Partly Doomy, With A Chance Of Gloom.

Still in a daze Monday morning, I predicted that we could still quite easily advance to the playoffs and even win a game in the heavily diluted AFC. Wow, you ever been so hungover that you're are obviously still drunk, because that was me. I actually forced myself to take a good, long look at the second half schedule (for some reaon the only schedule magnets on my fridge right now are for the 2004 and 2006 seasons. Happier regular season days, I suppose). What I saw did little to lift my spirits. In the second half we play six games against teams who have .500 or better records at this point in the season. Thus far, we are 0-4 against such opponents through our first eight games. Luis Castillo is gone for 6 weeks and it's pretty obvious he is missed in the run-stopping department. Our offense appears to be dead in the water and completely defenseless against the blitz up the middle as long as Hardwick is out. The only reason Adrian Peterson was able to run for league record 296 yards is that our offense was unable to take advantage of any opportunities that were handed to them. Exceptional field coverage in the first half? Squandered. Two "what should have been critical" fumbles in the second half? Squandered. I still believe Rivers can be the future at QB for this franchise , but when he's bad, he's terrible, and at some point you must pull him and try to light a spark. Turner will never do that. Of course, neither would have Schottenheimer so shut the fuck up before you even say it. I guess we know the answer to the big question now? Druther get run out of the playoffs in the first round or not even make it. At this point most of us are pretty much praying for the opportunity to get exposed again in an extra game. We could be lucky to go 6-10 at this point, and let me assure you that no one will be calling us the best team to miss the playoffs this year. Who'd of guessed we'd go from 14-2 and the best team on paper to this?