If your impressions from the Arizona game were like mine, your overall feeling is "guarded optimism", that the overall play of our O, D and STs is far better than decent. But, you also came away with a couple of serious concerns (maybe more, probably not less).
I won't mention our awesome Defensive Line or Playoff Caliber RBs or vastly improved receiving corps and pleasantly surprising QBs ... as those are team elements I'm not sweating over.
What I am concerned with are two positions, one is on our OL the other in our Defensive 2nd Row.
First and foremost, we have a problem at Right Tackle.
Khalif Barnes is not a good football player, Barnes quits on blocks, he quits before the whistle, he sloughs and and draws penalties. It's bad enough that he's even wearing Silver & Black, but that he is an Oakland Raider starter makes me embarrassed and pissed off.
Options:
Joe Barksdale is a talented but green rookie, big and strong but unfortunately not yet showing much aggression.
Stephon Heyer played very well at LG vs. Zona and he has played OT professionally. If Wiz assumes the LG (Satele is playing very well at Center) and BC can work with Cooper at RG, then Heyer may be the answer we need at RT.
The other position needing fast attention is Weak Side Linebacker.
Quentin Groves is late; he's late in coverage (I would target him every chance I got if I were a DC ... unless Walter McFadden was there) and Groves is late in run support. He seems good at one thing and one thing only - bravado ... posturing on and off the field like he's done something special ... what a joke.
Options:
Travis Goethel should assume WLB .. this should be obvious (am I missing something?)
Jarvis Moss is strong and quick; I believe Moss could make a very effective WLB
Free Agency: Someone like Lofa Tatupu
All right, those are my two concerns; what are yours?
Poll
What is the greater concern:
Right Tackle situation (328 votes)
Weakside Linebacker situation (144 votes)
472 total votes


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