I expect the following:
1. Wideouts to run a six yard route if that's the call. Exactly six yards. No more rounded routes or pulling up short of assignment and us ending up with a 4th and 1 because the wideout is too stupid to do his job. This is a hallmark of Jay Gruden offenses through his time in Cincinnati and Washington, where even intermediate and deep routes are run EXACTLY as drawn up without guys pulling up and quitting on them, and no doubt McVay is going to get that BS fixed quick-like and in a hurry.
2. An offense with downfield passing game built off of play action just like we saw with the Skins. Integrated concepts working together from the schematic level. LBs and Safeties vs our offense are going to have to spend a second diagnosing.
3. A run game that reminds people of the RB the NFL forgot last year. Gurley should have a rebound year.
4. Defensively a more challenging, in-your-face approach on the back end, with safeties over the top. I have always loved Wade's defenses, and while we might not have a top 5 unit this year they're going to be disciplined and we will have a unit we can be proud of.
How many wins comes down to how quickly Goff arrives. If he has a strong camp this team will be at that pushing-for-the-playoffs type of range, the 7-9 to 9-7 type of record. My overall expectation is a smart, competitive team that might not have all the pieces yet but which will not be out-gameplanned week to week. That's it.
Very much this.
For me, big things to see would be our team playing disciplined football on both sides of the ball, and on offense showing the desire on routes, blocking assignments, etc.
The other big change I expect to see is that the offense will be coordinated, less predictable, and designed from the ground up to be a cohesive, adaptive system that puts players in position to know what is needed from them, and to execute at all times. I believe that's been a big problem, especially since schotty left, and we had more and more talk of hybridizing our offense and o-line function.
I expect our defense to be at least middle-of-the-pack, as they adjust to a new system and finding/developing the right personnel.
I won't put a win-loss up there. I just need to see progress and vision, along with a team that buys in and sells out. I do believe wins will come with that, but if it takes a couple years to get the right personnel and the right attitude and comfort-level installed, that is understandable, and to be expected. See how much fire Jay Gruden was under in Washington after 1 year. While we would all love to see instant results, it's not McVay's fault he's taking over a franchise that's failed to get over the hump repeatedly, and he deserves patience, provided his team shows progress and heart.
