[CBFF] Rex

[Robert Mingee]

> Rex was pedestrian as were our receivers.

While I would have liked to see fewer sacks (90% of it was poor protection, but clearly Rex could have done better at avoiding the pressure by stepping up, as all the announcers were saying), and I think my head would have exploded if I'd had to see Rex overthrow the sideline route to an open Berrian one more time (what was it -- at least 3 times?), the bottom line is the offense played well enough to win on most days.  If Hester catches that pass, the momentum would have swung so far in our direction that we would have won, IMHO.  And that's just the type of rookie mistake you have to deal with when playing Hester at receiver.  If anyone feels that Rex is the reason for this loss (and no one has yet come out and said that, I don't think), they really need to question their objectivity.  He was far from perfect, for the reasons noted above, but he played well enoguh to win.  I need to see more games like this before I can feel comfortable seeing them try
 to sign him beyond this year, unless the contract is loaded with incentives, and I think we will.

> Garza had 
> his head up his bum on the swing to Peterson. Instead of getting out to 
> block he turned to watch the catch unfold. Then he was too late to get out 
> and hit his man who brought AP down.

That certainly sucked, but I'm almost 100% positive that was Metcalf, not Garza.  I even ran it back to make sure I caught the number (60).  So, Fred Miller has an "ankle sprain", huh? :-)  At least we're getting some different faces in there to evaluate.

> But what burns me is the play calling by Turner in the second half.
> The prevent offense, now playing at a stadium near you.

Yep, I am so done defending him.  This season has brought back so many painful memories of the bad years during his tenure at Illinois (which wasn't all of them, but when they were bad, they were awful).  The prevent offense has seemingly been the hallmark of his career, particularly his maddening insistence on throwing short of the chains and forcing the receiver to pick up the necessary yards, even when he's wrapped up as soon as the ball arrives.  At least the unleashed the hounds a little today, unlike some games, but as you say, they went conservative when they couldn't afford to.  And where was Olsen in this game?

> Fire Turner.

If we miss the playoffs, which seems a foregone conclusion, I think that's a given...

-- robert