OK, who Now?

[Seahawk Sal]

heh! usually after a few celebratory, or in this case, singin the NFL Playoff loser blues brewski's I do speak my mind, for better or worse...

Dammit, it's gonna be a long off season.

[Hoosier Daddy]

Hey Rear, put it up yours, maybe you predicted that but you were 31 seconds from being really really wrong!

Don't bet against this team b/c every time someone bet against the Hawks this year they lost. Las Vegas had the spread at 2.5 but the Falcoons didn't cover.
The five year plan is closing in on success after just 3 seasons. Remember this, only 27 (the actual number is 26 but 27 gives us the W) measly points separated this team from winning every freaking game this last season.

A pass rush, a #1 WR, and an improved OLine and and suddenly this team won't be on the outside looking in.

Ultimately I'm really disappointed in the last 31 seconds of this season and not much more.

Give me Baltimore and Ray Ray, give me Atl. and Tony G. And let the NFL fix the game however they want. Next year I want the fix.

I've read two different articles that have us in the top 5 for available money in free agency in 2013 and with what I've seen this Management team do with less it makese me very excited. I also believe with Flynn and currently more draft picks than rounds in '13 we're in a solid power position with assets.

As far as needs:

I'm with you on pass rush. We were inconsistent even with a healthy Clem and Irvin and now Clem is in question to start the season on time. The fact that this would be priority without an injury and now Clem is on the wrong side of 30 coming back from an ACL tear this now becomes a huge priority.

Also, mostly with you on WR but would take a legit #2 WR. When I say legit I don't mean a 2/3 like a Tate I mean a legit #2 that could be argued into a #1 with some loose parameters (like Rice). Would love someone with some height/size that could get deep but know that doesn't grow on trees. G. Jennings, Bowe and M. Wallace are free agents that are not likely to be franchised and would fit the bill. Jennings and Wallace especially are better at getting deep than Bowe but Bowe is physical with an amazing catching radius even if his attitude might be the worst of the three. Welker is also on the market but isn't what we should be looking for. Draft wise I like 3 or 4 guys that could be taken late in round 1. WR are slower to develop so maybe much can't be expected in 2013 but it would be nice to get a talented kid to grow up with Wilson.

I feel in the minority here but I really don't like Browner and see teams consistently attacking Browner and Kam in the pass game successfully. The guys been a steal based on how we landed him but he's not a great cover CB. He's light years from Sherman in coverage or ball skills and definitely has limited instincts/awareness.

Guard also has to be aggressively approached with the mind set of getting an above average free agent. Sweezy is a PS player at best, McQuistan is a backup and Moffitt has been a major disappointment. I really like Carpenter's potential at guard but he's on his way to being Marcus Tubbs like injury prone. We need to get one above average guard signed (not drafted) and then throw Carp, McQuistan, Sweezy, and Moffitt fighting for the other side with the 2nd best being a decent backup.

With the cap space and using our 1st round pick with the expectation it will fill one of these holes there's no reason we can't attack all of these and then have the rest of the draft for depth or BPA.

[HawksFanNorth]

It will be interesting this offseason. There look to be a few receivers potentially available on the free agent market and it might be a good idea to look at who or what we could get for Matt Flynn and draft another QB to develop behind Wilson. In a perfect world we trade Flynn for Fitz so he can get a shot at a ring with us.

[Hawkdawg]

Pats all the way.

[Seahawk Sal]

[QUOTE=Hoosier Daddy;6029610]


I feel in the minority here but I really don't like Browner and see teams consistently attacking Browner and Kam in the pass game successfully. The guys been a steal based on how we landed him but he's not a great cover CB. He's light years from Sherman in coverage or ball skills and definitely has limited instincts/awareness.

QUOTE]

NO, I agree, Browner is not the best cover CB, but he is an all round effective CB and gets the job done.

Again, he could be upgraded, but it would take a lot more than your run of the mill CB to do it IMO.

[flyerhawk]

Browner is better than most #2 CBs in football. The fact that he isn't as good as arguably the best corner in football shouldn't surprise anyone.

We need a pass rush. Our corners will get a lot better if we establish a real pass rush.

[Seahawk Sal]

Yeah, a better Pass Rush wouldn't hurt, no doubt about that.

but I'll tell you this, after watching the team grow and perform better and more consistently every week this year...

I would still be thrilled and excited as heck at the prospects and possibilities if the Hawks went into the next NFL season with the same roster as they finished this year, except with one more year of maturity, experience and memories of how close they came.

I think, speculate, but am pretty damn sure, being an old war horse athlete myself, that they are pissed because they KNOW they were the best team, and BS circumstances conspired against them.

Of course they'll never admit it, but trust me, they're thinking that. Anyone who's got to college sports or varsity HS sports knows they're thinking that.