We have been in the bottom 5 on offense over Fisher's entire tenure, reaching new heights of ineptness this year.
Going in to this season, our D and ST's looked like playoff caliber units, and they have done nothing this year to change that impression. Keenum did not look like the QB that could get us over the hump, and he has done nothing this year to change that impression. If anything, he has cemented it.
So we needed and still need a playoff caliber QB. Although they come at a steep price, the best way to acquire one is through the draft. There are just very few proven QB's floating out there. So we paid that steep price and it was time to see if the boatload of picks we gave up for Goff were worth the bounty. Win or lose, we had to see what Goff has to offer.
Many of us were concerned when Goff was the first #1 overall QB picked since Jamarcus Russell not to take the opening snap on day 1 (Russell held out his entire training camp) especially when we put up an embarrassing goose egg opening day on national TV. Some of those fears were allayed when we won our next 3 despite uninspiring play from the QB position.
The stage was set perfectly. We were 3-1, in first place and poised to win the division. Our off season move up to get Goff was ready to reach fruition as this franchise could finally turn the corner. Combine our D, ST play with competent QB play while Goff improved as the season went on, and there was nothing that could stop us from finally making the playoffs after over a decade drought. It seemed to me the sky was the limit going forward.
Enter Fisher.
He doggedly sticks with Keenum despite being ranked 31st on offense. Despite below average QB play (and I'm being kind here), week after week and loss after loss Fisher refuses to explore whether or not Goff can provide a spark.
Every time I hear Fisher saying "Case did a good job." or "Case is not the reason we lost today." I feel like I'm living in the bizarro world. I watch the games. So do the media and they are just as flabbergasted as I am when Fisher starts off his post game pressers with: "Case will be our starter this week."
The only possible explanation is that Fisher has been assured at least another year as HC. That puts me right back in the bizarro world. There has been no coach in the modern era who was extended after 5 consecutive losing seasons. And it's not like you can point to his past accomplishments. He has only made the playoffs 6 times over a 22 year career and has demonstrated time and time again his refusal to adapt to the modern NFL.
He is literally throwing away another year as the coach of a team that hasn't made the playoffs in a dozen years. I could almost understand that if we were taking our lumps while playing a rookie QB, or if we were an expansion team, but we are not.
Fisher has had 5 full off seasons to build this team into a contender and he has failed. Rather than extending him and condoning mediocrity, Kroenke should give him the same ultimatum the other 31 HC's in this league are measured by: Either win or you're fired.
Even now, we are 4-5 and thanks to the lights out play of the aforementioned D & ST we have a shot @ the playoffs with some competent QB play. And even if we go 4-3 or worse with Goff, there is at least hope for the future.
Again, enter Fisher.
By starting Keenum this week, Fisher will confirm what has been rumored since the beginning of the season: He is going to get extended. When he does, I will go into the depths of depression. It's hard to even watch win like Sunday's. No offense and uninspired coaching. And I see no indication that any of that will change going forward under Fisher.
I can't forgive Fisher for refusing to play Goff this season while relegating me to watching a 5th consecutive string of meaningless games the entire 2nd half of the season. Hopefully, most other fans feel this way too. Enough that Stan gets the message:
FIRE FISHER!
Kevin P.
