Schedule Reboot: How do you feel now?

[keg in kc]

Our schedule is tough. We all know that. But I have to admit, after the addition of Surtain and the events of the draft, I feel a lot better about our chances. I'm not saying we'll blow anybody away, but I do believe that, assuming we stay healthy, we're going to be a bitch for everyone on our schedule.

Think about it. We're now a squad with a championship offense and a defense with multiple playmakers. When teams gameplan now, they have to account for Kendrell Bell. They have to account for Pat Surtain. After his rookie season, they'll have to account for Jared Allen. They'll have to account for Derrick Johnson. Sammy Knight and (assumendly) Greg Wesley can be ballhawkers and headhunters instead of serving as a desperate last line of defense.

Talk about a drastic change...

This morning, when I look at the schedule, instead of being intimidated, thinking "oh shit", I see 16 winnable games. Now, we'll lose some of them. It happens. There's a lot of good squads on there. But I don't think there's a team on there we can't beat. I think we're - maybe - poised to step to that next echelon of teams, to crawl out of the hole we've been in since 1998.

Should be fun.

[ExtremeChief]

I know we look a lot better on paper than we have in a while. The first four games will be tough. Those games should give us a pretty good idea of how much the defense has improved with the new signings.

I think having Surtain and Knight together in the defensive backfield should speed up any adjustments needed for their new defensive scheme. Now we have a cornerback that can take care of himself, and that our strong safety trusts. Knight and Wesley/Woods can just take care of their own responsibilities, and not worry about other people's assignments. Maybe the safety that works with Knight can go back to ball-hawking and blowing people up.

If we can get through the first four games 2-2, we should be in pretty good shape. We finish with most of our last few at home, a huge advantage to head into the playoffs (hopefully).

I'm a lot more optimistic as of today than I was at the end of last season. Hopefully how well the defense now looks on paper will translate on the field.

[JOhn]

Sammy Knight and (assumendly) Greg Wesley can be ballhawkers and headhunters instead of serving as a desperate last line of defense.
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That's the best part right there :thumb:

[DaWolf]

Heck, we could have won most of our games last year, as we were in pretty much all of them. If this D can create some turnovers, we'll be OK. The big thing this of course is keeping our guys healthy this year...

[Gaz]

If the Offense can keep up the blistering pace and Gunther can integrate the new players into his scheme, the team should be considerably better. I have some concern that we cannot rightfully expect the O to maintain such a high level of output. Our WRs should be better and the addition of Wilson should give Saunders some nice options [which should put an extra burden on Enemy DCs].

Continuity on O and some serious player upgrades on D. You gotta like that.

Personally, I do not worry all that much about the schedule. Any given Sunday and all that, you know.

xoxo~
Gaz
Eager to see the new D in action.