I would have never guessed this transformational coach would have missed the playoffs in one of the shitiest divisions in football. That's on me.
Just to play Devil's Advocate. Transformations can be both bad and good. In the case of Bowles, it is bad.
Very bad.
But as for Bowles, it will be how this team responds to familiar test:
it's not like we haven't seen 3-1 starts by this same team/coach be squandered before by losing streaks the last 2 seasons only to end up with mediocre 9,10 win seasons
TEST 1 - Can they win a toss up game in prime time? THIS WEEK against Houston. YES
TEST 2- The next test would be week 3, can they win a game they ultimately should easily win and not have a let down game. YES but it was close . . maybe the first sign of problems?
TEST 3 -then, the next test would be weeks 4 through 7 where we face all tough opponents in Philly, Seattle, San Fran, and Detroit. Can we at least go 2-2 in that span or do we see another losing streak YES they went 2-2
TEST 4 - would be how we measure up against a team like Buffalo in Buffalo. YES/NO, came up short but were in it BUJT this was the beginning of the end
TEST 5 - and the final regular season test would be one we passed the last 2 years, can we win the games we should win in the final 6 games (ARZ, NO, ATL, CAR X2, MIA); at least 5-1 in that span but should be 6-0. NO . . . OUCH . . total collapse
this was a great post then and its great to look back at it now
absolute insanity that the test we all thought they would pass was the one they flunked badly....