Oh yea, before I forget...
View media item 1086340
Bouta do work yet again this year.
With no receivers, a shaky OLine and no running game to speak of? Do work? Yeah Im gonna go with probably not.
I respect the opinion; it's def. one of the more popular ones going into the season. But let's delve a little further...
No Receivers: Yes, we lost our top four WRs from last year: Smitty, LaFell, Ginn, && Hixon...don't know who let word out that we lost the Greatest Show on Turf's wideouts lol. One guy's average (if not underwhelming), one JUST got his career off life support last year, one's now retired, && the "#1" of the group even didn't crack 70 yards receiving in a single reg. season game last year...not one. Contrary to worldwide belief, we're not losing '05 Smitty here...&& as a whole, I like our pass catching unit this year more than the '13 bunch. Especially when you factor in the 2 TE sets returning (with which Cam flourished during his record setting rookie yr), && the fact that our leading receiver last year was a TE (Olsen)...&& he didn't leave.
O-Line: I'm with you this one...O-Line, particularly the LT spot is THE biggest concern for us this year. Gross will certainly be missed at LT, && Byron Bell isn't my first (or second) choice at RT, but overall, it's a young, healthy group with room to grow. Remember, we lost both of our starting guards last year to season-ending injuries, even had a D-Lineman switch sides && re-learn how to play O-Line in the midst of the season last year (Nate Chandler, likely to be our LT this year), && still just missed being in the top 10 in team rushing yds last year. Still have Kalil holding us down at center, so, while LT is a question mark at the moment, the rest of the line appears good to go.
Backs: Wait...no running game to speak of?
Must also be 21 other teams with no running game to speak of, since we were 11th on the ground last year with apparently nobody. But seriously, I'm not saying that we'll have a single 1000 yd rusher (odds are we won't), but with Williams, a healthy J. Stewart, plus Tolbert...three guys who, when healthy, have && still can carry the mail for us if need be...do we really need one? No. And that's before Cam even comes into the equation as a ballcarrier. We were 5th in TofP this past season...&& the agenda on offense hasn't changed. Now with our full stable of backs healthy, this area is a clear #2 on the 'Biggest Strengths/Least of My Concerns' list, next to the defense, of course.
I think, given the above, this is why we will see an even better version of Cam's 2013 season this year. I sure hope so...7 weeks til we find out, one way or another...
