Sorry Fellas. Mike McCoy is not the guy.

[QSmokey]

Even if we onside and don't get it we still have the oppurtunity to make a defensive stop and get the ball back.

But they get the ball on our side of midfield, more than likely. We would have had to have stopped them THREE times, allowing almost no yardage (remember...Prater has a 64-yarder to his credit). Even if we did (which is highly unlikely, IMO), you force them to punt, and we get the ball - at best - at the 20.

A case - a good case - can be made for either strategy, I suppose. But I'm SURE that people would have been complaining about a failed onsides kick that resulted in a game-ending FG with time left on the clock. There is no 'correct' decision if it fails.

[Guest]

The loss knocked me off our magic carpet, and unless we have a stellar offseason I see 8-8 next year being a real possibility. The GM and coaches need to have another stellar offseason, might be time to get another defensive coordinator too.

[oneinchpunch]

Even if we onside and don't get it we still have the oppurtunity to make a defensive stop and get the ball back.

I dont see that as a bad decision either way. You take a chance with both.

The first 3 quarter on the otherhand.

[TABF]

The loss knocked me off our magic carpet, and unless we have a stellar offseason I see 8-8 next year being a real possibility. The GM and coaches need to have another stellar offseason, might be time to get another defensive coordinator too.

I'll bite. I, however have no idea how our current FA, RFA scheme sits. Barring we keep most of what we have, here is how I see it.

First we made it 2 rounds into the playoffs in a serious rebuilding season with a team that got very minimal breaks as it applies to injuries, luck or merely a ball bouncing our way. We earned all we got.

OFFENSE: Our scheme will remain the same with or without Wiz. Reich will most likely be our OC. Rivers is still young, RM24 had a breakout season, Woody is a fantastic 3rd down back. I like our tackles and I predict healthy competition for the 2 OG positions. Our WR crew is going to be dynamite, and Gates is still a force and Green is just about ready to take over the reigns at TE.

OFFENSIVE CHANGES NEEDED: starting OG, OL depth and completion, TE depth.

DEFENSE: get us a NT, 1 OLB and a CB that can produce right away and were okay IMO.

[QSmokey]

The loss knocked me off our magic carpet, and unless we have a stellar offseason I see 8-8 next year being a real possibility. The GM and coaches need to have another stellar offseason, might be time to get another defensive coordinator too.

Solid offseason- with a new offensive coordinator - and some luck. I'm on the fence about Pagano. The team needs more defensive talent, IMO. More talent, period.

I put my magic carpet in dry dock back in May, 2013. It's still there. Honestly, the best 4 teams are in the championship games. For us to make the Final Eight was pretty amazing.

[BlazingBolt]

Too conservative.

Hopefully he learns from it

It's surprising being to conservative cost us. Never expected that form McCoy.

[Bolt-O]

It's surprising being to conservative cost us. Never expected that form McCoy.

He's a John Fox disciple. Foxy's along for the ride with Manning, and if you look at it from the other viewpoint, they took the foot off the gas in the 4th quarter, and left points on the board.

The challenge in the off-season for McCoy is to make the offense more dynamic, while retaining the high percentage possession play they changed to this season. Improved OL play will help a lot, but that's a conservative approach. As long as PR is kept upright, he'll play for another 5 yrs at a high level.

[richpjr]

He's a John Fox disciple. Foxy's along for the ride with Manning, and if you look at it from the other viewpoint, they took the foot off the gas in the 4th quarter, and left points on the board.

The challenge in the off-season for McCoy is to make the offense more dynamic, while retaining the high percentage possession play they changed to this season. Improved OL play will help a lot, but that's a conservative approach. As long as PR is kept upright, he'll play for another 5 yrs at a high level.

If we improve the OL, add some speed at WR and a legitimate between the tackles RB to spell RM, our offense could be scary good.

[RobH]

The loss knocked me off our magic carpet, and unless we have a stellar offseason I see 8-8 next year being a real possibility. The GM and coaches need to have another stellar offseason, might be time to get another defensive coordinator too.

Go back and look at the teams we beat all season. We had an amazing record against winning teams. The teams we lost to were the ones that were frustrating. If we have a solid offseason, some coaching up of our young guys and open up the offense a bit more when the running game isn't working, and we'll have more wins than this year, guaranteed.

I have a very bright vision of our future. I really like the way the coaching staff prepared this team from the very first practice in OTCs.

[TTK]

Not going for the second onside kick was the right call IMO. The odds of hitting two in a row have to be unbelievably low. I don't remember ever seeing it happen. And the decision to kick it would have worked out if Bird doesn't fall asleep on 3rd and 17. If the onside kick fails and they get into FG range, the game is over.

I will blame McCoy/Whiz for sticking with the conservative playcalling for as long as he did though. If only they would have opened it up after halftime, who knows what would have happened.

[Panama]

I guess not everyone has a sense of humor, as well. My bad.

Not sure what you mean by "sense of humor" -- is this some sort of New Age-y thing?

[RobH]

Not sure what you mean by "sense of humor" -- is this some sort of New Age-y thing?

Nah, if it's about Q, it's an old-agey thing. Unfortunately, I'm not far behind him.