Quote:

Animalman said:
You make it sound like the Lions are making a conscious effort not to play for Harrington. I don't think it works like that.



I don't know about conscious. But there is no second effort by anyone out there. And that says a lot about something. Some people say it's the quarterback, some say it's the coach. I only know what happened in New England. The same team that didn't play for Bledsoe won it all for Brady.

Quote:

Animalman said:
The Lion's offensive line is pretty bad. That much was evident from the preseason games. At the same time, however, Joey Harrington has more than enough weapons to overcome poor blocking. I've tried to give him the benefit of the doubt(he seems like a nice kid and he was a winner in college), but if he can't put up points with the amount of talent he has at the skill positions...well, something's wrong.



Harrington played an aweful game, there is no question about it. Most of his passes were short. He unloaded the ball too quickly too many times. He unloaded the ball for interceptions when he should have taken the sack. Simply put, he played like crap, and it showed. But when he did get it right, his recievers didn't put in the extra effort to make the plays. That showed too.

The offensive line hasn't jelled, and that is killing Harrington, who is a lousy scrambler, not that he should have scramble on every play. Still, I think the offensive line, like his recievers, is lacking faith in his ability to lead this team. I think it's very evident, and has been for some time. I watched Harrington very closely this last game. I have a regular discussion with a friend who is a Pats fan (he's from Boston). He keeps telling me that the difference between Harrington and Brady is that Brady waits to make the play. Brady will take the hit to make the play. Brady is not afraid to make the play. Harrington, on the other hand, just unloads the ball, often too soon, and it costs him. How many times does he just toss it up in one of those wabbly short three yard passes to Jones or someone else right there, only to watch the guy get taken down just after he himself has been hit. It happens too much. It shouldn't happen at all.

The fact is, Harrington pannicks under pressure. How can a team respect that?

There is another problem with this team. Mooch wants to coach the west coast offense. The problem is, this team isn't built for it. This team is built to send the ball down field on long passes. It's not built to run. Maybe if the offensive line knew that it only had to make a wall and not a hole, maybe then they would keep the pressure off and allow Harrington to hit his recievers thirty yards down the field. The system being coached doesn't fit the players on the team. That also shows.

My opinion? For the next game bench Harrington and see if the rookie can play Mooch's system any better. If not, fire Mooch, and bring in someone who can inspire this team and coach to play the style of football it was drafted to play. Enough is enough already.

Quote:

Animalman said:
P.S-I'd take Manning over Brady. Both great quarterbacks, though.



Did you see that playoff game last year between New England and Indianapolis? That wasn't a game, that was a massacre. It was clear that the Colts' defense wasn't good enough. But how do you explain Manning's performance? He's the best regular season quarterback of all time, but he has yet to show that something special that makes Brady a champion.

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