Rubes

This was a perfect call at the perfect time with perfect execution...except for that one little detail. I looked at it from the end zone angle, too. Josh has a really good chance of going the distance on that play. Could you imagine if that happened?

I'm just going to leave this here for you all to ponder...

I hate having an odd number of games. Like @May Day 10, I like the even-numbered schedule and the math that goes with it. Not that it matters, though...it's going to be 17 games no matter what, at this point.

I just want to see Brady leave the Pats**** so there will never, ever be the possibility of the Brady-led Pats**** achieving their one ultimate goal: a perfect season.

Very happy about this. And I agree, the hire was so fast you know McDermott had this guy in his sights for a while.

Damn you are fast, Yolo.

Glad most folks are agreeing on the missed block. There's also the missed helmet-to-helmet that should have been called on Cunningham on that play, so it's actually a two-fer. That 15-yard penalty would have put us in FG range.

Not the way I saw it. Borderline elite? Hardly.

I could not possibly disagree with this more. The blocking was the main problem in the second half.

Not particularly, but I’m not talking about the season. Just this game. Like I said, the game was lost many ways, coaching being one. I think the coaching in the second half was poor. I just think it was the poor blocking, play after play, that really derailed this one.

Coaching of the blockers? Sure, I can go with that.

backwards or parallel to your own end zone.

I thought it was going to be 56 yds, but someone else here said maybe 52.

In the first half, sure. Not in the second half. And the Texans didn't lose because they could convert a 3rd and 18, and by escaping a certain sack.

The problem as I see it is that Daboll relies too much on pass plays (like this one) that takes too long to develop. You can do that when you have a strong offensive line that can give their QB the time for that to develop. It should have been clear to him in the second half that the line was seriously struggling to block anyone, and not to rely on slow developing plays.

And there's no reason he shouldn't have known that.

It's the play that stands out the most, I agree, but like I said the game was lost many ways, that being one of them. I just don't think it was the biggest overall.

Guess I'll just disagree. Allen was under constant pressure from guys who seem to have forgotten how to block. And it wasn't Allen's idea to send DiMarco on a freaking fly pattern.

Mostly by the offensive line, but also the TEs. I was just left speechless by how many times offensive players could have blocked someone but didn't, or whiffed so quickly and thoroughly it should be a crime. Not just the times that JJ Watt just walked into the backfield, but other ways as well. A great example was the Josh sweep in overtime...he had three guys in front of him, each of whom had a clear line to the defender, and all three chose not to block the guy. Just ran right by him. If any one of them decides to block the guy, Josh is sprinting down the sidelines. Why nobody wanted to take the guy out is just baffling. Lots of folks are dogging Allen on this one, but to me it had everything to do with the really crappy blocking in the second half.

It's s ***** call, but it's still the rule. You can't block someone while facing your own end zone.

I've been following his grades all year, and they seem pretty good and fairly assessed. It would be interesting to see how he grades veteran QBs using the same system. The trouble with a grading system like this is that it's not totally clear what each grade represents, or if he's taking into account the fact that they are all young and inexperienced -- so, is an A+ for Lamar Jackson the same as for Drew Brees? Or is it adjusted for the fact that he's a second-year QB? If it's the latter, then it would seem like Lamar probably deserves a higher grade. If it's not, my sense is that Josh probably deserves a slightly lower grade.

Just caught this thread today. That was a nice review. I'm especially glad he called out Brown on that ***** route on 4th down against the Ravens, I was thinking the same thing when it happened.

I want Levi to be playing as much as anybody, but if the Texans don't have Fuller, I'm less concerned. Plus, we're both out a similar starter, so that evens it out. Less excuses.

No, because anyone you sign from another team's practice squad has to be placed on the active roster. Non-playoff teams have no active roster anymore.

When you think “return specialist” you think of generational talents? Hester is one of the top returners of all time, ever. Having someone who can change the game even a little bit is better than having a punt catcher.