Well, simplicity and common sense can never be overrated.
When our quarterback is not getting berated by DeShaun Watson questions, and when our owner butts out, and when our head coach doesn’t make idiotic decisions to help the opponent, and when you play to your own strength, good things happen.
Is it truly that simple? Yes!
The pundits/announcers/analysts typically come up with the same old cliches, and one cliche we heard a zillion times during the 7-game losing streak is “You have to mix it up. You have to take shots downfield.” Nonsense. Earlier in the year, our OCs and Brian Flores believed that hogwash. Even with a horrible offensive line and a suspect backup QB, the playcallers consistently tried to “take the shot downfield.” The WRs ran long routes while Brissett faded back, and when they turned around to look for the ball, all they saw was Brissett being sacked.
But things improved. Those same OC jokers might have saved their jobs by adapting. Outside of a long pass or two in the past 5 games, almost every pass play has been quick and short. The quick slants are infinitely harder to defend, and our turnstile offensive line doesn’t have to block as long. Earlier in the year, they were exposed. I don’t know why it took s the OCs nine games to realize it, but I give them credit. They started calling quick passes, and we’re winning.
The running game is not good. The holes aren’t there, and Gaskin and Ahmed are too small to power through tacklers. Malcom Brown and Phillip Lindsay can help, but both have been hurt lately. Why they let Frank Gore walk I’ll never know, but we need that kind of power back to be added next year. Don’t even need to draft one. Just find a cheap veteran who can plow through someone on occasion. All that being said, we’re still running the ball. We’re not as pass-happy as the 1-7 start, and that keeps the defense honest. Trying a long pass on every single first down, followed by a draw play, and then another long pass on third down…that was far too predictable. Thank goodness things changed.
Also, we haven’t seen a bubble screen in over a month. Thank goodness again! It took a while, but our OCs finally got the hint. They are keeping it simple. And we see the results.
Honestly the reason why we’ve been on a winning streak is because we’ve been playing mostly crap teams or crap teams with a ton of injuries. I see us winning the next 2 games, but there’s no way we’re gonna win the last 2. I’m glad Tua has been improving. I’ve always been a supporter.
Partially agree. We have beaten mostly crap teams but we lost to at least two crap teams, that if we were organized and knew our identity would have beaten (Falcons and Jags, possibly with the Raiders). So this team was unprepared to start the season and is now finding its’ identity. Too bad it cost the entire season to get to this point.
“Crap teams” is indeed a fair statement, my friend, and no one can dispute you. But keep in mind that we lost to even worse teams before the turnaround. Atlanta and the Jags are just horrible.
We are finally taking care of the teams we’re supposed to take care of, and that is step one. We were not doing that early in the season, so at least we’ve improved to the point where we do the expected.
Once we consistently beat these crap teams, then the next step will be upsetting some strong teams. I thought we did that with Baltimore, but turns out the Ravens are very very average this year
I mean, to clarify, we shouldn’t jump for joy because we beat some cellar dwellers. Only when we compare it to Weeks 2 though 8 is their a silver lining to this mess of a season.
I still can’t believe Flores called a timeout at the end of the game vs. the Jags, when Urban Meyer admitted he was just gonna play for overtime. Flores calls timeout, Meyer says, “What the hell” and changes his mind. They run one more play and then a FG. We lose a game that we likely win in OT.
That was a nice TD shut-out for the defense!
The quick pass strategy, with it’s high percentage passing, also eats up clock a better than the long pass strategy.
I am pissed off at the Bills for losing at home last night to a team that passed 3 times. That must be a record low for pass attempts? The Bills do not seem like a playoff caliber team . it would have helped the Dolphins slim playoffs hope if Pats lost. I think we can beat the Pats again.
I hate the Bills more than the Pats, so I liked it! Actually, with about 65 tams in contention for AFC wild card spots, if the Dolphins are gonna make a miracle run, the mathematical analysis says that we have a better chance of winning the division (we have to overcome two teams) than of gaining a wild card (a 5-or-6-or-7 way tie is possible this year)
Phins have to win-out, of course. We lose tie-breaker with Bills (since we were swept), but if Pats had lost Monday night, they would only need another loss before last game match-up with Phins. A sweep of the Pats would give us a leg up on a potential tie breaker (7 loss teams).
Hopium, as they say
In a three-way tie, sweeps only count if one team swept the other two. We go 1-1 vs. the Pats, and the Pats go 1-1 vs. the Bills (or sweep them), then the Bills’ 2-0 vs. Miami is wiped out.
A two-way tie with Buffalo, and we lose of course. Very very improbable, but if the Pats go on a brief 2-or-3 game skid, it becomes interesting! Hopium indeed.
You still have to beat the crap teams and like Admin said they sure weren’t doing it with brisket. I’m happy to see Tua play well as well as a few others like Waddle and Phillips. This year the young players had to grow up and we’re at least seeing this now. Let’s see what they are made of the last four games….
We led the Raiders 14-0 when Birssett threw–for the first and only time in NFL history–a completed pass that went for a safety. That made it 14-2, which we still should have won. But you could sense the gigantic momentum switch with that safety, and afterwards the Raiders beat us up at will. It was only Week 3, but that set the tone for the losses in weeks 4-8 as well.
Defense sucked at that time. Couldn’t stop the Raiders. Still could have won if obvious PI was called against Fuller.
Or if Fuller caught the ball while being PI’ed. A defender on his back or not, the ball went through his arms.
(a tough catch to make, but the great ones do it)
FFF, Why the hell did Hamilton take a knee, give up a point, and cost themselves the Grey Cup? Is Brian Flores their coach?
It’s me, Admin
I believe the thought was they were better off to get the ball at the 35 instead of inside the 20 or worse if he returned it. I was a little surprised as well but must have been preplanned. That Bomber D was stout most of the year so they probably thought it would have been tough getting close enough for a FG especially into the wind. What a crazy game I guess that’s what keeps the CFL around over other leagues.
Yeah, that was the thinking for sure. But starting at the 20 isn’t THAT much worse than the 35. You have to fight and claw downfield either way, so you might as well fight and claw your way for a win, not a tie. I don’t watch CFL regularly, but I never miss the Grey Cup championship each year!
I didn’t know the rule about a loose fumble that gets batted out of bounds. Last team to touch it, gets it. I’m still thinking if I like that rule or not.
Yes some rules are crazy but some better than the NFL especially the ability to review anything. It corrects a lot of critical reffing errors. You never get that feeling that the games fixed or there is favortism as the coach can simply review it.
That wind was so bad that I think it played into that decision. Teams weren’t doing much going into it all game I was surprised that they were able to drive it that far almost had a TD. Well played defensive game by both teams that’s for sure.