So in your estimation then, are some of the small things I'm pining for that TwistedHawk laid out worth pursuing by the team next season conditionally on player talent in the stable? If I'm reading you right, you don't have a strong leaning on what you want on offense other than a mesh with the talent we have, which I totally get and appreciate to the extent that if there's a redux of this next season I won't get too huffy if you insist "We still didn't have the talent to see the introduction or expansion of elements you enjoy".
FWIW, I didn't expect a deep playoff run - but I did expect to see a little more... intellectual fire? once we were in the playoffs. That's my bag though - I'm always going to be harder on coaches than anyone else on the team because if I was to insert myself into an NFL franchise that's probably where I'd reside and it's ultimately what I'm keen on. I am not on any 'fire' anyone bandwagon at this point and in fact, I am more fine with everything now than I was earlier in the season.
I just want these goobers to do some things I think are absolutely capable of with the team in the pursuit of making them more dynamic and less brittle. We already have some elements in hand like play action - a concept the staff itself touts as being central, now it's a matter of honing play action into more lethal concepts within the plays themselves and part of an arsenal of plays that leverage off one another. What if we ran PA on first down maybe only 25% more than we do now? That wouldn't be a giant leap into things, would it?
Why not ease into some of the stuff we aren't doing while we're at it? Maybe sluggo routes can be a bridge to actual slants? Just get the WRs and RW comfortable with the timing, angles and the breaks and then potentially leverage them into an explosive PA pass play OR as a short banger when the box is stacked. Look man, I'm just spitballballing some pretty basic stuff that I think is there for the taking. I get risk aversion and protecting weaker elements of the team like the OL by not putting the full fulcrum of a completely robust passing and fleshed out passing game on their back.
I know that the team has masters of the universe who know way more about why we do and don't do certain things who aren't even the coaches calling stuff themselves. I get it, I'm just a dude with lots of time, interest and some rudimentary tools. I know the team doesn't play for my sole delight and ego indulgence (which is why I try to refuse to make predictions - that stuff is ego indulgence if you aren't getting paid to do it). But...
I'm just impatient and the assurances that this season was almost 'not for realsies' makes me sick. Yes, even a 5 year old should give it their all if they were thrust into combat with a lion, not tell the audience "wait till I'm 6, I'll be slaying lions all day erry day". I want to believe that we won't just have a shinier version of this offense next season. I want to see wrinkles, if not a new freckle or beauty mark. Yes, RW had his best season in a lot of ways but...I'm afraid of what feels like capitulation next season. I don't want to lose a game in part because we played two injured Gs which speaks to the need for depth you mentioned, but I also don't want to lose a game in part we played two injured Gs and THEN proceed to call inside runs that hugely depended on them. I know, sometimes thems the breaks and you can't help but drown, but I hate that mentality for people playing a game.
I wish I enjoyed defensive tactics more so I could diversify my thought and not be so self indulgent with the offense. But having played mostly on the defensive side of the ball at safety and CB, I care more about technique, awareness and athleticism when I'm watching. On D Line I really love seeing stunts and coordinated moves but not even as much as I love seeing athleticism set up a play and then awesome technique bring it home. Think a DE getting super sideways and dipping around a mountain of a man - it defies the eyes that someone that's like 6'3" and 280 can twist their body, move at that speed and not lose their balance while making some hapless tackle look extra foolish in comparison. Don't worry, I do have pet ideas on how to improve the defense. Rest assured though that I haven't perfected splicing people with wild animals but I'm getting close.
Crap, you know what I realized in all of this - Pete Carroll hooked me on his team building and stellar defense that came about through his eye and tutelage but I respect offenses that make defenses look foolish by design because it feels like you're pulling one over on the other team in the most nerdy way possible and in a way that might not be easily countered by the other team. "Yeah, we might not have the talent on hand, but we know how to beat your superior defensive talent with our brains. " Yes, I love Revenge of the Nerds and that new wave song they had at the talent show was sick.
I guess what I'm getting at here is that I have a latent predisposition towards wanting to be clever on offense to defeat the exact kind of defense I want which is 11 Alligator-Shark-Men with 8 eyes and scary intense attitudes and drive. I want the answer to the problem I create for other people only to hold it over their heads and laugh.
