What We Now Know:
QB Don Downing
He can play! Even without Gomez in the lineup, Downing is showing he can be the guy in SLC. I'm really interested in what he does following the bye week with a healthy Gomez at WR. He started slow but he's now running the offense very nicely.
LT Brian Mancuso
6 sacks; that 10% development was not something to be ignored -- he's not started the last couple of games as my all-pro guards Hughes and Emerson have been used to shore up the protection.
He'll be back as the starter after the bye with the hope that he's added enough curr points to not suck as much
What we didn't know:
SLC can still play defense
That's right -- these youngins' are currently the #5 ranked unit -- as the offense improves, I'm hoping this defense can play with a lead for a change
My favorites thus far:
Vets
NT Harris Garrod
OLB Kirk Mahoney
CB Wayne Burgess
Rookies
SS Wayne Garrett
LCB Omar Grier
My 'Other' WRs aren't too bad
(30/39) Thomas Houston [via trade with LAW]
Plays both SE/FL; makes plays and doesn't drop passes; clear #2 once Gomez is healthy
(27/37) Quinn Lyle [via draft, 4th round, pick 2]
Playing better as Downing improves; might go to slot when Gomez returns to lineup if Rickman cools off...
(22/26) Nicky Rickman [via FA; released by NWK]
Prototypical slot guy [5'9", 192lbs] with some speed and agility [ 4.46 / 7.17 ] that can get downfield
was catching everything thrown his way prior to the game vs. the Phantoms
(48/48) TE Luke Burnett
Old man still can run and catch
* Rex suggests I start D.J. Phelps at SE and put Lyle in the slot with Houston starting but at 18/26 and ho-hum bars I'm not so keen on that just yet...Phelps has some great combine numbers -- maybe some masking going on there? Would you start him? Should I trust Rex here?
Outlook:
Downing is gaining momentum, rookies are improving, if we can get into a groove coming out of the bye (NWK on the road makes that very unlikely but... ) we can get to 7-9 or 8-8 on the year.
Regrets:

'Tweaking' my defense against VAN
Let my patience get rattled and tried to get 'cute' against VAN; gave up a whooping 41 points...
'Drafting QB Antonio Tyler while 2 stud WR were still available'
Ummmph, self shot to the sack indeed!!!
Not saying I wasn't aware of the importance of WRs -- I normally draft them high BUT I let my failures at drafting a passer cloud my vision this year
In hindsight, I may very well have hamstrung my team for years if none of the WRs I took pan-out -- and it's not like Tyler is a lock to pan out either. [shhh, no need for rabble]
I'll never do that again...
QB Don Downing
He can play! Even without Gomez in the lineup, Downing is showing he can be the guy in SLC. I'm really interested in what he does following the bye week with a healthy Gomez at WR. He started slow but he's now running the offense very nicely.
LT Brian Mancuso
6 sacks; that 10% development was not something to be ignored -- he's not started the last couple of games as my all-pro guards Hughes and Emerson have been used to shore up the protection.
He'll be back as the starter after the bye with the hope that he's added enough curr points to not suck as much
What we didn't know:
SLC can still play defense
That's right -- these youngins' are currently the #5 ranked unit -- as the offense improves, I'm hoping this defense can play with a lead for a change
My favorites thus far:
Vets
NT Harris Garrod
OLB Kirk Mahoney
CB Wayne Burgess
Rookies
SS Wayne Garrett
LCB Omar Grier
My 'Other' WRs aren't too bad
(30/39) Thomas Houston [via trade with LAW]
Plays both SE/FL; makes plays and doesn't drop passes; clear #2 once Gomez is healthy
(27/37) Quinn Lyle [via draft, 4th round, pick 2]
Playing better as Downing improves; might go to slot when Gomez returns to lineup if Rickman cools off...
(22/26) Nicky Rickman [via FA; released by NWK]
Prototypical slot guy [5'9", 192lbs] with some speed and agility [ 4.46 / 7.17 ] that can get downfield
was catching everything thrown his way prior to the game vs. the Phantoms
(48/48) TE Luke Burnett
Old man still can run and catch
* Rex suggests I start D.J. Phelps at SE and put Lyle in the slot with Houston starting but at 18/26 and ho-hum bars I'm not so keen on that just yet...Phelps has some great combine numbers -- maybe some masking going on there? Would you start him? Should I trust Rex here?
Outlook:
Downing is gaining momentum, rookies are improving, if we can get into a groove coming out of the bye (NWK on the road makes that very unlikely but... ) we can get to 7-9 or 8-8 on the year.
Regrets:

'Tweaking' my defense against VAN
Let my patience get rattled and tried to get 'cute' against VAN; gave up a whooping 41 points...
'Drafting QB Antonio Tyler while 2 stud WR were still available'
Ummmph, self shot to the sack indeed!!!
Not saying I wasn't aware of the importance of WRs -- I normally draft them high BUT I let my failures at drafting a passer cloud my vision this year
In hindsight, I may very well have hamstrung my team for years if none of the WRs I took pan-out -- and it's not like Tyler is a lock to pan out either. [shhh, no need for rabble]
I'll never do that again...

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