Off Season Thread

[idahoraiderfan33]

And yes the draft is supposed to help with depth. Not every draft is going to be good though. You have a couple of bad drafts in a row and boom your team is hurting big time. Even the best drafting teams have had bad drafts. Baltimore was known for great drafting but the last few years have been terrible for them. Seattle was known for great drafting but again the last few years have not treated them well. So the draft even for the best teams is not a consistent source. So when you have the ability to counter a bad draft with a good FA period then it helps to keep your team on top. You can have more eggs in more baskets to equal success.

Yeah i know that. Again if you have a solid team you don't need the prime time FA. Aging vets that have a year or two of good ball will do the trick, heck that's a Pats formula right there.. Cris Long for example last year for them.. Went in there and gave them some minutes while Brady and the offense won the SB.. The mistake Seattle is doing is not getting OL. RW is always under pressure, they are beating him up like the Colts are doing to Luck!
Spend all that cash and draft picks on defense and you get what is happening to Seattle. Shoot, look at the Rams? All defense and no OL or playmakers = a bad product..

If you have a franchise QB you build an OL around him and give him the weapons he needs, because 9 out of 10 times he will be the reason you win the SB.. You get into cap hell and become and bad team if you sign and draft for only one side of the ball, like a lot of teams are doing..

 

[cdumler7]

All the teams that have really good young QBs along with good offensive and defensive young talent will be coming up for contracts. And they will all get paid more than what RAIDER players are getting now. So i mean we all in the same boat as far as the money numbers go in the near future, unless you think the Bucs, Titans, Texans, etc will win the SB here in the next few seasons?

And i see you always throw out Brady for taking less? Wasn't he at one time the highest paid or near the top of NFL salary's?? Brady is in the game for legacy now, he made his NFL money already, he want's rings!
Carr and all the young talent are coming up for first time contracts and want to get paid as they should. When Carr's contract is up he too will take less for rings..

The RAIDERS core OL is all signed for years cd, not just the next two years.. The DL, secondary, WRs other than Crabs are all young. Reggie is always stocking the roster with young talent with young players ready to step in.
Watson who you guys picked up wanted more than what Reggie was willing to pay. And he has young players ready to step in that have more than 2 years on those contracts..

cd i read somewhere that Lynch was looking good for you guys? Let's say he becomes the franchise QB you guys drafted him to be? By the time his contract is up, his will make Carr's look like a steal, and i mean steal.So will you be arguing that you guys only have a 2 year window like you are against the RAIDERS?

I'll argue that all day and everyday that if Lynch gets paid big money it will be tough to win a Super Bowl. Stats are stats even if they speak ill of my team here Idaho. I"m sorry that they say your team's best chance of winning a Super Bowl is the next 2 seasons and after that things get tough. I hope that Lynch becomes a Franchise QB but yes I know that the Broncos best chance at winning a Super Bowl with him is over the next 4 years while he is on a rookie contract. After that things get very difficult.

Same for the Bucs, Titans, Texans, and Chiefs. Their best windows are now with young QB's on cheap contracts. This isn't rocket science here Idaho. More money to spend on the overall team usually means better team.

As for Brady no he didn't just start taking cheaper contracts. He has spent more of his career under 10% of the cap than over it for overall value of his contract. Middle of the pack when it comes to QB cap hit has been about where he is every year. He has a wife that makes much more money than him so he hasn't had that need for the top contract like others. Patriot fans have been spoiled by Brady giving them discounts like he has. As for Carr and whether he will take less we will just have to see. Plenty of top QB's have refused to take less than they think they are worth. Manning didn't until his final year with the Broncos.

 

[cdumler7]

Yeah i know that. Again if you have a solid team you don't need the prime time FA. Aging vets that have a year or two of good ball will do the trick, heck that's a Pats formula right there.. Cris Long for example last year for them.. Went in there and gave them some minutes while Brady and the offense won the SB.. The mistake Seattle is doing is not getting OL. RW is always under pressure, they are beating him up like the Colts are doing to Luck!
Spend all that cash and draft picks on defense and you get what is happening to Seattle. Shoot, look at the Rams? All defense and no OL or playmakers = a bad product..

If you have a franchise QB you build an OL around him and give him the weapons he needs, because 9 out of 10 times he will be the reason you win the SB.. You get into cap hell and become and bad team if you sign and draft for only one side of the ball, like a lot of teams are doing..

See this is where you are confused. Those two teams have spent on the OL just nothing has worked out well. For Seattle in 2014 they drafted Justin Britt in the 2nd. He is somewhat working out on the inside but never developed into a tackle for them. The ne3xt year they spent 2 4th round picks on the guard spot with both being huge busts. 2016 they used their 1st round pick on Tackle Ifedi who has looked terrible so far. They also used a 3rd round pick on a guy that has done very little. Beyond that they had to let a couple of more pricey OL guys go because well Wilson's contract took up the cap space making it difficult to get anything done.

For the Rams they used a 2nd and 3rd round pick in 2015 and the #2 overall pick in 2014 for the OL. They have also spent some money on the unit. When draft picks don't hit especially high round draft picks it hurts a team that doesn't have the cap space to cover up the mistake. That is what I"m getting at is while your team has depth right now in part because of cap space being so readily available that changes over the next 2 years. No longer can you have like you had in 2013 where Hayden busts big time, Watson keeps getting hurt, Moore turns out to be a bust, and Tyler Wilson doesn't even make it out of camp. You have a draft like that once you pay these other players and boom your team is hurting big time by just a couple of injuries.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

I'll argue that all day and everyday that if Lynch gets paid big money it will be tough to win a Super Bowl. Stats are stats even if they speak ill of my team here Idaho. I"m sorry that they say your team's best chance of winning a Super Bowl is the next 2 seasons and after that things get tough. I hope that Lynch becomes a Franchise QB but yes I know that the Broncos best chance at winning a Super Bowl with him is over the next 4 years while he is on a rookie contract. After that things get very difficult.

Same for the Bucs, Titans, Texans, and Chiefs. Their best windows are now with young QB's on cheap contracts. This isn't rocket science here Idaho. More money to spend on the overall team usually means better team.

As for Brady no he didn't just start taking cheaper contracts. He has spent more of his career under 10% of the cap than over it for overall value of his contract. Middle of the pack when it comes to QB cap hit has been about where he is every year. He has a wife that makes much more money than him so he hasn't had that need for the top contract like others. Patriot fans have been spoiled by Brady giving them discounts like he has. As for Carr and whether he will take less we will just have to see. Plenty of top QB's have refused to take less than they think they are worth. Manning didn't until his final year with the Broncos.

That 2 year window sounds like faulty logic cd, imo
Most SB winners are from vet QBs year in year out. Oh a few teams won the SB with young QBs like RW and Flacco, but look at those defenses they had? Very very good ones. And i mean HOF type defenses!
The only way to win SBs with teams like that is indeed have a first time franchise QB to where you put all the money on the defense.. When it comes time to pay those QBs you build the team around the QB. Brady,Big Ben, Brees, Manning, etc. It won't be a defensive team that wins the SB this coming year, but a franchise QB with a solid team around him.. The two year window is a myth cd, imo

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

See this is where you are confused. Those two teams have spent on the OL just nothing has worked out well. For Seattle in 2014 they drafted Justin Britt in the 2nd. He is somewhat working out on the inside but never developed into a tackle for them. The ne3xt year they spent 2 4th round picks on the guard spot with both being huge busts. 2016 they used their 1st round pick on Tackle Ifedi who has looked terrible so far. They also used a 3rd round pick on a guy that has done very little. Beyond that they had to let a couple of more pricey OL guys go because well Wilson's contract took up the cap space making it difficult to get anything done.

For the Rams they used a 2nd and 3rd round pick in 2015 and the #2 overall pick in 2014 for the OL. They have also spent some money on the unit. When draft picks don't hit especially high round draft picks it hurts a team that doesn't have the cap space to cover up the mistake. That is what I"m getting at is while your team has depth right now in part because of cap space being so readily available that changes over the next 2 years. No longer can you have like you had in 2013 where Hayden busts big time, Watson keeps getting hurt, Moore turns out to be a bust, and Tyler Wilson doesn't even make it out of camp. You have a draft like that once you pay these other players and boom your team is hurting big time by just a couple of injuries.

Well that's the fault of the GM cd and not the contract RW got. A GM job is to find talent that can play at an NFL level. Again Seattle has made the mistake of spending a lot of money of defense and not surrounding RW with talent, ya know the meal ticket.. There's only so much money to spend as NFL has a hard cap. You spend that money around the meal ticket. He will keep you a contender year in year out if he has the talent around him..
Cause in this league great defenses comes around every 10 years or so..

You can say the same thing for the Rams. Bad GM work

Hayden went on to another team, had the skills to be really good if he only turned his head. And as for Wilson?
4th round pick, meh no biggie. Sio Mooore was pretty good for us but ruined his hip, and thus his career..
But again good drafting is the key. For Hayden not playing up to his level Carrie our 7th round pick did.

All teams lose players cd you keep replacing them. Hayden, Wilson, etc, etc have all been replaced..
Some GM get better and continue to stock the team while other don't.. When teams have a franchise QB they will always have a chance, always.. RW, Luck, BigBen, AR, Brady, Ryan, etc, etc, etc

 

[cdumler7]

That 2 year window sounds like faulty logic cd, imo
Most SB winners are from vet QBs year in year out. Oh a few teams won the SB with young QBs like RW and Flacco, but look at those defenses they had? Very very good ones. And i mean HOF type defenses!
The only way to win SBs with teams like that is indeed have a first time franchise QB to where you put all the money on the defense.. When it comes time to pay those QBs you build the team around the QB. Brady,Big Ben, Brees, Manning, etc. It won't be a defensive team that wins the SB this coming year, but a franchise QB with a solid team around him.. The two year window is a myth cd, imo

You keep thinking that I guess Idaho. The numbers don't lie. Again just because you don't like what they say doesn't make them any less true. QB's taking up more than 10% of the cap since the cap came into place are rare. Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady are the only 3 of the last 20 years to get it done. Tom Brady once, Peyton once, and Eli twice.

As for Vet QB's winning Super Bowls again it come down to cap hit. Rodgers when he won his was only 6.5% of the cap. Big Ben his last Super Bowl counted 6.9% against the cap and only 4.9% with his first Super Bowl. Brady in 2001 counted .5% of the cap, 4.4% in 2003, 6.3% in 2004, 11.1% in 2014, and 8.9% in 2016. Drew Brees in 2009 only counted 8.7% of the cap. Teams have figured out that 10% number is a very difficult one to overcome. Doesn't mean it is impossible but it is difficult. So again you can argue all you want but the numbers go against what you are preaching here buddy. The two year myth if we actaully do go by these numbers is more of a 1-year window. I was being nice in saying 2.

 

[cdumler7]

Well that's the fault of the GM cd and not the contract RW got. A GM job is to find talent that can play at an NFL level. Again Seattle has made the mistake of spending a lot of money of defense and not surrounding RW with talent, ya know the meal ticket.. There's only so much money to spend as NFL has a hard cap. You spend that money around the meal ticket. He will keep you a contender year in year out if he has the talent around him..
Cause in this league great defenses comes around every 10 years or so..

You can say the same thing for the Rams. Bad GM work

Hayden went on to another team, had the skills to be really good if he only turned his head. And as for Wilson?
4th round pick, meh no biggie. Sio Mooore was pretty good for us but ruined his hip, and thus his career..
But again good drafting is the key. For Hayden not playing up to his level Carrie our 7th round pick did.

All teams lose players cd you keep replacing them. Hayden, Wilson, etc, etc have all been replaced..
Some GM get better and continue to stock the team while other don't.. When teams have a franchise QB they will always have a chance, always.. RW, Luck, BigBen, AR, Brady, Ryan, etc, etc, etc

You are a broken record that is not even reading what I'm writing. Yes every team loses talent along the way and they work to replace it. That is football 101 when it comes to NFL GM work. It isn't that simple though. If it were that simple then every team could do it every single year. And every team has had down years even the Patriots at time of just not finding the talent they hoped for. EVery team has had draft classes that ended up being terrible along the way. And the less money you have to spread aroudn the more difficult it is year in and year out to keep your team at the very top. You can compete but to actually truly be a team that can/will win a Super Bowl is different. Like I said about half the league had winning seasons last year. That doesn't mean they all stood a chance at winning a Super Bowl. I know the whole any given Sunday thing can play true but life is much easier when you have top players on cheap contracts and can surround them with talent that you pay for instead of just relying on the draft.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

You keep thinking that I guess Idaho. The numbers don't lie. Again just because you don't like what they say doesn't make them any less true. QB's taking up more than 10% of the cap since the cap came into place are rare. Eli Manning, Peyton Manning, and Tom Brady are the only 3 of the last 20 years to get it done. Tom Brady once, Peyton once, and Eli twice.

As for Vet QB's winning Super Bowls again it come down to cap hit. Rodgers when he won his was only 6.5% of the cap. Big Ben his last Super Bowl counted 6.9% against the cap and only 4.9% with his first Super Bowl. Brady in 2001 counted .5% of the cap, 4.4% in 2003, 6.3% in 2004, 11.1% in 2014, and 8.9% in 2016. Drew Brees in 2009 only counted 8.7% of the cap. Teams have figured out that 10% number is a very difficult one to overcome. Doesn't mean it is impossible but it is difficult. So again you can argue all you want but the numbers go against what you are preaching here buddy. The two year myth if we actaully do go by these numbers is more of a 1-year window. I was being nice in saying 2.

Im not discounting the numbers you are throwing at me cd. Im just saying it's faulty is all.
If you look at the SB contenders this year, it's the teams with the vet QBs that at one time or another were the highest or near the highest paid.. And these QBs have been in the game a long time. Big Ben, Brady, AR, Ryan,Eli, RW, etc. So the 2 year window doesn't really apply as these guys have been in the game forever, so it seems.
Now im not saying these guys are in the SB every year but they have a chance every year. This is why im not really sold on the two year window, although you make a good case for it, but the logic is faulty..

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

You are a broken record that is not even reading what I'm writing. Yes every team loses talent along the way and they work to replace it. That is football 101 when it comes to NFL GM work. It isn't that simple though. If it were that simple then every team could do it every single year. And every team has had down years even the Patriots at time of just not finding the talent they hoped for. EVery team has had draft classes that ended up being terrible along the way. And the less money you have to spread aroudn the more difficult it is year in and year out to keep your team at the very top. You can compete but to actually truly be a team that can/will win a Super Bowl is different. Like I said about half the league had winning seasons last year. That doesn't mean they all stood a chance at winning a Super Bowl. I know the whole any given Sunday thing can play true but life is much easier when you have top players on cheap contracts and can surround them with talent that you pay for instead of just relying on the draft.

I always read what you reply to me, i just don't always agree with it..

Are you thinking that im trying to say the RAIDERS will be in the SB every year? Of course they won't be.
I said 3 SBs in a 12-15 year career would be outstanding! The RAIDERS like ALL teams will have down years, that's just part of the game. The argument is about a 2 year window that you are throwing at me that i don't agree with. The reason i don't agree with that logic is cuz 7 years from now if Carr is healthy and on his game he could win the SB. So the two year window doesn't really apply to any team that has a high paid QB.
With the hard cap no team can have a top notch defense and offense, no team. Oh im sure the rank could be high for some teams on both sides of the ball, but that's only cuz the league is watered down..

 

[cdumler7]

Im not discounting the numbers you are throwing at me cd. Im just saying it's faulty is all.
If you look at the SB contenders this year, it's the teams with the vet QBs that at one time or another were the highest or near the highest paid.. And these QBs have been in the game a long time. Big Ben, Brady, AR, Ryan,Eli, RW, etc. So the 2 year window doesn't really apply as these guys have been in the game forever, so it seems.
Now im not saying these guys are in the SB every year but they have a chance every year. This is why im not really sold on the two year window, although you make a good case for it, but the logic is faulty..

Explain to me then why this is faulty? Yes those guys have a chance every year but as we ahve seen that once the money starts coming in they don't win it. So is making the playoffs enough? Is only 3 QB's in the last 20 years making more than 10% enough and 2 of those being maybe the 2 greatest QB's to ever play the game in Manning and Brady? I mean we are talking 3 players in Eli, Peyton, and Brady that are going to the HOF. So it took not just a good QB but a HOF QB to break that 10% barrier. When even great QB's like Brees and Rodgers are having trouble breaking through it I guess I just trust the stats more than you just continuing to say the logic is faulty.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

Explain to me then why this is faulty? Yes those guys have a chance every year but as we ahve seen that once the money starts coming in they don't win it. So is making the playoffs enough? Is only 3 QB's in the last 20 years making more than 10% enough and 2 of those being maybe the 2 greatest QB's to ever play the game in Manning and Brady? I mean we are talking 3 players in Eli, Peyton, and Brady that are going to the HOF. So it took not just a good QB but a HOF QB to break that 10% barrier. When even great QB's like Brees and Rodgers are having trouble breaking through it I guess I just trust the stats more than you just continuing to say the logic is faulty.

It's faulty cuz those teams have a chance every year, the two year window doesn't really apply for that reason..
You make a good case dude, but that window thing is like stats? Although the numbers look legit they don't always tell the whole story.

Again those teams won cuz they had the better GM. Good drafting along with good cheap FA pickups.
But the main reason was QB play as to why those teams won all those SBs.

 

[cdumler7]

It's faulty cuz those teams have a chance every year, the two year window doesn't really apply for that reason..
You make a good case dude, but that window thing is like stats? Although the numbers look legit they don't always tell the whole story.

Again those teams won cuz they had the better GM. Good drafting along with good cheap FA pickups.
But the main reason was QB play as to why those teams won all those SBs.

I guess our definition of chance is different here. They have a chance at the playoffs every year because of QB play. The teams that actually win the Super Bowl are the ones that usually have a very well rounded team that can win multiple ways without the QB having to have a perfect game to win. Such as this past Super Bowl for Brady. He had a terrible game against the Texans. Guess what though they had a top-10 defense to fall back on to keep them in that game and keep giving that offense chances. Every QB in the playoffs seems to have that one bad game that they need the rest of the team to pick things up for them. When Manning won his first Super Bowl go look at his playoff stats. He was down right terrible. that defense finally showed up though with Bob Sanders getting healthy and played like a top-5 defense in the league. Eli Manning with his 2 Super Bowls his defense didn't give up more than 20 poitns in 2011 or 2007. They won in 2007 17-14. Eli didn't exactly light up the scoreboard but that defense lit up Brady.

That is why that 10% rule is so important when it comes to the QB position. You need other players than the QB to make an actual Super Bowl run. A great QB can get you to the playoffs with a terrible team around them. Peyton Manning proved that over and over with the Colts. Aaron Rodgers has been carrying mediocre Packer teams to the playoffs year after year while he gets beat up quite a bit. Once the playoffs start though you run into teams that can figure out how to stop the QB and make you beat them another way.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

I guess our definition of chance is different here. They have a chance at the playoffs every year because of QB play. The teams that actually win the Super Bowl are the ones that usually have a very well rounded team that can win multiple ways without the QB having to have a perfect game to win. Such as this past Super Bowl for Brady. He had a terrible game against the Texans. Guess what though they had a top-10 defense to fall back on to keep them in that game and keep giving that offense chances. Every QB in the playoffs seems to have that one bad game that they need the rest of the team to pick things up for them. When Manning won his first Super Bowl go look at his playoff stats. He was down right terrible. that defense finally showed up though with Bob Sanders getting healthy and played like a top-5 defense in the league. Eli Manning with his 2 Super Bowls his defense didn't give up more than 20 poitns in 2011 or 2007. They won in 2007 17-14. Eli didn't exactly light up the scoreboard but that defense lit up Brady.

That is why that 10% rule is so important when it comes to the QB position. You need other players than the QB to make an actual Super Bowl run. A great QB can get you to the playoffs with a terrible team around them. Peyton Manning proved that over and over with the Colts. Aaron Rodgers has been carrying mediocre Packer teams to the playoffs year after year while he gets beat up quite a bit. Once the playoffs start though you run into teams that can figure out how to stop the QB and make you beat them another way.

Chance means a threat to win the SB. Once in the playoffs anything can happen. That's the way pro football is.

The Texans had bad QB play or they might of won that game. It was more bad QB play than it was great defense by the pats. This Pats defense was nothing special but did just enough for Brady to win MVP of the SB.
Heck, the Falcons blew it more that the Pats winning it. But the only thing that matters is the win at the end of the game..

The Giants had a great scheme for that game that took Brady out of it. The Giants were not some great team either, but got hot at the right time and that's what matters in sports.. Eli made the plays when the game was on the line, backed by a great scheme that took Brady away form the Pats..

And again that's not the fault of AR but the GM for not supplying AR with what he needs to get it done..
Put a great OL in front of AR with a good run game and they will play a lot different. Heck, just look at the Cowboys? Two rookies carried them to 13-3 and the second round of the playoffs.. Put AR behind that OL and look out!! It's the GMs job to to surround the players with talent..

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

So i tune into NFLN RedZone replay
And Carr and the RAIDERS are dominating the Luck and the Colts! Then one play changed everything for the RAIDERS!! The NFL is an amazing game, where one play can change the outcome of everything.
Hmmm

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

So the RAIDERS and KC players already talking smack?! LOL

The RAIDERS break that KC firewall this year just like they did Denver's when we couldn't beat Denver.
Nothing last forever baby, not in this world!

BOOM

 

[MileHigh64]

idaho, I haven't been around the Hoop much during the offseason but I see you're still continuing with your Raiders campaign. You sir are a rock in a river without many Raider fans represented. Although I despise your team, I respect your relentless support as a fan.

You must be exhausted from only debating with @cdumler over the years. So, I thought I would drop a post and tell you how much I hate the Raiders and how much I hope they completely flop in 2017. Of course, that's just my version of smack talk to mask my concerns about how good your team has finally become. Welcome back to the NFL, Oakland Raiders.

 

[cdumler7]

idaho, I haven't been around the Hoop much during the offseason but I see you're still continuing with your Raiders campaign. You sir are a rock in a river without many Raider fans represented. Although I despise your team, I respect your relentless support as a fan.

You must be exhausted from only debating with @cdumler over the years. So, I thought I would drop a post and tell you how much I hate the Raiders and how much I hope they completely flop in 2017. Of course, that's just my version of smack talk to mask my concerns about how good your team has finally become. Welcome back to the NFL, Oakland Raiders.

Just remember though Jack Del Rio has never followed up a double digit win season with a winning season after it. He went 12-4 one year to follow that up with an 8-8 campaign. The next time when he went 11-5 the team went 5-11 the following season. So let's just see if Del Rio can actually keep this team living up to expectations before we say they are back.

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

idaho, I haven't been around the Hoop much during the offseason but I see you're still continuing with your Raiders campaign. You sir are a rock in a river without many Raider fans represented. Although I despise your team, I respect your relentless support as a fan.

You must be exhausted from only debating with @cdumler over the years. So, I thought I would drop a post and tell you how much I hate the Raiders and how much I hope they completely flop in 2017. Of course, that's just my version of smack talk to mask my concerns about how good your team has finally become. Welcome back to the NFL, Oakland Raiders.

Welcome to the offseason man.
And yeah, not a lot of RAIDER fans on this board, but i show up and defend it. Im a one man show, i roll alone.

And i will never get tired of arguing with cd. Shoot, i come on here looking to argue with the guy! HaHa
Nah, cd is fun dude to debate with, there's no quit in that guy. He brings his game every time.

Ain't nothing wrong with a Denver fan hating the RAIDERS! RAIDERS v Broncos is great drama between the teams and fans..

 

[idahoraiderfan33]

Just remember though Jack Del Rio has never followed up a double digit win season with a winning season after it. He went 12-4 one year to follow that up with an 8-8 campaign. The next time when he went 11-5 the team went 5-11 the following season. So let's just see if Del Rio can actually keep this team living up to expectations before we say they are back.

This post don't even make sense cd.

 

[cdumler7]

This post don't even make sense cd.

How does it not make sense? Del Rio when he has been a head coach has never followed up a double digit win season with a winning season the next year. He has now 3 times as a head coach had a double digit winning season (10 or more wins). The first 2 he followed it up with duds as a head coach when the team had a lot of expectations. This wouldn't be the first time we have seen a team with lots of expectations flop the next year if the Raiders were to struggle this upcoming season.

Andy Reid when he got the "dream team" put together in Philly went I think 4-12. Bill Belichick after his 1994 season with the Browns having them look like a team that was on the rise well of course saw everything fall apart after that. The Broncos in 2005 were one of the top teams in football. Followed that up with a dud of a season even with most of the same parts returning the next year.

Del Rio as a coach so far has not done well when expectations are put on him. The one season I actually liked him in Denver was the 2013 season with defensive players going down left and right with injuries. He had to get creative in how he was using players and win with scheme not just talent. Now the defense was still not a good unit overall but they seemed to make plays when they absolutely needed to. The next year we get Ware, Talib, and Ward to the defense and he goes to very vanilla playcalling the entire year and even said that his scheme and players are superior so no reason to really change things. Well it worked fine against terrible teams but the Patriots destroyed that system. Expectations made him go conservative where the year before he was taking chances with players and it was working at times.