Who Else Needs to Start Now?

[footstepsfrom#27]

Let's assume Cutler will get the nod now. How can he not? We have seen the future and it is here now. Great! I can't wait. But I want to know who else needs to get some starts the rest of the way on this team? There are other problems we need to fix and NOW is the time to start working on it...not next preseason when the games don't count and guys are going against 3rd teamers. Some of this is going to generate controversy...I'm sure of that. But if we're not going to the Superbowl THIS YEAR...and we aren't...is there any good reason not to start putting some people on the field who represent the future right along side of Jay Cutler? Maybe we lose an extra game...or two...maybe we get suprised and win an extra game...but at this piont I don't see that it matters that much anyway. Here are my picks for some new starters we need to start NOW rather than later so we can get a true read on what this team really has going into 2007. I want the best talent on the field even if it means

Offense

1) WR- Brandon Marshall for Rod Smith; Rod has MAYBE one more good year left...but is he still a 1000 yard receiver? That's doubtful even if Jay is the QB. And even if he is...he won't be by the time Jay is really playing well in all probability so he's not part of our intermediate range plans, let alone the long range ones. We don't even try to run him deep anymore. He's still got the hands, the leadership, and the great blocking skills, but he's mostly a chain mover in the short zones and he doesn't command double coverage anymore. Marshall is the big, physical possession receiver we need to move the chains, block down on LB's and even at his size he's faster than Rod is at this point in his career. On top of that he was tudored by Chris Carter in the off season and I doubt Carter would waste time on him if he wasn't a major talent. Marshall has the talent to keep Javon from being doubled on the other side and we need to get him out there with regularity...ie; more than one or two passes to him a game.

2) TE- Tony Scheffler for Stephen Alexander; can somebody please tell me why Alexander is starting other than the fact that he's a decent blocker and his name is not Chad Mustard? This guy is not threat in the passing game. San Diego and KC have TE's that cause major problems for defenses and we don't. Scheffler is big, fast, has great hands and in the preseason showed he could be a major weapon. This guy's even fast enough to float to the outside and turn 3 wide formations into 4 wideouts without warning. Does he block well? Not really. So what? I don't see Alexander going Clarence Kay on anyone either. He's decent...not great in the running game but a major detriment in the passing game. Scheffler at least will be forced to learn on the run and get better when he lines up and sees Derrick Burgess or Allen staring him in the face instead of some rookie 6th rounder who he doesn't need to worry about. We need a TE who can stretch the defense AND block....and Alexander falls short on one and is just slightly above average on the other. Get this guy on the field so we can see what he can do NOW.

3) OG- Chris Kuper for Cooper Carlyle; I've been trying to see it...and I still don't...what the coaches see in this guy. Is he improved? Somewhat...but not enough to be the real solution we need in the interior line. Carlyle is barely adequate IMO. He's not a dominant blocker at all, struggles against bigger tackles, and I don't see the guy as the kind of super quick and athletic lineman we're supposed to be noted for. Kuper was a monster in camp. We need a guy who can also pancake people as well as cut block them. He's raw for sure...but he's going to get better if he plays...IF he plays. Will he? I hope so, though we might see Jay take some sacks if he does. None-the-less, let's get this guy in there and see what he's got against the big boys instead of the preseason wannabe players he'll face if he only plays when the games don't count.

4) RT- Eric Pears for George Foster; that's right Pears instead of Meadows. Pears is NOT a left tackle. He's to slow and inflexible to handle speed rushers. Meadows is better suited on that side IMO. Foster stinks and he has got to go...no heart and no improvement at all since his initial jump up from rookie status. Pears has at least fought his way up from the practice squad to making the team and he played in NFL Europe so he's showing more than Foster in that regard alone because he clearly has the desire to work hard. Along side the D-line and running back, OT should be a major focus in the next draft.

5) RB- Damian Nash for either Bell; Yeah...he's a total unknown...and it's also obvious he's the only guy on this team who can run with power and break tackles. Tatum is to injury prone and still not enough of an inside runner. He needs to be the change of pace guy. Mike Bell is a great feel good story but I want to see him alternate now with Nash even if Tatum comes back. We know what we have in Tatum...who knows if Nash is the answer but let's find out. Give him 20 carries and see what happens. If he's not the answer we need to draft a feature back in the top 2 rounds next year but let's find out if that's necessary or not.

Defense

6) RDE- Elvis Dumervil for Ekubahn; quit with the to small stuff...he's short not small anyway and Robert Mathis is 20 pounds lighter. Maybe if we add some 340 pound beast next to him next year in the draft that can free up Elvis for one on one blocking. He's the best natural pass rusher we have already so get him in there every down.

7) RC- Dominique Foxworth for D-Will; Willilams has talent and speed, but I think he's taken at least a small step back this year. Maybe the punt return duties have kept him from improvement, though he hasn't handled that well either, and yes I realize whoever is opposite Champ will get tested every game, but D-Will has got to get more aggressive. I see him playing 6 yards off the line like he's afraid of being burned. I guess this is Coyer? If it is it makes no sense...when you have a CB who is that quick and can break into the backfield to play the run he needs to be forcing the action not laying off of it IMO. D-Will also got his size used against himi this year...and Foxy is 3 inches taller. I wonder if D-Will's ball hawk skills wouldn't be better used if he were roaming the middle of the field as the nickel. Maybe not...but let's experiement a bit to see. If nothing else it will push D-Will to get better.

There are some others to look at next year but they have nobody in there now who can mount a reasonable challenge. Hopefully we follow up last year's draft with another good one.

[Spider]

most I agree with except Marshal for Rod ....... I am not saying Rod will give the same production as Marshal , but Rod will out preform Marshal on 3 rd downs ..... old saying , Great route runners are old recievers they have lost the speed .... Route running on 3 rd down is a must ...........

[yavoon]

u ppl are overreacting on our rb situation. if we keep our OL good, our running game will be fine. jake's play has shutdown the offense.

and tater was a second rounder, we take another second rounder and we go from being able to get good production w/o high expense to basically just throwing value at the position.

[elsid13]

I do think you're overreacting big time.

First - Marshall is a rookie and is being rotated in already and Smith is still playing a decent level
Second- Nash cannot pass block, he got Plummer killed last night. It hard to judge any of the backs when only rush the ball 14 times. (UGH!!!)
Third - until last night Pears was playing real well, but struggle against Allen who good pass rusher, Meadow going out hurt the line.
Fourth - Cooper has been playing well all year and last night was playing with bruised kidney. Putting a Rookie Guard with Foster on that side would kill whoever the QB is.


Fifth - Elvis is hitting the rookie wall, and is situtional pass rusher and doesn't have the size to play the run

People need relax this team need one win to get back on track. And the team on offense needs to relax, and just play ball.

[Orange_Beard]

I think Rod will be very important for Cutler. Not so much catching the ball, just being in the huddle.
It's pretty clear that everyone respects Rod. Rod is a pretty calm guy, just having him in the huddle will help Jay.

I think it is way too soon to start massive changes. We are still 7-4, tied with KC. Still a very real chance to make the post season and win a game.

[Rascal]

Elvis Dumervil for Lang not Ekuban.

Ekuban has at least been playing decently, I haven't seen anything from Lang in a while.

And Hamilton has been a bigger problem at guard this year then Carlisle BTW. Carlisle has been playing decent enough.

[footstepsfrom#27]

Originally Posted by elsid13

I do think you're overreacting big time.

First - Marshall is a rookie and is being rotated in already and Smith is still playing a decent level

I'm not overracting...just looking at the future for next season. As for Mashall, he's got 6 catches on the year, so who knows what he can do?..and "a decent level" does not translate to Rod being on the field in 2008 when Cutler is probably going to be truly ready to compete at a high level, so let's find out what the rookie has now.

Second- Nash cannot pass block, he got Plummer killed last night. It hard to judge any of the backs when only rush the ball 14 times. (UGH!!!)

Fine...does Tatum pass block? Committment to the running game is something we're not seeing either...we used to run it 40 times a game.

Third - until last night Pears was playing real well, but struggle against Allen who good pass rusher, Meadow going out hurt the line.

Which is why I want to see Pears at his natural position.

Fourth - Cooper has been playing well all year and last night was playing with bruised kidney. Putting a Rookie Guard with Foster on that side would kill whoever the QB is.

Has he really? Or are we merely accepting mediocrity because it looks good when compared with Foster? I'm not sure how far ahead Carlyle is from Kuper but I don't think it can be that much.

Fifth - Elvis is hitting the rookie wall, and is situtional pass rusher and doesn't have the size to play the run

Let him hit it...and let's see if he responds. Besides...he's bigger than Mathis and nobody else is playing the run to well now either.

People need relax this team need one win to get back on track. And the team on offense needs to relax, and just play ball.

I'm very relaxed...I just don't see us going anywhere unless we can fix our problems...and the sooner we start the better.