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I remain haunted by the fact we lost to Denver the way we did in a PLAYOFF GAME, no less. Five turnovers for a BB-coached team is rare enough, but ending the season that way with so much at stake still seems incomprehensible to me. I'm left to wonder: Was this just a random string of unfortunate events, or was there an underlying factor (or factors) at work? Lack of focus, perhaps? Poor fundamental play? The former would speak to lack of preparation, which just doesn't seem possible with this veteran team and coaching staff. The latter MIGHT apply in four of the turnovers, in my opinion, but you'd think the players would be especially mindful of protecting the football in a playoff game. Suffice to say that the turnovers, much moreso than the questionable officiating, gave Denver the points to win that game.
A closer look, one by one:
* Faulk's fumble. Kevin Faulk has a history of putting the ball on the ground at crucial times. Was he protecting the ball as he should have? I don't know. But it didn't look like an exceptional hit that popped the ball loose, he just lost it getting banged around in traffic. What would have prevented this? Not having him carrying the ball altogether. I don't recall the down-and-distance situation with that carry. Is it fair to speculate that if the more sure-handed Corey Dillon was healthier, he might've been in there? Should BB have considered and compensated for Faulk's fumbling tendency in a game where every mistake is amplified?
* Ellis Hobbs' fumble on the kickoff return. He fumbled on a perfect hit by the defender while struggling for extra yards. Should he have had two hands on the ball after initial contact? Hobbs is a rookie. Certainly, with Bethel Johnson on the shelf our speed on kickoff returns was limited. HOWEVER, I wonder if the best VETERAN tandem back there in this case -- with everything on the line -- would've been Tim Dwight (who has extensive experience with other teams returning kickoffs) and Andre Davis.
* Troy Brown's muff on the punt. This one mystifies me. Totally. I'd guess you could count a career's worth of Brown's mishandled punt return catches on one hand. One unresolved question: Was Brown interfered with by the defender on his initial bobble? I see no way this could've been prevented, assuming it was just a rare physical mistake by Troy and not lack of focus. It just happened with too much at stake.
* Brady's end zone interception to Bailey. A rotten play from the get-go. Poor blocking on the blitz leading Brady to rush the throw off his back foot forcing it to a receiver who wasn't open. Bad blocking up front, uncharacteristically awful decision by Brady. I had the feeling early in this game that Brady was ultra-"jacked and pumped" because he felt he had to win the game by himself. He was pressing.
* Brady's second interception. It was a desperation throw, not as pivotal as the other turnovers.
In summary, I think we still could've won this game with three turnovers. To me, the Faulk and Hobbs fumbles were killers. As bad as Brady's interception to Bailey was, Bailey's return the length of the field was a fluke and 99 times out of 100 he would've been tackled way before Watson got to him, probably in the end zone. Troy's muff was just plain bad luck. Brady's second interception occurred when Denver pretty much had the game in hand. The outstanding questions might be: (1). was it a mistake having Hobbs on kickoff returns? (2). would Faulk be carrying the ball in heavy traffic in our territory if Dillon was healthy, and considering his tendency to be fumble-prone, SHOULD his number have been called on that play with that field position? and (3). should/could anything have been done to keep Brady from pressing?
A closer look, one by one:
* Faulk's fumble. Kevin Faulk has a history of putting the ball on the ground at crucial times. Was he protecting the ball as he should have? I don't know. But it didn't look like an exceptional hit that popped the ball loose, he just lost it getting banged around in traffic. What would have prevented this? Not having him carrying the ball altogether. I don't recall the down-and-distance situation with that carry. Is it fair to speculate that if the more sure-handed Corey Dillon was healthier, he might've been in there? Should BB have considered and compensated for Faulk's fumbling tendency in a game where every mistake is amplified?
* Ellis Hobbs' fumble on the kickoff return. He fumbled on a perfect hit by the defender while struggling for extra yards. Should he have had two hands on the ball after initial contact? Hobbs is a rookie. Certainly, with Bethel Johnson on the shelf our speed on kickoff returns was limited. HOWEVER, I wonder if the best VETERAN tandem back there in this case -- with everything on the line -- would've been Tim Dwight (who has extensive experience with other teams returning kickoffs) and Andre Davis.
* Troy Brown's muff on the punt. This one mystifies me. Totally. I'd guess you could count a career's worth of Brown's mishandled punt return catches on one hand. One unresolved question: Was Brown interfered with by the defender on his initial bobble? I see no way this could've been prevented, assuming it was just a rare physical mistake by Troy and not lack of focus. It just happened with too much at stake.
* Brady's end zone interception to Bailey. A rotten play from the get-go. Poor blocking on the blitz leading Brady to rush the throw off his back foot forcing it to a receiver who wasn't open. Bad blocking up front, uncharacteristically awful decision by Brady. I had the feeling early in this game that Brady was ultra-"jacked and pumped" because he felt he had to win the game by himself. He was pressing.
* Brady's second interception. It was a desperation throw, not as pivotal as the other turnovers.
In summary, I think we still could've won this game with three turnovers. To me, the Faulk and Hobbs fumbles were killers. As bad as Brady's interception to Bailey was, Bailey's return the length of the field was a fluke and 99 times out of 100 he would've been tackled way before Watson got to him, probably in the end zone. Troy's muff was just plain bad luck. Brady's second interception occurred when Denver pretty much had the game in hand. The outstanding questions might be: (1). was it a mistake having Hobbs on kickoff returns? (2). would Faulk be carrying the ball in heavy traffic in our territory if Dillon was healthy, and considering his tendency to be fumble-prone, SHOULD his number have been called on that play with that field position? and (3). should/could anything have been done to keep Brady from pressing?