a tryout, we know Mallet isn't a guy.  So just keep running Joe out there.  If he looks better, then you can try to compete next year.  If he gets even worse, or rather if the flashes of Old Joe become fewer and further between, then you can consider making drastic cap moves and moving on sooner than later.  Cutting him probably means you are taking a year off from competitiveness.  But maybe if you split the hit over '18 and '19 and also get lucky with a rookie you can have enough to be competitive.

 

I think it's nearly impossible that Joe does enough that we want him around after next season.  But I think it's still possible that keeping him for next year looks like the better option after this year than the cap implications associated with moving on.

[Mackus]

I think it's important to remember that the decision is not Joe versus some theorized league average quarterback.

 

It's Joe versus absolutely nothing minus the dead money hit if we cut him.  I think he's a big part of the reason why we are a mediocre at best team right now and haven't been good in 3 years or longer.  But I also think that if you take him away and reduce the cap space available without any replacement, that we're even worse off.

 

I think he's looked so bad at times that it's reasonable to envision a scenario where we want to move on as early as after the year.  Either in Nicke's scorched Earth scenario or by splitting the cap hit over two year and hoping you can find something else passable at QB likely through the draft.  But that is a very, very drastic scenario.  The level Joe needs to perform at to avoid choosing that sort of drastic measure is a very low bar.

[bnickle]

If everyone thinks he's done, they should sign CK immediately and bench Joe ASAP. If that's the scouting and internal assessments I would have zero problem with that. And they are idiots for not at least offering CK a vet minimum, just so they didn't have to avoid benching Joe. If he's done, he's done and if you think he's done in the locker room and front office, have the stones to move on.

Also curious where and to who he said this?

I'm passing on 2nd hand info but apparently Lombardi said this on a radio show

[NewMarketSean]

I'm passing on 2nd hand info but apparently Lombardi said this on a radio show

Kinda like my "Buck kept Ubaldo" second hand info.

[Mackus]

I don't doubt that there are people inside the organization who are concerned he may be done.  I don't want to respond to what Lombardi might have said on the radio second-hand, but I'm certain that it's overstating to say "everyone in the organization knows he's done".  That's not realistic.

[NewMarketSean]

If they "know" he is done then they probably had doubts starting in the preseason when he got hurt, which was true based on them flirting with Kaepernick. I understand not wanting to get involved with that firestorm but you also didn't do anything else to prepare for the possibility Flacco was hurt or severely diminished. So if what Lombardi is saying is true, the team is basically punting this season by running a "done" Flacco out there and failing to sign a better-than-Mallett back-up. Maybe they thought Mallett is better than anything else available aside from Kaep. Maybe they thought a "done" Flacco was still their best option. Who knows. But there is something going on here. Don't forget the info that Miller192 passed along during the preseason, too. 

 

Flacco may show "flashes" but I don't think he'll be close to what he was earlier in his career. And we need more than flashes for a QB of his salary.

[JordanKough]

Regardless of salary, etc. we need more flashes to win period. Everyone needs to be better. 

 

And what's going on here is Joe is throwing to three guys that frankly aren't very good. As for you #3 / #4 comments about receivers, Perriman and Camp would be the comps to Evans, Housh, and Washington and I think those guys hold up just fine. The problem is you've got Whalen, Matthews and Moore running around out there. And Whalen wasn't even in the league 2 weeks ago. But hey, it's Marty that's the reason defenders all over these guys. 

 

Re: Joe, and "what's wrong". We all agree he's gun shy, won't' stand-in, and gets rid of it fast, and yet he still took 5 sacks. 

 

The whole thing is such a train wreck, I can't believe anyone is trying to evaluate any individual players and make broad assessments of them right now. I agree, right this moment Joe absolutely looks done. So does every single other player on this offense. 

 

I've posted less this year because there literally is nothing to see here. There's nothing to analyze, there's nothing to build on, there's no game plans, there's no players improving. The whole thing right now for a whole host of reasons, including injuries to Joe, the OL, talent spots, bad coordinators, and poor play and decision making of those who are left. I don't see how anyone can be trying to say they can see the future in this crystal ball. (And I wouldn't be upset if they blew it up, but I think it's a crapshoot as to whether we'll be slightly above average next year or a total dumpster fire). 

[GabeFerguson]

Since this thread has devolved into a Flacco discussion, I wonder what would happen if MM just completely removed the swing pass/dump off/ behind the LOS throws from the playbook. 

 

Still use short outs/slants/crosses etc that can be hit on a 3 step drop, but if you completely take away the security blanket you are forcing Flacco to either get the ball out fast or throw it downfield.

 

Realistically, the vast majority of the dump offs go for 0 or negative yards anyway. What can it hurt to try this?

[JordanKough]

Or you know, stand in and block? How the heck did we keep Mack out of the backfield in retrospect? 

[GabeFerguson]

Or you know, stand in and block? How the heck did we keep Mack out of the backfield in retrospect? 

Doubled him at least 50% of the time.

[SportsGuy]

Does anywhere keep track of the amount of times we use a jumbo package?

Seems to me that using 6 OLineman all the time would make sense here.

[GabeFerguson]

Does anywhere keep track of the amount of times we use a jumbo package?

Seems to me that using 6 OLineman all the time would make sense here.

Houston has done that a lot this year. The problem is it increases chances one gets hurt and depth at OL is already dreadful.

[NewMarketSean]

Whatever happened to the bruiser FB? Seems like with the way the league is shifting back toward the run you'd see more of these guys. The Neals, the Leaches. I think this offense could benefit from someone like that. Extra blockers are always needed when you suck on offense.

[BSLChrisStoner]

Whatever happened to the bruiser FB? Seems like with the way the league is shifting back toward the run you'd see more of these guys. The Neals, the Leaches. I think this offense could benefit from someone like that. Extra blockers are always needed when you suck on offense.

 

They got phased out... due to it being a 'passing' league, and also because with all of the spread at the college level... there were less coming into the league.

Give me a back like Hyde, the best college FB, and a blocking TE.  Run down hill next year. Make the the focal point of the offense.
Power running offense, against all these currently smaller defenses should work well.

[bnickle]

Seems like a classic -3 for us. Maybe it's a pick em but I'd be surprised if Miami is favored

-3 it is

[GabeFerguson]

Whatever happened to the bruiser FB? Seems like with the way the league is shifting back toward the run you'd see more of these guys. The Neals, the Leaches. I think this offense could benefit from someone like that. Extra blockers are always needed when you suck on offense.

Some teams still use a FB, and technically the Ravens have Ricard but they barely use him. Seems like a wasted roster spot to me because they don't give him snaps on defense either.