Losing sucks. We are obviously so much better than last year. But we still have a bunch of holes. Nobody on the defensive line is getting a pass rush. We just don't have guys that can win one on one. CBs aren't good enough to hold up on their own without the QB being pressured. Teams have learned they can pick us apart. And the defense just can't hold a lead late when it matters even if they do play well throughout the game. And then on offense, there are two big gaps. First the offensive line really struggles getting any push on short yardage plays. And although we've improved the talent at the skill positions, we still don't have a true gamebreaking threat that teams have to fear. We don't have elite players.

A few positives....

Etienne is becoming the closest thing we have to a big time gamebreaker. Early in the year he was so close to breaking some big runs and now it feels like he finally is doing so. Not sure he has the pure straightaway speed where he pulls away from defenders, which is a shame because I thought he had that. But he is becoming our most dangerous weapon on offense.

Lawrence is obviously so much better than last year. And it feels like he is getting better as the season goes on. He is more accurate with crossing passes down the field. Isn't forcing as many bad throws. Seems to have a much better command of the offense and how to manipulate defenses. The one area he still needs to work on is those down the field passes that require touch. Putting more air under the ball to drop it over the trailing defender and the guy coming in from over the top. Showing itself mostly in the redzone with those overthrows in the endzone. Figure those out and he'll be deadly.

For all the weakness that our defense has, they play really hard. And throughout the game will have stretches of really shutting a team down. They just don't seem to be able to consistently do it. And they haven't figured out how to make the one or two big plays late in games that will decide the outcome.

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