Preseason Game 2: Post Game Thoughts

**StingerNLG** · 08-17-2006, 11:10 PM

Welp. 1-1 in the preseason. Lots to still be happy about.

- McNair still looks good. Hey, you can't score on every drive. But 14 play drives make me happy! Points are points!

- Has Kyle Boller finally started to learn something? Is Steve McNair actually talking to him, helping him, showing him how to lead a receiver? 4/7 for 115 yards and a TD is an impressive showing for him.

- I love our receiving core. Derrick Mason and Mark Clayton are simply going to be difference makers on our offense. And where did DVD come from?? I had him bagging groceries this year alongside Clarence Moore. Way to play yourself back on the team dude.

- Go ahead, TRY to stop our running game. What, Jamal too much for you? Fine, here's MUSA SMITH!

Still some question marks:

- Ok, Boller looked impressive. Flash in the pan, or maybe some signs of progression? I'm not getting excited until I see this the rest of preseason. For all we know in Minnesota we could be back to hyper-Boller.
(BTW I am not putting this in to start a Boller debate here. Any further talk I am willing to take up to the QB Debate sub-forum).

- Mike Flynn has to go. How many QB's feet is he going to step on before we finally find a replacement? I swear he was even going to step on McNabb's foot before the night was through!!!

- The rest of the OL was doing fine until they remembered that they aren't any good. And our second team offensive line flat out sucked ass! 7 sacks total tonight on our first 2 QB's, and they were getting banged around all night long!

- One deep ball the whole evening?

**Ravens0587** · 08-17-2006, 11:14 PM

I was pissed we had so many penalties, after the first penalty i was thinking to myself, I hope this doesn't turn into a Detriot game

**ChrisQ** · 08-17-2006, 11:17 PM

When Mulitalo was interviewed by Goose, he said that McNair told them he expected to finish drives with touchdowns. That made me glad to hear some leadership going on.

As far as the defense, I have no qualms about that. They will come together and be great during the season. Also, McNair went 14-18 tonight and moved the chains plenty even though they didn't finish drives. At least now I feel like I can expect touchdowns once in a while instead of just hoping for no interceptions.
Still pissed off they didn't upgrade the o-line more, and not looking forward to leading the league in sacks this year :(

**StingerNLG** · 08-17-2006, 11:18 PM

Hey Chris. You and I are neighbors! I am in Hamilton myself.

**Ravens0587** · 08-17-2006, 11:21 PM

They showed stats at the half and it pissed me off

We had more rushing yards, passing yards, turnovers were even, time of possesion was like 22 minutes to 8

Yet the score was 10-3

and we had 6 penalties to there 1

**GreenWave52** · 08-17-2006, 11:28 PM

Well this was one of those games where we were battling the Eagles and the Refs. I was honestly happy that it was still as close as it was. If he starters had stayed in we might have won the game.

The starting O didn't score TDs, but they looked great moving down the field. Tonight they were better than the D, who gave up waaaaay too many critical penalites. The Eagles TD never should have happened. It was the perfect playcall but it should have been 4th down.

Musa Smith and Darling both impressed the heck out of me tonight. Devard is going to make this team and Musa will see more playing time than Mike Anderson.

Rex's schemes work great against 2nd stringers but I'm still not entirely sold on them against starting players. But the D looked pretty good when they weren't shooting themselves in the foot so maybe it will be alright.

Our o-line looked not great. However adding Ogden will improve things and Terry is getting valuable game experience.

Have I mentioned that JAMAL IS BACK!

Our WRs are nasty. Mason in particular. Heap was under used. McNair did well getting the ball to these guys and letting them make plays.

Thats all I can think of for now. I didn't really notice Ngata doing anything, but I think his knee is still bothering him.

**edreedisgod20** · 08-17-2006, 11:30 PM

Has Kyle Boller finally started to learn something? Is Steve McNair actually talking to him, helping him, showing him how to lead a receiver? 4/7 for 115 yards and a TD is an impressive showing for him.

Hard to tell. I firmly believe that everything wrong with Kyle is in his head. When he keeps his poise and doesn't rush his mechanics, his accuracy is fine. It's sort of a light switch thing - it can turn on and off without warning. We just gotta still hold out hope that SOMEDAY, that switch will go on for good. It certainly hasn't happened yet, and it may well never happen, but I still believe it's very possible.

Go ahead, TRY to stop our running game. What, Jamal too much for you? Fine, here's MUSA SMITH!

Forget it. It's gonna be impossible. Jamal looks great. Musa looks even better. Not enough? Mike Anderson ain't too shabby, either. Three power backs who will just break your will. And that's what I saw from all of them tonight. Whenever they got tackled, they made sure to lower their shoulder and make sure it hurt the defender more than it did them. And at the end of sixty minutes, we're gonna see a whole hell of a lot of arm tackles.

Mike Flynn has to go. How many QB's feet is he going to step on before we finally find a replacement? I swear he was even going to step on McNabb's foot before the night was through!!!

I don't know what in the hell to do with this guy. Stepping on quarterbacks and fumbled snaps are unacceptable, but otherwise... Flynn played pretty well tonight. That feels really weird to say, so I'm gonna stop now.

One deep ball the whole evening?

I have three words for you: ball control offense. We're gonna challenge the Steelers for the title of ball control poster boys this season, bank on that. 21:00 to 9:00 with the starters. 'Nuff said.

**PurpleRulz** · 08-17-2006, 11:30 PM

Great thoughts, Stinger.

Here is my two cents:

- We need a punter. I am sorry, but Koch and Araguz are not cutting it for me. (Wish we went harder after Dirk Johnson). Call Landeta or Richardson, pronto!

- Who says that Musa Smith is not a change of pace back?
- We were sloppy throughout the first half. It seemed as if everyone was overcharged. Lots of mental mistakes.

- McNair had another good showing as he moved the ball down the field and got how many 3rd down conversions? Now, we must learn to come out of the redzone with 7 instead of 3.

- The OL did some nice things in the first half. You have to consider that they were going against a very good DL. Considering, the OL did well. Adam Terry held up the leftside, but did get beat a couple of times. Terry does need some aggression. Flynn was getting blown up at center all night. We need Jason Brown to step up.

- Anyone notice that Jason Brown was third string center tonight with Thatcher Salay as the 2nd string? Not a good sign. Salay was getting owned up the middle.

- Have to give Boller props for a decent showing tonight. He got the ball in the right position for Darling to make that 46 yard reception. Boler also threw that TD pass perfectly to Darling. Considering he was getting knocked on his ass all night, Boller played well. 4 for 7 for 115 yards? That sounds Big Ben-ish.

- Big props to Darling on stepping up. Looks like our WR corp will be Mason, Clayton, Darling, and Williams.

- Folks, I am sorry, but PJ Daniels goes to the practice squad. The RB corp is set with Jamal, MA, and Musa (extend him, now!) I think Cory Ross sneaks onto the team somehow. Ross is ahead of Daniels by a lot, in my opinion.

- Ngata played like a rookie DT playing in his first live NFL game. My expectations were not high. With time and maturity, Ngata will be fine.

- Our DL depth is sick. A good player will get cut.

- Where was Pittman? I think he joins Daniels on practice squad. Prude has the dimeback locked down.

- Drew Olson will be a future Stain, if you know what I mean.

- Our defense was sloppy, as I said, but they are going to be dangerous. Our offense will actually cause the opposition to think, and that's a victory.

All in all, I think we performed admirably against a very good football team. You have to give the Eagles props for their 1st string OL, but their 2nd and 3rd string OL was owned by us. I even saw Max Jean Giles and Winston Justice get owned all night by us. Again, patience is the word when it comes to rookie and young OL. JOs do not come around often.

My two cents

**PurpleRulz** · 08-17-2006, 11:32 PM

Originally Posted by Ravens0587

I was pissed we had so many penalties, after the first penalty i was thinking to myself, I hope this doesn't turn into a Detriot game

That pass interference on Rolle was B.S. If anything, that should have been offensive pass interference. Rolle just defended the pass. I tell, these rules...

**StingerNLG** · 08-17-2006, 11:37 PM

- Drew Olson will be a future Stain, if you know what I mean.

Didn't Casey Willit today say on the radio that Drew Olson just can't get it together even in practice? Something about a reason for going undrafted?

Brian St. Pierre for the second time didn't impress me much either. You could see why they made him hand the ball off so much.

Folks, I am sorry, but PJ Daniels goes to the practice squad. The RB corp is set with Jamal, MA, and Musa (extend him, now!) I think Cory Ross sneaks onto the team somehow. Ross is ahead of Daniels by a lot, in my opinion.

100% agreed. In fact I think it showed more that Ross took a rookie mistake like a botched punt return, and not only on the very replayed punt get 20+ yards on the return, but then come in a run the way he did. I think Ross sneaks onto this team in a special teams role. But no way does he spell BJ Sams.

BTW I forgot about him. Once again it's nice to have someone that can catch the kick and make you feel like at any point he could break a huge run back.

**GreenWave52** · 08-17-2006, 11:43 PM

BTW I forgot about him. Once again it's nice to have someone that can catch the kick and make you feel like at any point he could break a huge run back.

We've come along way from the Lamont Frightful days.

**ChrisQ** · 08-17-2006, 11:47 PM

Originally Posted by StingerNLG

Hey Chris. You and I are neighbors! I am in Hamilton myself.

I'll try to remember to invite you to come over for an away game at some point. I usually have a couple buddies over, do a little tailgating on the grill out back and then get a nice fire going and watch the game: