Finally, there is Hope

Yeah, I liked that I saw a lot of good things out of young players. McCarthy needs to learn how to deal with NFL blitzes, but I think that's a coaching thing.

And um... the one thing most exciting and conspicuously absent from this thread... Reichard... Not that I ever want to be counting on a kicker hitting a 61 yard game winner, but if that curse can be lifted...

If we look for a negative, we can usually find one. ....
"But that good news from the game is not good enough! I expect perfection from Darnold and the first team Offense!"

During Optimism Season, do we really need to be so negative and look backward with skepticism?

Obviously, no one expects perfection on the first drive of preseason - a drive that did not include JJ - Jets or Aaron Jones. Points would have been great, but to say the drive was a continuation of what this offense did all year last year is not true. It was only one drive. We'll see whether this Offense sputters or not with its newcomers: Darnold, Jones, Brandel, Nailor...

Darnold could lose his confidence and regress, but I think he will be better than previously because he has better weapons and he has worked on his game - i.e. the deep ball. Whoever is QB, I think Defenses will have to respect deep passes. That respect will make the running game more effective and open the shallow and intermediate routes. Even with KO as an imperfect play-caller, this Offense will be explosive.

Never really lost hope, since KOC/KAM took over, until Kirko went down last year. Despite the brief surge with our improbable backup, the team didn't feel as "together", anymore...and against SF, against GB (right up to the injury), we looked like we could've been a contender for the NFC spot in the show.

Now...I still have hope, but I want to see this version of the team in real games.

And then the hope took a knee

Honestly “slow and steady” doesn’t work in the NFL. Injuries, contracts, strength of opponents rosters all align to dictate how much success a team has. If McCarthy has the ability to be a top 3 QB in this league he is going to be able to do it soon. And he is on his rookie contract so every year is vital to the roster while he is cheap money. Once he establishes himself as an elite, top tier QB who can consistently get us in SB contention like Mahomes then either his price tag goes up significantly or the team has to start pushing big chunks of his salary to future years like they did with Kirk and then fans will complain he is paid too much.

Play him right away and start winning some SBs

There was one return when it appeared the returner had the sideline to himself and then Cine covered a lot of ground and snuffed it out.  It was impressive. He also looked in the best physical condition  since he's been here.   And it appeared like he knew what he was doing...

But I don't think a lot people want that to be true. i think they would rather  continue to be aggrieved by 2022 draft, when kwesi did wrong by them