Which road will we take?

[Art]

There were parts of this game that I was encouraged with. Excluding special teams, I felt the defense played with passion and generally looked like it was taking the battle to the Saints. A few blown assignments and some questionable calls were troubling, but, in all, you have to feel we're on the right path there.

Offensively Patrick Ramsey took a shot in the mouth early, played poorly on his own (two of three first quarter interceptions due to his poor play), got hit, and faced it down and turned in some really nice throws. A little spotty on the accuracy, but, in all, he looked ok, as a growth prospect, and the offense kept fighting pretty well up until the end.

In years past I think we might have just folded up shop some. That doesn't appear to be part of this team. But, after processing the post-game stuff, I have a concern about what may happen.

The up and down nature of this team may suggest we can take the Packers. I actually like our chances more than I liked this game. But, some of Spurrier's press conference remarks may not sit well with the team. He was much more pointed about some of the defensive errors than he was about some of the offensive ones. The defensive players won't want to hear a lot of that.

Spurrier stood up, as he's done each time the team has played poorly, and said it's team thing and the coaching staff didn't prepare the team well enough. But, there were some remarks I worry might set some defensive players off when you consider Spurrier's offense gave up so many turnovers.

We go into Green Bay still, really, a team with no discernable identity. A Norv Turner team would win this coming game. Norv's teams always played better when under attack than they did when successful. But, Norv's teams would lose to a team we were much better than, and Spurrier doesn't seem to have that with this team. This team looks as if it'll beat the teams we should beat.

With Marty, it was total lifeless play. We're not seeing that. We're just seeing a team that doesn't seem quite there as a team yet, in terms of putting together a whole game.

We enter the Packers game as a heavy underdog for certain. It's a game we can win. How the team responds to this continues the understanding of where we are headed in the short term and beyond. Spurrier is, I take it, going to be a little angry with the boys this week. That's good. How will some of them take it? Will they stand with him, or fight against him?

Will the defensive backs like to hear their football intelligence called into question, when he didn't really mention the offensive line? Will the defense in general like hearing about how the third down plays they gave up seemed to bother him more than the four interceptions or the Davis fumble? Spurrier didn't spread the wrath. He kind of pointed a finger.

Only two things can happen from that. The defense says, "Yeah, this is our team, and we have to just do more." Or, "Screw you buddy. Your side put us in trouble."

If we come out against the Packers and just get blown away defensively, I think you'll know which road we are going. If we come in and take it to the Pack, I think it may show that the defense is ready to start taking on a dominating personality on the team.

Or, I'm just tired .

[skinsanity56]

hey ART,your in the frozen tundra.what's the prognosis for those 5 def. starters for the packers that didn't play today????ramsey could have a good day..

[Art]

Wayne, I'm in the OTHER frozen tundra. I don't really know the Pack injury status right now.

[skinsanity56]

i'm sorry but where's the other frozen tundra ALASKA???:laugh: (I'm from canada,it's all frozen now).

[Art]

Minnesota .

[RySkins]

I think Art's in Minnesota.

I think we'll play well this week. We play better on the road and play like crap at home. Kinda sucks, especially at 79 clams a pop.