catent
In the Starting Line-Up
- Joined
- Sep 3, 2013
- Messages
- 4,045
- Reaction score
- 8,627
Yeah, the 24 yard completion on 3rd & 25 was hard to swallow. I'd have to see how the DBs were playing them, but if it's true they gave a ton of cushion, I'm not a big fan of that.
But again, hindsight is 20-20. If they get up tight on Lamb, he shakes Mills and gets upfield cleanly, they may score a TD, or gain considerably more yardage, and then we're bellyaching over a shorter FG attempt, or losing the game in regulation.
What stinks is that, yeah, if that kick was from 53-54+, it clanks off the upright or goes wide. Still, a 49-yard attempt by Zuerlein on the left-hash (which he really struggles on) isn't a gimme, and he nearly missed it. Am I happy they lost? No. Do I wish they had bowed their necks and that 49 yard FG was a 55 yarder? Yeah.
There were a lot of reasons they lost that game, though, and I'm not sure I'd put defense at the top of the list of reasons why. I identify turnovers (-2 differential for the game) as the primary reason they lost. I don't think anyone can name a winning football team that turns the ball over frequently. There are good teams that turn the ball over, but not winning teams. The Patriots are -5 TO differential for the season, and -9 if the Jets game is removed as an outlier.
Want to know why this team is 2-4, and not 3-3, or 4-2 ... or even 5-1? Turnovers.
But again, hindsight is 20-20. If they get up tight on Lamb, he shakes Mills and gets upfield cleanly, they may score a TD, or gain considerably more yardage, and then we're bellyaching over a shorter FG attempt, or losing the game in regulation.
What stinks is that, yeah, if that kick was from 53-54+, it clanks off the upright or goes wide. Still, a 49-yard attempt by Zuerlein on the left-hash (which he really struggles on) isn't a gimme, and he nearly missed it. Am I happy they lost? No. Do I wish they had bowed their necks and that 49 yard FG was a 55 yarder? Yeah.
There were a lot of reasons they lost that game, though, and I'm not sure I'd put defense at the top of the list of reasons why. I identify turnovers (-2 differential for the game) as the primary reason they lost. I don't think anyone can name a winning football team that turns the ball over frequently. There are good teams that turn the ball over, but not winning teams. The Patriots are -5 TO differential for the season, and -9 if the Jets game is removed as an outlier.
Want to know why this team is 2-4, and not 3-3, or 4-2 ... or even 5-1? Turnovers.