hmmmmmmmmmm we tried pretty much the best vet still playing last year we all remember the infamous FAVRE era. what fun that was. do not remind me...
Maybe non of my business but I can't help but to put my two cents in on this. Garcia is (or was) only successful in the 'west coast' so how would that work? You would have the Garcia of the Browns/Lions not the 49ers/Eagles and to a certain extent Bucs.
I think that the NO game was a real eye opener that the rest of our opponents will take notice of. Of course not everyone will be NO calibre that we play, but nonetheless, their 'ordinary' D was very effective against us, and until Braylon proves that he still has it, 8 in the box + blitzing is going to be the norm. B.E needs to have some spectacular games/catches early on to make Ds think again.
This season doesn't ride on Sanchez, it rides on the defense. Always remember.. Trent Dilfer has a super bowl ring.
HAHA, that must really piss off dan marino, gotta love it. I agree but its more the rookie mistakes im worried about, not the caliber of the quarterback.
yea i think sanchez's biggest issue besides not fumbling the ball is just getting that internal clock down. If he can do that wed be set. Kind of similar to eli mannings rookie year, fumble-itis.
I agree that your teams gonna go as far as the 'D' takes them but the Dilfer equation doesn't really fit here. Dilfer was a veteran and game manager that wasn't gonna win the game but also wasn't gonna lose it for you. Your sort of making this guys point for him. You simply need Sanchez to grow up in a hurry and limit his mistakes. establishing a running game would probably go along way to help you as well. Jamal Lewis doesn't get the credit he deserves for that ring. Same exact thing with the Bucs championship. Dominant 'D', Vet QB (Johnson) and a 1-2 punch at RB (Dunn/Alstott)
lol the trent dilfer thing happens once in a lifetime, if that if you look at the other qbs who have won super bowls in the past 15 years you will be hard pressed to find one that wasn't elite: roethlisberger,brady,manning,manning,warner,elway,favre,aikman,young one could argue brad johnson but he went to the pro bowl that year
Ok, fair enough. It's the idea of a veteran QB, not Garcia himself. Let me ask you, then: which OTHER free agent veteran QB would you have liked to see under center? You make it sound like any vet would do, but let's deal in specifics. Garcia signed with the Raiders prior to the draft. In other words, prior to us getting Sanchez. At that time, we were getting ready for the possibility of beginning the Kellen Clemens era in New York. We didn't have an inkling of the success that we'd see in this first season. By the time Garcia begged for his release, we had committed to Sanchez. So, at that point, you're looking at bringing in a guy for a year or two to manage the offense, understanding that he has to learn the playbook and that you're delaying the future with your new franchise QB. Sanchez may make rookie mistakes, but he's also better equipped to run our offense and is the future of this franchise. And with our receivers (prior to today), how much better do you think Garcia would realistically have been able to perform? If you ask me, this stinks of the fact that large portions of our fanbase always need something to complain about. We're shoring up our team; I suppose it was only a matter of time before someone complained about Sanchez.
Sure did, and Tampa's rushing attack struggled mightily that year. If I recall, it was ranked in the bottom half of the league. Outside the Top 10 at best.
In Big Bens first one I would say he was far from an elite QB. In fact that year might be the blue print of how to win one with a young QB. He also sucked in that 1st SB but the run game and 'D' bailed him out.
Yes, but that RB combo averaged fewer than 3.8 yards per carry. Tampa was carried by the #1 defense in the league and that efficient QB.
Your right but if I remember correctly their RB's were great in the redzone. Acually I just double checked and your right. Dunn/Alstott were non factors that year. In fact it was Pittman and your very own T.Jones that had most of the carries that year.
Yeah, and in his rookie year, they went 15 - 1 with a running attack that wasn't really that particularly effective. They just happened to run it more than anyone else and pass it less. Even in their Super Bowl year, they led the league in rushing attempts only. One problem that we've had is going away from the run game, but I'd argue that our QB has also looked better than Ben did that year, turnovers notwithstanding.
No, they were pretty piss poor all around on the ground. That was the bizarre part about it. I think they may have had as many defensive TDs as rushing TDs that season. EDIT: Not quite. 6 rushing TDs all season to 5 defensive TDs. They also had a return TD, though, so it's the same if you count special teams. Gramatica kicked as many FGs as XPs.
I wasn't comparing Sanchez to Dilfer.. I'm just saying the season is going to ride on the defense. And you just named roflisberger, who was young and clearly not elite and had the worst super bowl performance ever by a winning QB. If our defense were on the Steeler's level that would be a perfect comparison. A rookie QB has never won a super bowl, but neither has a 39+ yo. Besides Garcia, are there even any other solid vets available?
Thomas Jones wasn't there for the SB year. He played in 2003 in Tampa, but not the 2002 season. Dunn was in Atlanta by then. You're right, though, Pittman was the rushing attack. I guess we know why it was so bad, huh? :smile:
Jeff George is still begging to get a try out. I'm not making a joke he really is. I'm joking that you guys would look at him though. I think you guys will be just fine with the kid you got back there.
