A few things to remember when evaluating last year

[Dr. Lecter]

In the first nine games the team was 3-6.

The next seven they went 4-3. Two of these losses were against San Diego and Baltimore.

imo, this shows the team was improving as the year went on.

They also had the hardest schedule int he NFL (statistically speaking). Maybe this means nothing, but in theory it makes them the best 7-9 team in the NFL.

It does not mean I am predicting 16-0 this year.

With the improvement as the year went on and the difficult schedule, perhaps one could contend that they were not as far off as some people think.

[HHURRICANE]

2 points:

The offensive would be better, no arguments, had we not lost McGahee. We will not know where we stand until our new RB shows up and we see how he plays. Yes, the O-line is better but A-train does not replace Willis. If we get a legitimate replacement than I see 2 more wins.

The Defensive Line is better. The secondary is weaker but I think it's not nearly as huge as people think. The weakness at LB is sickening. I see 2 more losses.

So I'm not sure how we are really any better than 7-9. I really veiw us as an 8-8 team this year.

[Jan Reimers]

The weakness at LB is sickening.
I think the LB weakness exists to a large extent on paper. Last year, Spikes was a shadow of his former self; Fletch was declining; Crowell got hurt; and Ellison was a rookie.

With Crowell healthy, Ellison having some game experience, and a draft which nets us a couple of good 'backers, we may be OK. But the LB situation does depend on a productive draft.

[The Answer]

In the first nine games the team was 3-6.

The next seven they went 4-3. Two of these losses were against San Diego and Baltimore.

imo, this shows the team was improving as the year went on.

They also had the hardest schedule int he NFL (statistically speaking). Maybe this means nothing, but in theory it makes them the best 7-9 team in the NFL.

It does not mean I am predicting 16-0 this year.

With the improvement as the year went on and the difficult schedule, perhaps one could contend that they were not as far off as some people think.

We have the hardest schedule in the league again this year (at least on paper) minus a lot of veteran players.

7-9 again in 2007 Jauron should win coach of the year.

~The Answer

[HHURRICANE]

I think the LB weakness exists to a large extent on paper. Last year, Spikes was a shadow of his former self; Fletch was declining; Crowell got hurt; and Ellison was a rookie.

With Crowell healthy, Ellison having some game experience, and a draft which nets us a couple of good 'backers, we may be OK. But the LB situation does depend on a productive draft.

Although I was never a big Fletcher fan the guy ranked 1st or 2nd in the league for tackles. He leaves a pretty good size hole considering he played every game. Spikes was a non entity but still was better than Wire, Haggan, Stamer, DiGiorgio, etc.,

The idea that we are going to draft 2 stud, starting, LBs in this year's draft is somewhat unrealistic.

[Neggie Nancy]

We did improve and at times it was fun to watch.. Then again, unfortunately except for the 60,000 or so fans in attendance the last four games, nobody really got to watch.

They have some talent and having Dockery at LG will certainly help the OL.. I refuse to call them improved as a whole because we don't know who is playing RG and Walker is a HUGE question mark at RT.

What it comes down too, in this league you're winning one of two ways.

1- Having an offense like Indy that's capable of simply outscoring your opponent weekly.

2- Have a team that's built around running and stopping the run.

As of right now, we sure as hell don't have #2- in fact we're very weak at both aspects. And we're weak to the point that one draft isnt going to change that. WE may be slightly better after the draft; but we're still going to be weak against the run.. And if we use our top picks on the front seven, then we'll have a third or fourth rounder at RB as an option for A-Train. That doesnt work to me and I dont see us winning ANYTIME soon by going this route.

Now on the other hand-- offensively we have the groundwork for a great offense. LOsman is clearly coming into his own. the left side of the line is very strong.. Lee Evans is a top five WR in the entire NFL, and I Dont give a **** who says otherwise..

Maybe this team would be better served taking Lynch with the 12th pick.. He's an everydown back who can be explosive and also has tremendous hands coming out of the backfield. Maybe in round two we take Sidney Rice or Jason Hill; two guys that at worst can be really REALLY solid #2 WR's, taking so MUCH Needed pressure off Evans. PRice and Reed are backups, they are not starters and consistently wont take away the double teams that are SURE to follow Evans everywhere this year. Simply put, teams will do everything possible to take Evans out of the game if he's the only legit threat; as he is now.

In the third round, then you use both picks perhaps to take the best two "system" LB's you can find. No, our defense won't be improved much at all. However, the cure for that could be a dynamic offense that can put 28 up on anyone.

That's my opinion anyway.. You have Losman, a strong Left side of the line, Lynch in the backfield and a Evans- Rice/Hill combo at WR, and defensive coordinators will **** themselves trying to plan to stop us.

[Gunzlingr]

Although I was never a big Fletcher fan the guy ranked 1st or 2nd in the league for tackles. He leaves a pretty good size hole considering he played every game. Spikes was a non entity but still was better than Wire, Haggan, Stamer, DiGiorgio, etc.,

The idea that we are going to draft 2 stud, starting, LBs in this year's draft is somewhat unrealistic.

You have to remember that a vast majority of those tackles were 10 yards downfield. Fletch could tackle, but he didn't do much stopping at the line of scrimmage or behind it.

[Jan Reimers]

I just don't think we were very good at LB last year. With Crowell - perhaps our best LB - healthy again, and Ellison continuing to develop, one stud LB in the draft should make us pretty good.

Think of us finishing last season with the starting trio of Spikes-Fletcher-Ellison. Draft a Pos or Beason for Spikes' spot, move Crowell to the middle, and leave a more experienced Ellison in there. Or leave Crowell outside, draft Willis for the middle, plus Ellison. And in the best case scenario, pick up a 3rd rounder to compete with Ellison.

It's not like we had a real elite LB corps last year. Spikes and Fletcher had to go, in order to allow us to bring in younger players. I think we can be as good as last year with a decent draft - and then better, in the not too distant future.

[Neggie Nancy]

LB more than any spot on the team that we DIDNT sign anybody in FA is a position where I wish we had..

Cato June would've been a perfect fit in our cover two, and opened up our draft day possibilities a lot more.

[Neggie Nancy]

You have to remember that a vast majority of those tackles were 10 yards downfield. Fletch could tackle, but he didn't do much stopping at the line of scrimmage or behind it.
Find me a MLB in a cover two scheme who's not a freak named Urlacher that doesnt make the majority of his tackles down the field.

MLB in a cover two has a main responsibility of reacting, not attacking.. notice how deep the MLB often drops in pass coverage responsibilities. He's sometimes in the middle of the field like a third safety.

I'm pretty sure the reason Fletch wasnt resigned has VERY LITTLE do to with performance, but more because of his age and contract demands. If everyone wants to spin it off like his being 2nd in the NFL in tackles not to mention FOUR interceptions and TWO touchdowns isn't very solid productivity, then be my guest.

[SABURZFAN]

In the first nine games the team was 3-6.

The next seven they went 4-3. Two of these losses were against San Diego and Baltimore.

imo, this shows the team was improving as the year went on.

They also had the hardest schedule int he NFL (statistically speaking). Maybe this means nothing, but in theory it makes them the best 7-9 team in the NFL.

It does not mean I am predicting 16-0 this year.

With the improvement as the year went on and the difficult schedule, perhaps one could contend that they were not as far off as some people think.


it doesn't look as if the schedulemaker did us any favors this year either.with a year of experience under everybody's belt,there is no reason (other than injuries) why we shouldn't contend this year.