While I love all of the incredible optimism surrounding this team, which is coming from literally ALL corners of the media, I'd be lying if I didn't admit the angst it causes within me as well... I mean, just about every day now, there is a new "expert" or a new story from somewhere, that is touting the team, the coach or GM, or a specific player who is about to have a career year.
Honestly, it all is bordering on too much. And while I am pretty confident in BA's ability, as well as other leaders on the team, to stay focused and not get caught up and believe in all of the print, I also know that to achieve ALL that is being touted about this team would almost take a miracle...for any team actually!
This team will certainly not go undefeated and chances are, Fitz won't have anything close to the season he had last year. And David Johnson won't rush for 1,500 yards and Chandler Jones won't put up 15 sacks, and PP21 won't have 10 INT's and the Badger will take many weeks into the season - at best, before he feels like his old self again...And GOD help us at the CB position opposite of PP. I would imagine the supreme mind of Belicheck has already designed a scheme that will place intense pressure on Williams, or whoever is playing that position at any point in the game...and Humphries is gonna let up more than a few sacks and may even cost us a game or two because of the learning on the job process he will experience... and Shipley will be a weak link on the line as well. And our punt and kickoff return teams will absolutely, 100% be a major source of frustration and again, will likely put us in trouble in a few key games...
If you read or listen to all of the press, you would likely feel entirely differently about this team.
And none of the above takes into account the injury dynamic...with Palmer BY FAR the biggest risk and the guy who is most irreplaceable. But if Veldheer, or DJ, PP21, Chandler Jones or Fitz were to go down for any length of time, I really think it would be prudent to seriously throttle back the incredible expectations of this team.
They won 13 games last season... I haven't done the research, but my gut tells me that there are very few teams that improve upon, let alone equal a 13 win season in the immediate following year. Hence, my ONLY hope is that somehow, some way /ANYWAY, this team finds a way to get into the post season and hopefully, find a way to win the NFC Championship! BA says the goal is not just to get to the Super Bowl, but to grab a Ring... I'm down with that too Bruce... any which way it happens...
