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zn
And the players know that from 2012-15 that they had both a starting caliber qb and an intact veteran OL for a total of 15 out of 64 games. (And I am not talking about losing a lineman here or there.) And they're smart enough to know not many coaches, if any, have won under those conditions. They're also smart enough to know that no team for decades has won after moving across state lines.
I doubt the players know or factor into the equation any such thing.
The players are more apt to believe what the coaches are telling them which would be 'We can win with Foles/Keenum/etc.' Neither the players or the coaches are going to be operating with the concept that because we have few vet O'linemen, we're going to lose.
And I'm 100% certain that the players didn't consider the move an excuse to underperform because several players have point blank said that it wasn't.
All of the above is a losing mentality for a player to have. That's more of a fan, lawyer-like rationalization.
If we're talking about things that the players KNOW, it would be that they underperformed with Fisher.
We know that they know this because they actually said that. Per Snead and multiple reporters, the players were polled during the coaching search and that poll indicated their awareness of needing a coach who would increase accountability and energy and get their best out of them.