Frank Reich

[Steve]

I can't even judge how Reich has been doing this year. No plays are successful if you cannot get guys blocked in the middle. Every team is just stacking the inside run, not worrying about Rivers getting outside the pocket and then covering our receivers man to man and daring us to beat them outside. Which is fine, that is what our O is designed to do, but then we can't execute because Rivers can't get the ball into the cracks he did early in the season.

Reich is making the same sort of adjustment he did when we were successful, and even pulled out a few new wrinkles, just if you cannot block and can't get open, there isn't much left to do.

[Panama]

After everyone was wanting Pagano fired.

Just stating for the record -- -- that I *never* wanted Pagano fired. I think he is a top defensive coordinator and hope he is our DC for a long time.

I wonder if the same thing is up with Reich, that the lack of pieces is hurting him. I don't know. I'm not ready to string him up yet, but I'm also not 100% sold. The offense was certainly doing well enough earlier in the season, and against some pretty good defenses, so I wonder how much of the blame can be placed on him instead of injuries (including the one Rivers supposedly isn't playing through). Basically, the jury is out.

[Panama]

Seems like or 2 minute drill/real hurry up is when the WR's finally got a some what open.

Denver started playing prevent during that 2 minute drill.

And were they really that much more open? Seems to me that Rivers had to start forcing throws despite how open they receivers were. He did, after all, throw two picks at the end of the game.

[Panama]

Defense is healthy?

Relatively, compared to what it was before.

[Panama]

Reich or no Reich, moving forward we need:

Dunlap back + at least two new interior OL

A true #1 WR (IMHO we have a glut of very good #2 WRs)

A new starting RB

A backup to Gates not named Green

We get all that, our O will be nails.

Not sure we need (or could acquire) a true #1. While I would do backflips -- quite a feat for an unathletic 290-pound 40-year-old -- if we had a Megatron or Dez Bryant, we don't really need it. Remember a few years ago Rivers put up MVP-like numbers throwing to new guys signed off the street every week. We've got a stretch-the-field type (Floyd), and all-rounder (Allen), a really good slot guy (Royal), a solid backup (Tutu), and a promising developmental type (Inman). We can work with that. Short of giving DA a flier and seeing if he's got anything left, I can't see anyway we'll get a true #1 WR anytime soon.

[Yubaking]

Not sure we need (or could acquire) a true #1. While I would do backflips -- quite a feat for an unathletic 290-pound 40-year-old -- if we had a Megatron or Dez Bryant, we don't really need it. Remember a few years ago Rivers put up MVP-like numbers throwing to new guys signed off the street every week. We've got a stretch-the-field type (Floyd), and all-rounder (Allen), a really good slot guy (Royal), a solid backup (Tutu), and a promising developmental type (Inman). We can work with that. Short of giving DA a flier and seeing if he's got anything left, I can't see anyway we'll get a true #1 WR anytime soon.

I agree with you that the key to Rivers having success has never been the quality of our receivers. Instead, Rivers seems to get thrown off if the crappiness of the pass protection is of such a sustained bad nature that he starts thinking about it and even looking for it and expecting it to be bad. To be clear, I do not blame Rivers for that. I blame the OL for that because it does not seem to happen right away with Rivers, but rather after multiple games of sustained manure in terms of the OL's pass protection.

But that does not mean that I do not want Rivers to have the best weapons available to him because that can help our offense be better. In the game against Denver, Simms showed again and again how our receivers were all covered. Allen's inability to run by anyone drives me nuts. CBs are all over him and were so even when he caught the ball against DEN and NE. I think having some WRs that can get open against better defenders (not just a crappy secondary like BAL's, STL's or JAC's) would be a good thing.

That said, I think your characterization of some of our WRs is a bit generous. Inman has played 5 games and has zero receptions. After failing out of the NFL once, he is doing nothing to force himself into our long term plans. Ajirotutu needs to stay because he is a top ST player, but he is nothing more than a #5 or #6 WR. Royal is a solid player, but far from very good. And Allen is not an all around player at all. The combination of his lack of speed, Reich calling too many short routes for him and tight CB play from decent CBs has pretty much shut him down, especially in last two games. Allen now has 5 games with under 30 yards receiving and 7 games under 50 yards this season.

Our other needs make the situation very frustrating because I think we would best be served by adding two #1 WRs. There are some #1 type WRs available in the draft. Devante Parker and DGB have impressed me quite a bit. Floyd will likely be gone after next year so getting a couple of #1 WRs over the next couple of years does make some sense. Allen could be moved into the slot and/or be used as a reserve WR. That way, teams would not be able to cheat on us like they have been recently with their coverages.

It is just a matter of how we prioritize things. The opportunity to get a top WR should be there for us in this draft, but then we would have to pass on getting a top OL player in the first round if we were to select a WR.

[TTK]

Time to bring back Tevin Reese! :bf:

[blueman]

Not sure we need (or could acquire) a true #1. While I would do backflips -- quite a feat for an unathletic 290-pound 40-year-old -- if we had a Megatron or Dez Bryant, we don't really need it. Remember a few years ago Rivers put up MVP-like numbers throwing to new guys signed off the street every week. We've got a stretch-the-field type (Floyd), and all-rounder (Allen), a really good slot guy (Royal), a solid backup (Tutu), and a promising developmental type (Inman). We can work with that. Short of giving DA a flier and seeing if he's got anything left, I can't see anyway we'll get a true #1 WR anytime soon.

Sounds fantastic!!

Wait, how many SB rings has all that added up to...?

[TTK]

This is a pretty good listen. Hardwick pretty much calls Reich out and just like everyone here says he's sick of seeing the shotgun draw.

http://www.1360sports.com/onair/loose-cannons-54926/dec-15-the-nick-hardwick-show-13072785

[RollingThunder]

This is a pretty good listen. Hardwick pretty much calls Reich out and just like everyone here says he's sick of seeing the shotgun draw.

http://www.1360sports.com/onair/loos...-show-13072785

Hardwick makes a lot of sense. Hardwick for OC

[thelightningwill]

This is a pretty good listen. Hardwick pretty much calls Reich out and just like everyone here says he's sick of seeing the shotgun draw.

http://www.1360sports.com/onair/loos...-show-13072785

Handoffs should be near the line of scrimmage. That lateral deep in the backfield to Oliver this past Sunday was the worst play call of the day.
And, if we are going to use I-formation, we do have to pass it out of that formation sometimes. I believe, this whole year, the I-formation has always, always, always been a running play. No guessing by the defense at all.

[richpjr]

Hardwick makes a lot of sense. Hardwick for OC

Hardwick's judgement is clouded by having a back like LT running behind him. When Mathews is healthy it might work, but I see it as a no win situation if the Browns or Oliver are your only options.