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I really hate Thursday football. It is both dangerous for the players and simply NOT a good product for the fans. The fact we won and seemed to survive this hypocritical money-making scheme is a testament to this team's resiliency and heart. So, let's QUICKLY break down this game and see if we can learn anything from it and then it is "On to Cincinnati".
1. I was thrilled to see that Will McDonald played last night. Not only is he a good edge rusher with a combination of speed, strength and bend, he also has particularly long arms. A perfect test for the infamous "short arm" phenonium. A guy who could either prove or DISPROVE a now tired argument (you can see where this is going, can't you?) that a short-armed OT simply cannot be effective as an OT. And here are the results.
O-solo tackles 1-combined tackle O QB hits O sacks. I didn't immediately find any pressure stat, but I imagine there were a few. I can think of 3 off hand, including one where he seemed to blow by Campbell on an outside speed rush, only to be pushed past Maye at the last minute by Campbell (with those short arms and narrow wingspan). Now, McDonald isn't the best Edge in the league, but he DOES have 7 sacks which would lead our team, and I'd love to have him right now. So, can we FINALLY put this to rest? Will Campbell is a LT period, and our LT search should be spent looking for a suitable back up.
2. With every game Maye plays you cannot help but be impressed with his total "unflappability" and zen-like demeanor. BOY, does this kid have "IT".
It used to be a first or second and 20, and you'd be thinking, "well, this series is over", now you are EXPECTING to make it and see a cool play to boot. All from a kid who can't seem to clear 300 passing yards, a number that was fast becoming the 'mendoza line' for QB's in a game where 35-40 attempts were the norm.
I think he has just a few more tests to pass. a. The come from behind win at the end of the game on a consistent basis. In fact, ANY 4th quarter TDs would be welcome at this point.
3. That's the thing about this run. This aren't like a lot of runs from turnaround teams like ours. We aren't winning all these games because we made some miraculous late game heroics to win one score close games or because the other team gifted us the game. In all but the Bills game, we won from the front and that game was tied only after the BILLS came back to tie it. A few WERE one score games, but those were games where the opposition was trying to come from behind not us. During this run WE are the team playing from ahead and most of those one score games come from garbage time scores, like at TB. We have been simply BETTER than the teams we have faced on that day and professional enough NOT to **** it up.
4. The lack of an intense pass rush IS starting to worry me, and not just a little bit. Now I'm not that upset so much with the bland 4 man rush we ran most of the time last night. Clearly (at least to me), the Edge guys were doing a "controlled" rush in order to keep Fields relatively contained (which it didn't, apparently ending in 64yds rushing), but even when we blitzed, we weren't getting close.
The Barmore and Ponder Sacks were rare occasions of intense pressure. That **** might work against the anemic Jets and that sorry QB and WR group, but not next week. Even at 40, Flacco has proven with HIS WR group, you let him sit back and throw to them all day and you are looking at needing 40+ points just to keep it close.
5. BTW- Think about this. If we HAD gotten some pass rush help the last day of the trade deadline and over the last 2 games he had gotten 2 sacks in limited action, what would be saying about him? We likely would have been patting ourselves on the back for yet ANOTHER great move.
Well, that didn't happen, so what should we be making of Elijah Ponder? Is this a fluke, or do they think he is really developing into a situational pass rusher they can trust provide a consistent presence on the edge. What do you think? WHERE are we going to find that pressure between now and a week from Sunday. If we don't it will be a very entertaining offensive game for the fans.
6. point from the GDT - Hollins' so-called drop, wasn't one. That was a great play by the defender to knock it out before he could bring it in. Just like I would contend that even if Mitchell HAD caught that sideline pass, Gonzo was there in position to knock it out much in the same manner. BTW- Gonzo is so smoothly fast. On that play he was at least 2 full steps behind as the ball was approaching, and suddenly, in what seemed to be just a step or two, there he was in perfect position, side by side, with his arm crashing down between Mitchell's hands. It was positively eerie. He doesn't really "catch up", he just suddenly APPEARS. Watch a replay if you don't believe me.
Also, Diggs wasn't down because he was hurt, he stayed down because he was so pissed at dropping that pass. But what a beautiful ball that was.
7. The worst ball Maye threw was on the long ball to Williams that should have been picked. It was a good lesson though. He put too much air on it, when the ball needed to be thrown with less of an arc like the deep TD pass to Boutte a few weeks ago. A play like this kinda snaps us back to reality that Maye IS just 23 and still has a ton of upside to gain over the next couple of years. Just think about THAT the next time you feel the urge to masturbate.
8. I kind of got excited when I saw Fields run those 2 successful speed options. Somehow, I feel we need to install that play or something like that for Maye. It's a tough play IF you aren't expecting it, or you have prepared for it. And in that vein, I'd like to see Maye move to his left a bit more. I fear we are building up too much of a "roll to the right" thing. Time to break that tendency. More boots or straight sprint outs to the left. And my last thing on my wish list, is a couple of easier shorter throws to Williams to help him get into the flow.
9. Too much negativity is being thrown at Williams. That pass that Maye threw him where he turned the wrong way was something that WILL happen down the road. Eventually he will learn to expect the ball on that side and a slight bit behind him (it was a great ball, like a back shoulder throw) and that will be a catch. But it takes time and reps. I can still remember criticisms much like these directed at Henderson for similar perceived mistakes about 4 or 5 games ago, and BELIEVE me, Henderson STILL has a lot of work to do to get to point where he is maximizing the yardage on every play. We just saw the tip of the iceberg tonight.
10. OK, now I'm going to piss some people off, and I'm sorry, and I want you all to remember that I did spend 8 years coaching at a Catholic school. But sorry, Jesus does NOT endow you personally with super strength so you can play football well, and yet somehow ignores or harms others to improve YOUR lot. If it were true is that a God we'd want to follow.
I'd defend Tre's right to believe whatever he believes, but he does NOT need to subject me to his personal religious beliefs. It makes me uncomfortable as I'm sure it does many others. So, while I'm happy for his spiritual beliefs, and appreciate they help HIM, save your preaching for church please. And sorry if this offended anyone.
11. Cincinnati presents a tougher challenge to us than I think most people think. Even with Flacco, they clearly present the kind of challenge to our Defense, like the kind we will get in the playoffs. It IS just another game we should win, but with that caveat. This is a playoff caliber offense, on the road, so keep that in mind when we come back to discuss this game next week.
12. The funny thing is I almost didn't do this post at all. Like I said at the beginning, I don't like Thursday night football, and while I'm thrilled at the victory and the mini-bye, it's a game I just want to forget and (like the title says), move on.
1. I was thrilled to see that Will McDonald played last night. Not only is he a good edge rusher with a combination of speed, strength and bend, he also has particularly long arms. A perfect test for the infamous "short arm" phenonium. A guy who could either prove or DISPROVE a now tired argument (you can see where this is going, can't you?) that a short-armed OT simply cannot be effective as an OT. And here are the results.
O-solo tackles 1-combined tackle O QB hits O sacks. I didn't immediately find any pressure stat, but I imagine there were a few. I can think of 3 off hand, including one where he seemed to blow by Campbell on an outside speed rush, only to be pushed past Maye at the last minute by Campbell (with those short arms and narrow wingspan). Now, McDonald isn't the best Edge in the league, but he DOES have 7 sacks which would lead our team, and I'd love to have him right now. So, can we FINALLY put this to rest? Will Campbell is a LT period, and our LT search should be spent looking for a suitable back up.
2. With every game Maye plays you cannot help but be impressed with his total "unflappability" and zen-like demeanor. BOY, does this kid have "IT".
It used to be a first or second and 20, and you'd be thinking, "well, this series is over", now you are EXPECTING to make it and see a cool play to boot. All from a kid who can't seem to clear 300 passing yards, a number that was fast becoming the 'mendoza line' for QB's in a game where 35-40 attempts were the norm.
I think he has just a few more tests to pass. a. The come from behind win at the end of the game on a consistent basis. In fact, ANY 4th quarter TDs would be welcome at this point.
3. That's the thing about this run. This aren't like a lot of runs from turnaround teams like ours. We aren't winning all these games because we made some miraculous late game heroics to win one score close games or because the other team gifted us the game. In all but the Bills game, we won from the front and that game was tied only after the BILLS came back to tie it. A few WERE one score games, but those were games where the opposition was trying to come from behind not us. During this run WE are the team playing from ahead and most of those one score games come from garbage time scores, like at TB. We have been simply BETTER than the teams we have faced on that day and professional enough NOT to **** it up.
4. The lack of an intense pass rush IS starting to worry me, and not just a little bit. Now I'm not that upset so much with the bland 4 man rush we ran most of the time last night. Clearly (at least to me), the Edge guys were doing a "controlled" rush in order to keep Fields relatively contained (which it didn't, apparently ending in 64yds rushing), but even when we blitzed, we weren't getting close.
The Barmore and Ponder Sacks were rare occasions of intense pressure. That **** might work against the anemic Jets and that sorry QB and WR group, but not next week. Even at 40, Flacco has proven with HIS WR group, you let him sit back and throw to them all day and you are looking at needing 40+ points just to keep it close.
5. BTW- Think about this. If we HAD gotten some pass rush help the last day of the trade deadline and over the last 2 games he had gotten 2 sacks in limited action, what would be saying about him? We likely would have been patting ourselves on the back for yet ANOTHER great move.
Well, that didn't happen, so what should we be making of Elijah Ponder? Is this a fluke, or do they think he is really developing into a situational pass rusher they can trust provide a consistent presence on the edge. What do you think? WHERE are we going to find that pressure between now and a week from Sunday. If we don't it will be a very entertaining offensive game for the fans.
6. point from the GDT - Hollins' so-called drop, wasn't one. That was a great play by the defender to knock it out before he could bring it in. Just like I would contend that even if Mitchell HAD caught that sideline pass, Gonzo was there in position to knock it out much in the same manner. BTW- Gonzo is so smoothly fast. On that play he was at least 2 full steps behind as the ball was approaching, and suddenly, in what seemed to be just a step or two, there he was in perfect position, side by side, with his arm crashing down between Mitchell's hands. It was positively eerie. He doesn't really "catch up", he just suddenly APPEARS. Watch a replay if you don't believe me.
Also, Diggs wasn't down because he was hurt, he stayed down because he was so pissed at dropping that pass. But what a beautiful ball that was.
7. The worst ball Maye threw was on the long ball to Williams that should have been picked. It was a good lesson though. He put too much air on it, when the ball needed to be thrown with less of an arc like the deep TD pass to Boutte a few weeks ago. A play like this kinda snaps us back to reality that Maye IS just 23 and still has a ton of upside to gain over the next couple of years. Just think about THAT the next time you feel the urge to masturbate.
8. I kind of got excited when I saw Fields run those 2 successful speed options. Somehow, I feel we need to install that play or something like that for Maye. It's a tough play IF you aren't expecting it, or you have prepared for it. And in that vein, I'd like to see Maye move to his left a bit more. I fear we are building up too much of a "roll to the right" thing. Time to break that tendency. More boots or straight sprint outs to the left. And my last thing on my wish list, is a couple of easier shorter throws to Williams to help him get into the flow.
9. Too much negativity is being thrown at Williams. That pass that Maye threw him where he turned the wrong way was something that WILL happen down the road. Eventually he will learn to expect the ball on that side and a slight bit behind him (it was a great ball, like a back shoulder throw) and that will be a catch. But it takes time and reps. I can still remember criticisms much like these directed at Henderson for similar perceived mistakes about 4 or 5 games ago, and BELIEVE me, Henderson STILL has a lot of work to do to get to point where he is maximizing the yardage on every play. We just saw the tip of the iceberg tonight.
10. OK, now I'm going to piss some people off, and I'm sorry, and I want you all to remember that I did spend 8 years coaching at a Catholic school. But sorry, Jesus does NOT endow you personally with super strength so you can play football well, and yet somehow ignores or harms others to improve YOUR lot. If it were true is that a God we'd want to follow.
I'd defend Tre's right to believe whatever he believes, but he does NOT need to subject me to his personal religious beliefs. It makes me uncomfortable as I'm sure it does many others. So, while I'm happy for his spiritual beliefs, and appreciate they help HIM, save your preaching for church please. And sorry if this offended anyone.
11. Cincinnati presents a tougher challenge to us than I think most people think. Even with Flacco, they clearly present the kind of challenge to our Defense, like the kind we will get in the playoffs. It IS just another game we should win, but with that caveat. This is a playoff caliber offense, on the road, so keep that in mind when we come back to discuss this game next week.
12. The funny thing is I almost didn't do this post at all. Like I said at the beginning, I don't like Thursday night football, and while I'm thrilled at the victory and the mini-bye, it's a game I just want to forget and (like the title says), move on.
