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Too many people have said “we will suck this year – don’t get mad, I am just being realisticâ€Â. To me, this realism is just posing as pessimism. It tough to evaluate any team in the preseason (as shown in the non-correlation of preseason wins vs. regular seasons wins). However, I believe that one can compare position by position (yr. vs. yr.) when one player beats another player. When both players are on the same roster – and one beats the other, one can assume that the player that won the battle is better.
Using that logic, let’s look at the team:
Carroll vs. Woodson: Woodson won the battle – thus, he is starting – an improvement from last year since the person who started is still on the team and not starting.
Green vs. Gado/Herron – Green won the battle – an improvement
Whittiker vs. Moll – Moll won – an improvement
Manual vs. Roman – Manual won – an improvement
Jennings vs. Ferguson/Gardner – Jennings won – an improvement
Ryan vs. Sanders – Ryan won, an improvement
Thus, there are six positions on the team where the improvement is tough to argue, since the players that got beat out where on the team last year.
Let’s look at the other positions, where the argument isn’t as strong, but one could argue improvement.
Klemm vs. Spitz – Spitz won (while Klemm was injured and cut – he did lose his spot when he was playing – so this should be considered an improvement).
P. Lennon vs. Poppinga – this is a little closer, but I believe most would think that Poppinga will be better then Lennon
AJ Hawk vs. N. Diggs – Diggs was not a good player last year – the injuries and years took a toll on him, and most would believe this is an upgrade.
Three more improved positions.
Questionable Improvement:
Flannigan vs. Wells – I really liked Flannigan, but he did not play well last year. This is one, where the argument could be made on both sides.
Losses:
Rayner vs. Longwell – While Longwell did not play his best last year, he was a proven commodity and I doubt that Rayner will be better (but I may be wrong).
Still Outstanding:
Coaching is the largest question mark on this team. I don’t believe the preseason can be a good gauge of this, since so much of coaching is scheme preparation, which isn’t done in the preseason. People are all ready to say that Bates would have been a better D-coordinator, but let’s wait until a few games to see the game plan before we throw out Sanders. Let’s say this is a stalemate for now.
Looking at how close we were in most of the games last year, an improvement of 9 positions should lead to more wins, how can it not?
Now do I believe that we will challenge for the SB – will that would surprise me. But looking at our schedule (Jets, Buffalo, 49rs, Saints, Cardinals – all of who have had the same, if not more negative press as the Packers), along with the other self-destructing teams in the NFC North, how can one not be a little positive about this team.
This is not kool-aid, but realism in the preseason.
Using that logic, let’s look at the team:
Carroll vs. Woodson: Woodson won the battle – thus, he is starting – an improvement from last year since the person who started is still on the team and not starting.
Green vs. Gado/Herron – Green won the battle – an improvement
Whittiker vs. Moll – Moll won – an improvement
Manual vs. Roman – Manual won – an improvement
Jennings vs. Ferguson/Gardner – Jennings won – an improvement
Ryan vs. Sanders – Ryan won, an improvement
Thus, there are six positions on the team where the improvement is tough to argue, since the players that got beat out where on the team last year.
Let’s look at the other positions, where the argument isn’t as strong, but one could argue improvement.
Klemm vs. Spitz – Spitz won (while Klemm was injured and cut – he did lose his spot when he was playing – so this should be considered an improvement).
P. Lennon vs. Poppinga – this is a little closer, but I believe most would think that Poppinga will be better then Lennon
AJ Hawk vs. N. Diggs – Diggs was not a good player last year – the injuries and years took a toll on him, and most would believe this is an upgrade.
Three more improved positions.
Questionable Improvement:
Flannigan vs. Wells – I really liked Flannigan, but he did not play well last year. This is one, where the argument could be made on both sides.
Losses:
Rayner vs. Longwell – While Longwell did not play his best last year, he was a proven commodity and I doubt that Rayner will be better (but I may be wrong).
Still Outstanding:
Coaching is the largest question mark on this team. I don’t believe the preseason can be a good gauge of this, since so much of coaching is scheme preparation, which isn’t done in the preseason. People are all ready to say that Bates would have been a better D-coordinator, but let’s wait until a few games to see the game plan before we throw out Sanders. Let’s say this is a stalemate for now.
Looking at how close we were in most of the games last year, an improvement of 9 positions should lead to more wins, how can it not?
Now do I believe that we will challenge for the SB – will that would surprise me. But looking at our schedule (Jets, Buffalo, 49rs, Saints, Cardinals – all of who have had the same, if not more negative press as the Packers), along with the other self-destructing teams in the NFC North, how can one not be a little positive about this team.
This is not kool-aid, but realism in the preseason.
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