Yesterday, 03:33 PM
(Yesterday, 12:32 PM)Nicomo Cosca Wrote: The defense had 14 missed tackles against NE in week 1 last season, not to mention fumbles on offense and special teams. The slow starts have always been more than just Burrow.
With both a new DC and OL coach these guys need all the reps they can get.
For sure it is not just Joe being injured to start every season although that is some of it. The Defense needs to be ready to go and be ready to
tackle. Have to do this in the Preseason and it gets the Defenses ahead of the Offenses early in the season. It is a gamble playing your starters
and some of them getting hurt, but it is also a gamble not being ready and digging yourself a hole like we do every year.
I like how we play late in the season, but we need to start off much better and everybody knows it.
(Yesterday, 01:32 PM)jj22 Wrote: Burrow admitted his struggles to start the season comes from a slowed down release clock in his head that causes timing issues in the offense. He believes that preseason live action with the threat of being hit will help speed his internal clock up and be ready for the season.
I'd just like to point out that Zac's prior preseason plan isn't bad at all. Take the Steelers for example. They play a lot of their starters in the preseason and come out firing on all cylinders to start the season. But by November they have nothing left in the tank and look like it. No energy, no physicality... It's led to them ending the season on long losing streaks.
So there is a happy medium. All the great teams (NE, KC) lose their games (if they lose) in September before going on 10 game winning streaks. Teams knew if you wanted to catch them sleeping your bests shot was at the start of the season. We can't start 0-3, or 1-3, but great teams have suffered losses (some bad) to start the season if it means ending the season strong.
Nice post JJ22. True, it needs to be a happy medium. We still need to be playing at the top of our game by the end of the season unlike the
stealers and others who are all worn out. But we also need to be at least .500 in the first 4 games as well.
