First off, I have to say that I have really enjoyed the discussion on this board of late. Debate about Henne and the plan for the off season are very interesting and there has been some good insight on those things. Also, the talk has been civil for the most part. So, thanks for all that.

Now, I pose the question of:

Is the regression of the offense due to the poor performance (regression) of Henne?

OR

Is the regression of the offense due to poor offensive line play, poor coaching and play calling (Henning), and the regression of Ronnie and Ricky (although to a lesser extent of late). So basically, the lack of a run game and lack of protection?

Most likely it is a combination of these factors.

I think that depending on which of these factors the GM and coaches identify to be the most responsible for the lack of offensive production will determine the priorities going into the off season in terms of upgrading personnel.

It's definitely a team game!

Henne has not lived up to full expectations but has lived up enough to earn the starting job for next year barring a trade for a Vick or a trade up for a really high draft pick where we take a highly touted QB to groom.

Ricky and Ronnie have definitely not been as dominant as they have been in the past but I would give them 1 more year each, I don't expect them to run like Adrian Peterson but they each deserve another year to be effective.
They have been great for this team, I really like these guys!

Injuries hurt us a bit this year Odrick especially as he could have used the experience this year, Long might not be fully healthy and others as well, not to make excuses as all teams go through injuries but just saying.

Dan Henning needs to be fired ASAP!!!! I don't hate the guy I just think like many other fans of this team that he is a tad out of touch with the offensive play calling in today's game, WAYYYYYYYYYY to conservative way way way to conservative.

Love Sparano as the coach and love Nolan as the DC.

Ireland has done nothing to earn a firing, hoping next year is the year we take a huge step in becoming a superbowl contender!

I agree that Henne will be on the roster and possibly the starting day QB but only if we are not in position to draft a QB and I strongly disagree with trading up, we don't have much to bargain with and we need picks to address other issues as well.

No "sure thing" exists in the FA market or via trade. Palmer is garbage and wasting picks to provide him with a "fresh start" for a 32 year old QB on the slide is not smart. Vick will almost definitely be locked up long term by Philly but Kolb will be available via trade.

So I'm gonna play out the off season starting with the addition of Kolb.

Say that the FO decides Henne cannot be the man and they trade for Kolb. It will take a 2nd and 4th. So they trade their 1st and acquire an early 2nd and mid 2nd. Then they pull the trigger and trade for Kolb.

Then they sign Mankins or Carl Nicks (NO) to upgrade the O-line. Getting a couple guys from IR to help with depth. This vastly improves the O-line. Plus a healthy Carey and Long.

So with the 2nd rounder, they draft a RB and resign Ricky or Ronnie letting the other one walk. (Also, keep in mind that DeAngelo Williams might hit the FA market this off season and the underrated Michael Bush from Oakland could as well)

Then in the 3rd round they draft either a pass catching TE or a speed WR. Also, could draft a G/C if they really like one of them.

For the defense pray that Nolan stays and resign McDaniels and Soliai.

Rest of picks used on Best Available G/C or WR or TE depending on how the 3rd rounder was used.

Should sign fairly cheap FAs for whatever they could not address in draft at WR or TE or G/C.

Fire Henning and hire someone with that will run a similar offense but be more aggressive and that has some history of successfully grooming young QBs.

This would put Kolb and Henne competing at QB. Hopefully one of them turns into a top ten QB. Also, injects fresh legs at RB. Greatly improves O-line. Adds WRs and TEs with hope that some will find a productive role in the new offense. Adds a new OC for a much needed change.

It hinges on the RB drafted, he would have to make an impact immediately. Also, a top G/C could be pretty expensive considering last off season plus Wake is due for a new deal. Also, Kolb only has one year left on his deal so if they will have to sign him to make it worth the 2nd and 4th spent on him.

I think this could work, what do you guys think?



Edited 4 time(s). Last edit at 12/15/2010 10:19PM by dolphin1423.

It all starts with the running game. If we can't run the ball, the entire offensive scheme short circuits.

you put pennington circa 2008 regular season on this team and the offense is much much better. poor play (call it regression if you want) by the QB leads to poor play by the offense. it's really simple.

berkeley223 Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> you put pennington circa 2008 regular season on
> this team and the offense is much much better.
> poor play (call it regression if you want) by the
> QB leads to poor play by the offense. it's really
> simple.

I disagree. Our Oline was much stronger with Smiley as the leader, and Ronnie/Ricky were running much better in '08 than they are now. We also had 2 good TEs (Fasano AND Martin). This year we only have 1. Penny on our team now would look like Penny at the beginning of '09.

Not bad ideas actually. I do think the OL should be top priority. I do like bring in Kolb even though some here think he stinks. Those assumptions arn't justified IMO.

I think its the whole offense. Ronnie Brown is a hot pink shell of his former self. I don't see a whole lot of drop off with Ricky

I definitely think it's a combo of the two, but if I were to compare the Henne regression vs. everything else, I would say the 'everything else' is cumulatively the worse offender.

Although I am in favor of viable competition with Henne for starting QB, I am inclined to believe that it might actually be easier to fix the 'everything else' than to somehow miraculously ensure we have one of the top 10 QBs going into next year. I think the biggest problems among the 'everything else' are:
- OC/offensive philosophy/playcalling
- interior OL
- overall health
- RB
I think all of them can justifiably be fixed by the start of the 2011 season.

tsstamper Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I definitely think it's a combo of the two, but if
> I were to compare the Henne regression vs.
> everything else, I would say the 'everything else'
> is cumulatively the worse offender.
>
> Although I am in favor of viable competition with
> Henne for starting QB, I am inclined to believe
> that it might actually be easier to fix the
> 'everything else' than to somehow miraculously
> ensure we have one of the top 10 QBs going into
> next year. I think the biggest problems among the
> 'everything else' are:
> - OC/offensive philosophy/playcalling
> - interior OL
> - overall health
> - RB
> I think all of them can justifiably be fixed by
> the start of the 2011 season.

Excellent observations and excellent points.

NO KOLB! at least not for what it would take to get him here!! some team is going to be suckered into giving a 1st rounder, or a 2d and more---it better not be us!!!

i would say no 1st rounder for sure but, personally, I wouldn't mind giving up a 2nd for him. he has looked good in all his starts except the game he got a concussion in.

NO WAY!! Philly suckered us once for a 2nd round pick for a QB, and what did we get? A guy who screamed in pain after a teammate smacked him on the butt after a Touchdown

Nobody's mentioning Jon Kitna. I know he's old but he's having a really good year. He may be available next year and could possibly be a temporary fix to push Henne or give us more time to find a suitable FA or young prospect without having to sell the farm to get him.

ok ok, i understand your skepticism and i don't want this to turn into a Kevin Kolb debate.

There are not many options available to get a real upgrade at QB and I prefer Kolb over Palmer, Orton, and trading away our draft to get a high draft pick so we can nab a franchise QB (unless its somehow Luck or to a lesser extent Newton). I absolutely do not want Locker and I would only want Mallet if he fell to us.

Like a few others posted above, if we cannot get a QB without giving up the rest of our draft or overspending then I would be in favor of spending picks and money in getting an improved interior Oline, new RB, and one or two new and explosive TEs. Possibly a WR with some speed too.

don't mind the kitna idea but only for one season to push Henne. In that situation Henne would still be the starter with Kitna as insurance if Henne plays poorly. Not bad if we can't find anyone made of franchise QB material.