The Play

[Vermstyr]

Well, since all we have behind him on the depth charts are 3rd down type backs he better not get tired when the games start.

Well it concerns me for two main reasons:

1) As you say, we need Mathews. Not 'he'd be nice to have', we are relying on him to show up with consistency this year or else the running game will turn into a 'short passes to running backs' game.

2) If conditioning and mental mistakes, especially fumbles, were the two biggest issues with Mathews then I would hope that the coaching staff would focus on fixing those two things. If his conditioning has not gotten better and he continues to fumble, what does that say about the preparations the coaching staff makes?

Just worrisome that he looked as tired as he did, then fumbled on the goal line.

[Den60]

Well it concerns me for two main reasons:

1) As you say, we need Mathews. Not 'he'd be nice to have', we are relying on him to show up with consistency this year or else the running game will turn into a 'short passes to running backs' game.

2) If conditioning and mental mistakes, especially fumbles, were the two biggest issues with Mathews then I would hope that the coaching staff would focus on fixing those two things. If his conditioning has not gotten better and he continues to fumble, what does that say about the preparations the coaching staff makes?

Just worrisome that he looked as tired as he did, then fumbled on the goal line.

I am not disagreeing with you. I've targeted 5 guys that I think would be catastrophic to the team should they miss significant time with injury:

Mathews
Luiget
Rivers
Butler
Weddle

That is probably in order though I think you could swap Rivers and Luiget.

Here are guys where we would have some pretty big issues should they lose significant time to injury. Not in any particular order:

Gates
Floyd
VB
Hardwick
Dunlap (maybe, just because whomever we keep as backup LT sucks so much)
Reyes
Thomas
JJ
English
Freeney (though if we can't stop the run losing him won't mean much)
Cox
Williams

[Beerman]

Re Matthews Fumble: Umm was I the only one that saw the LB that blew right through Dunlap to force the fumble? With even mediocre blocking it was an easy TD. Fluker and Clary had pushed their men into the end zone. That doesn't forgive RM for not having two hands on the ball, but he's also not the only one at fault on the play.

[QSmokey]

Yeah, and you have the full DVD collection of "The Three Stooges" as well.

The Play was way funnier.

[TTK]

Re Matthews Fumble: Umm was I the only one that saw the LB that blew right through Dunlap to force the fumble? With even mediocre blocking it was an easy TD. Fluker and Clary had pushed their men into the end zone. That doesn't forgive RM for not having two hands on the ball, but he's also not the only one at fault on the play.

Good call.

[Viejo Bolt]

Too bad there's no MNF tonight. That definitely would have made C'mon Man. In fact, there were three C'mon mans on that one play!