I didn't know if I should start a new thread here or go ahead and just post in the one that I had already started a few days ago. So, obviously, I opted with posting in the one I had begun a few days ago here.
Anyways, so I've had a few hours removed from the terrible (at least regarding the Dolphins) game that I just went to earlier today and don't feel
as bad about it as I did while I was there. Still, I'm quite disappointed in the team's play today, whether I was there in person to see it or not...though I will say that it probably hurt even more that I was.
We certainly didn't deserve to win today, turnovers or not, because we allowed them to be forced in certain situations and just made stupid mistakes in others, but I still think the game should've been more competitive than it was.
Some positives, though...being there in person, our run defense seriously does look good. That's no average rushing offense we played against, either. Atlanta was not a one-year wonder running the ball last season--Michael Turner is absolutely a beast, too, I've been watching the guy ever since he ran all over Alabama in '03 when he was with Northern Illinois during his college days, and he will probably be just as effective this season, too. Yet, I really thought we played the run well today against them, so that's promising, at least. Also, with our pass defense, even though Matty Ice missed a few long throws against us that were there to be made (as did we against them), I still thought our pass defense was mostly respectable, especially Yeremiah ("was a bullfrog") coming up with some nice deflections, but ultimately Tony Gonzalez killed us (as Tepop was saying in another thread), particularly in that drive where Atlanta must've converted at least 3 third downs. That really hurt.
The turnovers obviously hurt, and Fasano can't be doing that crap again, or he's gotta sit, I don't care how talented he is. Still, what worries me the most is our offensive line. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't really recall Atlanta's defensive line/front 7 being that explosive of a unit(s), either. Maybe they made some upgrades that I just didn't realize (I know that Mike Peterson is a new player for them, at least, and he did get the pick) but still, we're probably going to face much tougher units this season, and if our o-line play continues to look like it did today, I don't care how stout our D is or becomes, we're gonna be in for a long season. It really disappoints me, too, because like most of y'all, I thought we would be improved there, ast least going into the preseason. Our fears from those games might have been confirmed today, unfortunately. Hopefully Sparano and whoever the new o-line coach can get that group turned around, because we're really gonna need it.
That's all, sorry so much "typage" at one time.
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