Thread: Dropped passes are killing us. Poor run-blocking killing us.

The good news is that the offense is "fixable" this off-season. Our 2012 season was doomed before it began, due to the fact we didn't fix the offensive line. But this is something that will be fixed this off-season through the draft AND free agency.

Clearly we need to acquire WR's and TE's who can catch a football. I worry that I'm going to have a heart attack before this season is over - watching Hester, the "hands of stone" drop another key pass. The guy is killing our team. Here's the deal. I don't care where he is on the WR depth chart. If he can't reliably run routes and catch a football, then he's no good to us. Yes, even the #4 WR has to be able to actually CATCH a football. I'd rather have a slow guy who can catch reliably, than a fast guy who can't run routes or catch a football.

But I think these things ARE fixable this off season.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Marshal dropped an easy TD, same as Jeffery, Bennett's dropped them. WR's drop balls, even when they hit them in the breadbasket or in their hands. My biggest problem w/Hester is why the hell he and Davis targetted 8 times each? That is 2x's what either should get, 4 or 5 tops, and I'm not sure Davis deserves that. Jeffery was only targeted 6? Only 1 of our other TE's/HB's were targetted and that was Adams 3 times, what the hell? Hester still caught more then 50% of his passes, which only Marshal and Forte can say, what does that really tell you about how bad this wr squad was, the best three wr's in catch % yesterday were Marshal, Forte, Hester. Our #1, our RB, and the #4, who had one of his better days.

The whole wr staff hurt this team this year, even Marshal as awesome as he's been, has dropped way to many TD passes(i'll give him all the drops in the field, when you are targetted 15-20 times you'll have your share, but he cannot drop in the endzone like he has.

Worse, Cutler was horrible yesterday, he was over throwing or underthrowing his WR's/Te's. You know how hard it is to over throw a guy that is 6'7"? and he chunked a ball a good 7 yards in front of a wide open hester. He overthrew Jeffery and Marshal too. He was horrible.

And yet our OC continued to throw the ball(50 times) and only tried to run it 8, and that part of the game was actually doing okay.

Ya the D did okay, outside of letting AP have a career day, and a record setting 1st qtr; but their goal is to not give up points, and they did do that.

Ric, the difference is that B.Marsh makes up in spades, for every dropped pass - he's a gifted receiver. Hester isn't. Hester simply breaks our backs with his drops. He has hands of stone. He can't make up for that by doing what Brandon Marshal does. Alshon is a rook, but he too can make great catches. He has good hands.

Hester is killing our team. Get him OUT of here. And send these TE's who can't catch, with him. Show them the door. If a receiver (including receiving TE's can't catch a football, then sweep their butts out of here once the season ends). I'm telling ya, I'm close to having a stroke watching these "hands of stone" guys.

Originally Posted by Riczaj01

Hester had one clear drop in 8 targets, that's not killing the team; but what is killing the team is him being targettd 8 times. I will agree w/that. If you need hester to be targetted 8 times then your team is in trouble. He shouldn't be targetted more then 4 times; 5 tops. For all the laughing about how he spins/jumps back ect ect, it got the team one if it's rare first downs yesterday. If he had run straight, or just cut into the middle, he gets stopped in his tracks. That is what he should be in there for, 2-3 game changing plays a game; but why throw to him 8 times then?

Marshal/Jeffery both had td passes dropped, and Jeffery tripping which caused an int; that killed this team. I agree what Marshal does makes up for it, but he does not get blame taken off him when he is dropping td passes, and he's dropped a handfull this year. Even moreso, Gould getting hurt and not being able to attempt a fg was the finishing blow.

Cutler/Bates/Tice should know by now not to target Davis/Hester more then 8 times total, they were targetted 16 times. that's joke; and most of that has to goto Cutler b/c even if the play is called for them, he can choose anoher target and live w/the heat later.

Oh, Ric, I couldn't disagree with you more. This entire "Hester Experiment" has had him drop passes at key moments for years now. I've seen it. You've seen it. It has flat KILLED us. As I said earlier, a guy like B.Marsh drops balls too - but he MORE THAN MAKES UP FOR IT - by making spectacular catches in every game. There is a "net gain" with having him on our roster.

Hester?

He's pathetic as a receiver both running routes AND catching the football. There IS no redeeming factor with Hester. In the end, he can't help our team, but only hurt it.

Hey, the bottom line for me is this:

1. Blockers need to be able to block.

2. Tacklers need to be able to tackle.

3. Receivers need to be able to catch a football.

I'd better just stay away from the board today. I'm not fit to be around right now.