Harry
ASFN Consultant and Senior Writer
I was going to tack this on the existing thread, but it’s headed in the other direction. I’m confused by Sunday’s reactions. The team with the weakest roster in the NFL plays the best team in the NFL and people are concerned the weak team lost. What was the reasonable expectation?
Did Murray play great? No. Did he look pressed? Yes. Did he miss several open receivers? No. Did he consistently hit McBride? Yes. The first pick 6 was thrown late over the middle. That’s a big error and Murray must show better self control. The second interception was a desperation throw to a well covered receiver in hopes of a miracle. He didn’t get one. He could have just turned the ball over on downs, but he took an aggressive, huge gamble. The odds of success were stacked against Murray.
I’m not sure any QB could have done much better with the weapons Murray has been given. He showed toughness playing through injury. He played hard right down to the game’s end. He ran effectively. I wrote before the game it wasn’t winnable. Forget that any given Sunday stuff. The roster talent gap is too great. They haven’t lost the second most games in the league by accident. This is no pity party as was alleged! This was the plan, as I’ve been saying all year. The Cards intentionally did not make a big effort to strengthen the 2024 roster. If by this time next year the Cards are losing at an alarming rate, that’s when to start pointing fingers.
The Cards made huge mistakes on defense, but we knew some of the CBs were not NFL ready. The DL finished the game exhausted, but we knew the rotation was not deep enough. The pass rush lacked creativity. Early on in the season, some blitzes and stunts were effective. Now those strategies are known and anticipated. Again, the talent just isn’t strong enough. There may be some complimentary pieces, but there’s no major threat to other teams.
The Cards are going to have to make a critical decision this offseason. Is this a one year or two year rebuild? Do they maximize this year’s draft haul or do they make trades that include receiving 2025 picks? Speaking of miracles, it would take one to fill this many holes in one offseason. Still, the 2024 draft was decent. If things fall right, the 2025 draft acquisitions could be outstanding. This year has shown the NFL is becoming more competitive. Super teams are hard to find. I think it’s possible to be playoff competitive next season. However, with a ton of new players, learning to play as a team may not happen immediately. I’m expecting a much better team next year. The Cards need impact players. This is a good draft pool. The Cards have free agent money. Despite being 76, I’m willing to suggest patience. Before the games were played I predicted 3 wins. That should at least prove close to the end result. This is who they were.
Did Murray play great? No. Did he look pressed? Yes. Did he miss several open receivers? No. Did he consistently hit McBride? Yes. The first pick 6 was thrown late over the middle. That’s a big error and Murray must show better self control. The second interception was a desperation throw to a well covered receiver in hopes of a miracle. He didn’t get one. He could have just turned the ball over on downs, but he took an aggressive, huge gamble. The odds of success were stacked against Murray.
I’m not sure any QB could have done much better with the weapons Murray has been given. He showed toughness playing through injury. He played hard right down to the game’s end. He ran effectively. I wrote before the game it wasn’t winnable. Forget that any given Sunday stuff. The roster talent gap is too great. They haven’t lost the second most games in the league by accident. This is no pity party as was alleged! This was the plan, as I’ve been saying all year. The Cards intentionally did not make a big effort to strengthen the 2024 roster. If by this time next year the Cards are losing at an alarming rate, that’s when to start pointing fingers.
The Cards made huge mistakes on defense, but we knew some of the CBs were not NFL ready. The DL finished the game exhausted, but we knew the rotation was not deep enough. The pass rush lacked creativity. Early on in the season, some blitzes and stunts were effective. Now those strategies are known and anticipated. Again, the talent just isn’t strong enough. There may be some complimentary pieces, but there’s no major threat to other teams.
The Cards are going to have to make a critical decision this offseason. Is this a one year or two year rebuild? Do they maximize this year’s draft haul or do they make trades that include receiving 2025 picks? Speaking of miracles, it would take one to fill this many holes in one offseason. Still, the 2024 draft was decent. If things fall right, the 2025 draft acquisitions could be outstanding. This year has shown the NFL is becoming more competitive. Super teams are hard to find. I think it’s possible to be playoff competitive next season. However, with a ton of new players, learning to play as a team may not happen immediately. I’m expecting a much better team next year. The Cards need impact players. This is a good draft pool. The Cards have free agent money. Despite being 76, I’m willing to suggest patience. Before the games were played I predicted 3 wins. That should at least prove close to the end result. This is who they were.
