Room for improvement: 2017

[Krusheasy]

This year, pre draft ... the obvious areas that need improvement are

both offense & defense line are areas of concern. Callahan & Tomsula have to find a way to stop losing at the point of attack with a combination of coaching them up & an infusion of talent.

the level of talent on defense overall is one giant question mark ... but overall last year they were able to keep us in games & hold teams under 24 points. The defense can improve from last year if the players & coaches start to support each other. Hopefully the coaching staff and the players are done arguing and questioning each other publicly like Joe Barry & Chris Baker did in week 3 vs the Giants & continued on for the rest of the season.

The offense had a plethora of talent in 2016 & set a franchise record for most yards in a season ... but stumbled putting the ball into the endzone. Trent Williams must stay healthy and out of trouble. The running game needs to improve. Jones/Kelly/Thompson dont inspire confidence ... but the blocking, from both the line & TE, did not do them any favors either. Having a solid ground game will only make Cousins stronger in 2017.

I would like to see Cavanaugh help Cousins progress as a franchise QB & not take a step back because of the loss of McVay. I've always thought Cousins performed best when the offense speeds up its tempo. I would like to see that continue this year & with him making good adjustments & calling plays at the line as a franchise quarterback should be expected to.

Dustin Hopkins needs to recapture his mojo.

Some threads from previous year to compare how concerns have changed:

13 - areas the skins can improve on in 13

14 - areas the team needs to improve

15 - 5 things the skins need to improve on

16 - Concerns you have about Off & Def

What’s your question mark going into 2016?

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

Yeah Hopkins was puzzling for sure. But I do not see how they have done anything but go backwards concerning the defensive line. There is little question in my mind that there only 2 decent ones were Baker and RJF. Baker was too expensive and RJF was cut late after critical comments about the top brass. This to me confirms 2 things: This organization is not functional, it is petulant and it once again shows why players and coaches do not want to put their name to critical comments.

 

[Ruzious]

On one hand, I think Joe Barry will go down in history as arguably the single worst DC in NFL history, so how could the defense not improve. Otoh, the same people that hired him, chose his replacement - so why expect improvement? In other words, Allen is making the choices and running the organization, so I expect that whatever can go wrong - will go wrong. They can make some decisions that make sense, but... to provide CLARITY - it's like a bad cook can get some very good ingredients, but if the recipe he's using is for cauliflouer cream pie with brocolli sprigs topped with decorative gourmet rat turds, it's not going to turn out well.

 

[Skin'EmAll]

I still believe this team lands a big FA, as they've managed to do the past couple of years and my outlook on the season will change after the draft. I'm not sure what state of mind this team is in with all the question marks heading into 2018. Kirk could flop, or literally go all out...like MVP all out...knowing he's playing for his freedom.
Not sure I want to come back if the F.O. really drags this contract situation out all the way to 7/15.
But with that out of the way, I didn't click on the links but I do believe this team isn't far off from the playoffs.
Defensive line is the most important thing to me. The offense is still too potent to double team one person, Norman will still be someone teams don't target often, and so the defensive line will HAVE to end drives on 3rd down.

 

[Stymietee]

This year, pre draft ... the obvious areas that need improvement are

both offense & defense line are areas of concern. Callahan & Tomsula have to find a way to stop losing at the point of attack with a combination of coaching them up & an infusion of talent.

the level of talent on defense overall is one giant question mark ... but overall last year they were able to keep us in games & hold teams under 24 points. The defense can improve from last year if the players & coaches start to support each other. Hopefully the coaching staff and the players are done arguing and questioning each other publicly like Joe Barry & Chris Baker did in week 3 vs the Giants & continued on for the rest of the season.

The offense had a plethora of talent in 2016 & set a franchise record for most yards in a season ... but stumbled putting the ball into the endzone. Trent Williams must stay healthy and out of trouble. The running game needs to improve. Jones/Kelly/Thompson dont inspire confidence ... but the blocking, from both the line & TE, did not do them any favors either. Having a solid ground game will only make Cousins stronger in 2017.

I would like to see Cavanaugh help Cousins progress as a franchise QB & not take a step back because of the loss of McVay. I've always thought Cousins performed best when the offense speeds up its tempo. I would like to see that continue this year & with him making good adjustments & calling plays at the line as a franchise quarterback should be expected to.

Dustin Hopkins needs to recapture his mojo.

Some threads from previous year to compare how concerns have changed:

13 - areas the skins can improve on in 13

14 - areas the team needs to improve

15 - 5 things the skins need to improve on

16 - Concerns you have about Off & Def

What’s your question mark going into 2016?

This is a very good assessment, however, I don't believe that we have mastered that stage in growth where it's a given that we'll not be worse than the 8-7-1 record of a season ago. To me the success or failure of this season rides primarily on Luck. In the last two seasons we have been pretty damned lucky in terms of health, missing also is the chemistry gained over the last two seasons with having the same personnel on board. Will Kevin O'Connell continue to be that steadying influence on Cousins that Matt Cavanaugh has been? Lastly, verses the competition we cannot overlook improvements in our division rivals and elsewhere. Yes we've made changes as well, but if we're honest every one of those changes come with big question marks! This is especially true if the players perception of the front office is one that has converted back to dysfunction because of the absence of Scott McCloughan. True or not his presence gave the steadying impression that the organization was finally on a "right" track, without him it's natural to ask if the organization has reverted back to its old losing ways of doing business and running the team.

 

[Krusheasy]

some additional things i would like see improved ...

the health of Junior Gallete & the play of Matt Ioannidis & Preston Smith. Big year for these 3.

To me the success or failure of this season rides primarily on Luck.

If i were to put on my rose colored glasses ... we're experiencing a level of continuity at the HC (4 years) & QB (3 years) that we do not get to experience very often as fans of this team & should not be overlooked or taken for granted.

 

[Stymietee]

some additional things i would like see improved ...

the health of Junior Gallete & the play of Matt Ioannidis & Preston Smith. Big year for these 3.



If i were to put on my rose colored glasses ... we're experiencing a level of continuity at the HC (4 years) & QB (3 years) that we do not get to experience very often as fans of this team & should not be overlooked or taken for granted.

I agree with this as well, however that continuity has a few bumps in it as well. While Gruden has certainly benefitted from a new contract, we cannot escape the uncertainty that is the Kirk Cousins contractual status. I would like to see Gruden flex a bit more of his newly minted power and state flatly that it would be a big set back if Cousins is not signed to a long term contract.

 

[Darrell Green Fan]

On one hand, I think Joe Barry will go down in history as arguably the single worst DC in NFL history, so how could the defense not improve. Otoh, the same people that hired him, chose his replacement - so why expect improvement? In other words, Allen is making the choices and running the organization, so I expect that whatever can go wrong - will go wrong. They can make some decisions that make sense, but... to provide CLARITY - it's like a bad cook can get some very good ingredients, but if the recipe he's using is for cauliflouer cream pie with brocolli sprigs topped with decorative gourmet rat turds, it's not going to turn out well.

Hazmat
Barry
Manusky


I don't see a whole lot of difference here.