The Big Cat

I'm legitimately surprised by the comp % stat. He's had some real hum dingers that we just didn't see in 2015. Cost them at least two third down conversions on TNF, if memory serves.

Then it's time to start the WHY DOES KIM GET A PASS movement.

Very interesting look, Saint. We finished 2015 at 31st in 3 and out percentage. We're there right now. We finished 2015 29th in first downs, it's likely after MNF, only the Bears will have fewer through two games this year. Small sample, like all football stats, of course. But if there was displeasure with Roman's trajectory last year, it seems like they picked up exactly where they left off, and his offing was a no brainer.

Right. But who will be held accountable? That's all fans really need to know.

So many improper uses of memes here. http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/bad-luck-brian http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/that-would-be-great http://knowyourmeme.com/memes/x-x-everywhere The other two aren't memes.

Wow. Some sterling analysis.

73 years old and hasn't done anything noteworthy in more than a decade!? Sign me up!

That fourth down debacle is reason enough. I think. I don't even know any more.

You can assume that they'd be better than the journeymen who have had to stand in for them. Or not. Your choice.

Yep. EJ lost his starting job because we got tired of seeing these: https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/776795319183020032 https://twitter.com/YardsPerPass/status/776801252692885504 Soooooooo...?

An excuse for the defense would be: we shouldn't be upset about last night because we were missing key players. That's not even remotely what this is. No. We should be upset about last night. Execution and scheme were both piss poor. The QUESTION is whether having key pieces back would have a.) improved execution (it probably would have) or b.) allowed them to do less infuriating things from a scheme standpoint. The latter is completely unknown and THUS I brought it up for discussion. Discussions would stay on track a lot better if statements weren't falsely maligned. That's totally fair to say. Ragland and Shaq are both rookies, I accept that. I do however, think that there's a exceptionally high likelihood of them being better/more versatile than their current replacements. Ditto Manny Lawson, who--as I stated--I believe is more hurt than was let on and will be brought back once he heals.

Who made excuses for Rex? Are you seriously still framing it that way?

I swear to god if somebody tries to argue anything to the contrary...

well, TT is what? 2-6 now in games decided by one score. what's brady's record? those warts that get covered by good qb's really impact one score games, don't they?

Right. But injuries/suspensions gutted more than a third of our starting defense before the season started. So, I'm punting on that maxim this time around.

you know which teams don't have losing seasons because of their coaches' game management? the ones with good quarterbacks. sure, they'll drop a game here or there--the pats* should have lost to AZ on the field goal after BB inexplicably didn't call time out, lord knows andy reid is still figuring out how long a professional game is--but by and large, these issues don't keep teams out the playoffs every year. why? BECAUSE THEY HAVE GOOD QUARTERBACKS

Looks like we've reached item no. 3,692 on the list of things wrong with this team.

Fair enough, but if you think the run D was an issue, then certainly you'd think the fellas mentioned in the title of this thread would have had a big impact on the outcome. Right? This is where I stopped reading.

I think the only answer would have been disguised pressure over and over and over again. But did we have the ponies last night to pull it off? We were dropping 6-8 guys into coverage on EVERY pass attempt, and they were still getting WIDE open. I'm not ready to weep over 3.4 yards per carry. He's a difference maker. And lord knows the defense needed one last night. I'm not convinced that we had the ponies to execute a drastic change in the defensive scheme last night. I'm just not. That's sort of the point of this thread. It's the great unknown, it really is. You can be sure of it, fine. I'm just not. I'm not suggesting you're wrong, though. HOWEVER--you want to talk about "coaching" travesties: that horse **** on fourth and one, burning a !@#$ing time out when you're down in the fourth quarter of a one score game made me want to put my !@#$ing foot through the door. Just wish we knew...

Brown plays okay, but on the occasions when he DOESN'T over pursue the hole and have to grab the RB from behind, he gets carried several yards downfield after contact. If Ragland is the thumper he's been billed at, a lot of 3-5 yard runs last night would have gone for 0 to -2. I turned to my buddy several times and noted precisely this.

What a horrible thing to do. I pray they weren't for the Patriots game.

Let it also be known that Fitz played the best game of his career, and it wasn't even close. So, yes, the front seven made things difficult on the secondary, but so did the second coming of Roger Stalbach. All during half time I was preaching to anyone who would listen at the bar that he has a tendency to normalize and after a red hot start was primed for some stinkers. Those just never. happened.

Do these four players make a difference in last night's outcome? I'm perplexed by the Alex Smithing we got last night, and just like last year, that's on Rex. When a QB is picking you a part, you gotta go to something new, and on the first drive, under pressure, Fitz was helpless. Then we we stopped blitzing. Tough to explain that one. But could the injection of our marquee personnel have made a difference? Jerry Hughes can only do so much. Preston Brown had some great moments, and at other times he looked lost. Did Zac Brown even play? We have reason to be pissed about the scheme, but I can't help but think that we just didn't have the ponies last night to compete against a QB that was so on point (who expected that). On the flipside, the offense is a tire fire and it's because defensive coordinators, after 14 starts and an offseason, know how to completely neutralize Tyrod Taylor. So let's at least look at the pieces we DO have (the titular names minus Lawson 2 (who I believe they're waiting to heal so they can sign him again)).

Yeah, it's probably more like 98%

Sounds like your wife can tell the difference between good quaterbacking and bad.