Coaching question
 

Haslett has said that Brooks' play didn't falter during the end of the season collapse any more than the rest of the team's did. I have a couple of questions:

1. Could our blocking have looked worse, but not been worse? (i.e. was McCarthy so damn predictable that every defensive coordinator in the league knew what to call and when? I mean, other coaches and even players said that they knew Brooks didn't have the arm strength to throw deep or to the outside. That means pack the middle and bring your safeties up. It's hard to run on that, and hard to pass block against constant blitzes - which most teams do when they know that they aren't likely to get beat deep)

2. Why did the players seem to give up? Defensively, you have to think that they were tired from constantly getting gashed all season. I wonder if the players gave up on Venturi's system. If so, give me one reason to believe they'll buy in next year. Offensively I'm at a loss. The only thing I can think of is that the players must have given up on Brooks. Recievers didn't want to get killed diving for his errant passes...

Does anyone have any ideas? Players buying into a system and feeling confident with their teammates may be the most important and most overlooked part of success in the NFL. If these guys really don't believe in Venturi's system or Brooks' abilities, then they both have to go. Otherwise you'll never be successful with them.