GimmedaBall
Hall of Famer
- Joined
- Dec 2, 2013
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Too many Card fans are shaking in their recliner chairs (and/or soiling their udies) at the thought of playing against one of the toughest schedules in the league. So much for the Parity effort to give a team with a lousy record the previous year a break the next year by being given a schedule including their fellow ‘losers.’ By the fickle finger of fate, we get our Division and a rotation among other tough teams.
Right now, that ‘tough’ schedule is based on what teams did last year. Of course, we have to take it into account—but here is where we get the Parity Break. The league falls back to Parity; Teams circle back to Parity. Take our own Division—if teams are minus just ONE player they will struggle to hit the .500 level that Card fans would Love to see for themselves.
Take bad-back Stafford from the Rams. Do they start Simpson or, if he stays active, Jimmy Garp?
Take aging and over-used RB MCC from the 49ers. He has been their one-man salvation through their own injury disaster and roster turmoil during his 49er tenure.
Take Sam Darnold from the Seahags. He performed above expectations but now his game and how to defend him are available to the rest of the league. He used up his career-quota of lucky breaks last year.
That ‘Minus One’ effect was evident last year when a single player went down and ruined a team’s chances—consider Parsons and LMJ and what happened to their respective teams.
Also, realize the teams in our Division have to play one-another twice a year. We can survive our Division if we split within our Division. Look for the Division to return to Parity with all four teams at .500 within the Division.
In our progression with MO as GM, we went from 4 wins to 8 wins to the 3 win disaster last year. I see those historic IR totals as the Reason we stumbled so badly. In our 8-win 2024, we beat some of the SAME teams that now have fans wringing their hands in chicken-schidt and monster-under-the-bed terror.
Here’s that 8 win 2024 season. Check out who we beat then---and will beat this year:
We have a new HC who is very familiar with our Division, having played against teams and also coming from the Rams (unlike JG who came from outside our Division). We have continued to add talent and will get some injured guys back and on the field. Our run game—that lead the way in 2024 has improved talent-wise. Our D is getting guys back and all the young players who were forced into starting roles last year have some hard-earned experiece as starters. There is continuity with the D and DC Rallis. The huge Diva in the middle of everything is no longer sucking the oxygen out of the stadium and the entire team can forge their own identity and culture going forward.
The one big 'If' is at the QB position. I'm expecting JB to provide the game management of the O and a healthier D to respond and make the necessary vital stops.
A 9-win season is the bare minimum expectation. We ain’t afraid of no ghosts.
Right now, that ‘tough’ schedule is based on what teams did last year. Of course, we have to take it into account—but here is where we get the Parity Break. The league falls back to Parity; Teams circle back to Parity. Take our own Division—if teams are minus just ONE player they will struggle to hit the .500 level that Card fans would Love to see for themselves.
Take bad-back Stafford from the Rams. Do they start Simpson or, if he stays active, Jimmy Garp?
Take aging and over-used RB MCC from the 49ers. He has been their one-man salvation through their own injury disaster and roster turmoil during his 49er tenure.
Take Sam Darnold from the Seahags. He performed above expectations but now his game and how to defend him are available to the rest of the league. He used up his career-quota of lucky breaks last year.
That ‘Minus One’ effect was evident last year when a single player went down and ruined a team’s chances—consider Parsons and LMJ and what happened to their respective teams.
Also, realize the teams in our Division have to play one-another twice a year. We can survive our Division if we split within our Division. Look for the Division to return to Parity with all four teams at .500 within the Division.
In our progression with MO as GM, we went from 4 wins to 8 wins to the 3 win disaster last year. I see those historic IR totals as the Reason we stumbled so badly. In our 8-win 2024, we beat some of the SAME teams that now have fans wringing their hands in chicken-schidt and monster-under-the-bed terror.
Here’s that 8 win 2024 season. Check out who we beat then---and will beat this year:
We have a new HC who is very familiar with our Division, having played against teams and also coming from the Rams (unlike JG who came from outside our Division). We have continued to add talent and will get some injured guys back and on the field. Our run game—that lead the way in 2024 has improved talent-wise. Our D is getting guys back and all the young players who were forced into starting roles last year have some hard-earned experiece as starters. There is continuity with the D and DC Rallis. The huge Diva in the middle of everything is no longer sucking the oxygen out of the stadium and the entire team can forge their own identity and culture going forward.
The one big 'If' is at the QB position. I'm expecting JB to provide the game management of the O and a healthier D to respond and make the necessary vital stops.
A 9-win season is the bare minimum expectation. We ain’t afraid of no ghosts.
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