Our receivers need to do a better job catching the ball... our OC needs to call more fluid plays... and our defense needs to start getting to the QB, creating turnovers and scoring. If we plan on making the playoffs and making a run at the big game the next 8 games need to look different than the first 8. That being said, we are 6-2 and in first place.
I want to take a quick look at the 2nd half of the season, but lets give this past weeks game a little attention first. I think the two guys who need to shine moving forward are Kyle Wilson and Shonn Greene. We spent a first round pick on Wilson this year and traded up to score Greene last year. He essentially cost us two draft picks just like Revis and Harris. He needs to step up like they have.
#31 and #24 shut down both sides of the field. It is remarkable how Calvin Johnson, who has been having a big year, was a complete non-factor... another prisoner on Revis Island. If our 2 top corners can become the shut down book ends Tannenbaum envisioned back when he traded for Cromartie during the offseason, we will be very hard to game-plan against. Unless, of coarse, we can't establish a solid nickel back.
The Lions simply attacked Coleman all day and Burleson racked up over 100 yards. Rex made excuses for his secondary again, calling Burleson an excellent reciever. There is no excuse for letting a C- slot receiver look like Wes Welker. I know Rex is loyal to his guys, but he needs to start calling them out. If Wilson can't step up in nickel packages, fans must start to ask if this guy is a waste of a 1st round pick.
As for the offensive side of the ball our OC finally gave some touches to Greene. He averaged 4.6 yards per touch and LT made the game tying play, turning a check down pass into a big gain. We need to see if Greene can be the man or not. He needs at least 15 carries and LT should have about 10 carries, as well as at least 5 targets in the passing games. Holmes, Keller and Edwards showed their big play ability. Cotchery has played horribly for the past few games and is starting to look like the odd man out.
We have 3 very winnable games ahead of us. We face a terrible football team that is coming off two mind boggling wins. Cleveland stomped a mud hole in the Saints and Patriots asses. Some may be surprised, but I have predicted both of these teams missing the playoffs... maybe the Browns are just exposing how overrated they are. This team is full of our rejects, not the least of which is their headcoach. We should dominate this team in all three phases.
We then have two games at home, and the weather will start to become an advantage... even if our home crowd isn't. The Texans and Bengals are garbage. If we struggle against these teams... at this point in the season... any dreams of the Superbowl will start to look foolish. The next 3 games after that will define our whole season. We will face New England in their house, the Dolphins in our house and Pittsburgh in the "big catsup bottle".
The Pats have Pittsburgh, Indy and Detroit over the next 3 weeks leading into the showdown with us week 13. If we are 9-2 and they are 7-4 we have to go for the kill shot. I have been on record about how I don't feel the Pats are an elite team anymore, but the games still need to be played. If we are relatively healthy we should have at least 10 wins by week 14.
The AFC East has a sick schedule in 2010, and there are 3 very competitive teams within the division. This is a tough mountain to climb, but the rocky journey may be what prepares us to make a championship run in January. The next 3 weeks will show if we can be disciplined and start to dominate, or if the past 8 weeks have been all hype. I would like to see Rex stop making excuses for his players and coaches and start to demand better results.
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