First, some good news this morning:
Isaiah Bolden was released from the hospital.
He’s flying back with the team.
And two days of joint practices with the Titans have been cancelled.
So it’s win-win-win.
(Not much has changed for me, obviously.)
They basically hauled the wounded off the battlefield and continued the fighting, even though the game meant nothing.
Stingley never walked again.
Instead, he moved on to a new life of dignity and charity work.
And as 70,000 paying customers cheered in approval.
Sometimes everybody arrives at the same conclusion and makes the right decision.
When that happens, it deserves to be celebrated.
It was a vast improvement over the dog’s breakfast that was the Texans game.
And without a doubt it continued the upward trajectory this team has been on throughout training camp.
But the whole operation is an exercise in futility if they don’t get the offensive line sorted out.
It killed an otherwise solid drive.
That whole sequence demonstrated why they spent the first day of full pads working on goal line offense.
And I’m not convinced Bourne’s roster spot is guaranteed.
It’s worth noting that again on that one, Jones was under pressure.
So there remains much work to be done.
–One receiver who has locked up a spot though?
This Tiger doesn’t want to be fed; he wants to hunt.
–As far as the other units, defensively Christian Gonzalez had a great learning experience.
First because he played 34 snaps.
As the NBA-ification of football continues, this treatment by the officials has become the NFL’s hazing ritual.
The equivalent of making pledges drink things and sexually humiliate themselves.
Sam Roberts got the same treatment with a phantom Hands to the Face penalty.
But it’s worse for rookie 1st round corners.
Both in terms of patrolling the deep safety position and when it comes to dropping into the box.
When all the starters are back, Ju’Whaun Bentley will be sporting the green dot.
But I would totally trust Mills to have it as well.
–A D-lineman who has begun to stand out is Jeremiah Pharms.
We’ll see how it goes for him.
But just in case he pans out, I’ve got dibs on calling him Big Pharma.
–Bryce Baringer reportedly had a tough few practices against the Packers rush.
But the man can punt footballs.
That 60-plus yarder he flipped the field with hung in the air like a zeppelin.
If we don’t have a Top 5 special teams unit this season, everything I know is wrong.
The quarterbacks and receivers are on the same page.
Making the same sight reads.
Looking at coverages the same way.
The ball is coming out quickly, decisively and on target.
That alone is a triumph.
–So overall, a success.
RIP to Darryl Stingley.
Still the favorite of all jerseys I’ve ever owned.
