Here are my grades for last night.
STARTING OFFENSE - D
Cutler looks much better and the OL is rounding into form. That's about it for the positives. The air game was brutal... Roy Williams and Hester failed multiple times each on clutch plays, and Knox and Kellen Davis were invisible. The much ballyhooed improved ground game was nowhere in evidence. Red zone playcalling and execution were both dreadful.
SCRUB OFFENSE - C-minus
They scored a TD, which is more than the starters could do. But our 2nd-team O-Linemen wouldn't even be on a good team's roster.
STARTING DEFENSE - C-minus
Marginally improved pass rush offset by terrible coverage and bad tackling. It doesn't appear we have anyone in the D-Backfield except Tillman who can cover and nobody but Tim Jennings that can tackle. Major Wright did not look like starting material and as much as I never thought I'd say it, I think we'll be missing Danieal Manning sooner than later.
SCRUB DEFENSE - F
We are really screwed if any of our D starters go down cause these guys are awful. Can't think of a single guy on this unit who really looked like he belonged on an NFL field. Okoye, maybe. Paea and Gholston were non-factors and Conte may have athleticism but he looks totally lost out there.
SPECIAL TEAMS - D
The only thing that keeps this from being lower is the 6 points from our FG unit. Punting.... yikes. Neither of our P's have any leg, coverage was bad and the blocked punt was inexcusable. Kickoff returns were a non-factor but I lay that on the NFL rule change more than our team.
BOTTOM LINE
Lazy, sloppy and embarrassing showing by a team that appears to have lost more good players than they've gained.