The Victors

I am usually reacting less to single-game performances than most people but here I feel as though it’s hard to adjust your priors enough in the face of 60 minutes of evidence this extreme.

Before the game, I thought making the playoff was a realistic goal. Now I think this is maybe a 6-6 team. And I don’t mean they are a 6-6-level team right now, and could improve. I am projecting significant improvement to get to 6-6.

Nearly every facet of the team came in below worst-case expectations. Obviously, Underwood reverted to freshman form after drive one and never recovered. Our pass blocking is poor, our run blocking is worse than poor. Our interior DL, as expected, lacks sufficient bulk.

For whatever reason, we used a converted defensive lineman on what seemed to be a majority of snaps, and not only that, we didn’t put him between the guard and tackle, we put him outside the tackle, so he had to handle the edge rush by himself, which he could not do.

Yes, there was first game sloppiness – penalties, turnovers – that might improve. But we are so starting at a level so far below expectations that I don’t see any kind of decent season as within the realm of expectations. We need to get way better to have a chance against the 6th, 7th, 8th best teams on the schedule.