c_hawkbob wrote:Your bottom line is OK but in the end our primary reason for losing was our run defense, not our run offense. Our run defense was atrocious (again) and I really don't think it's a personnel issue as much as a coaching issue. Our gap responsibility is our greatest problem (and our tackling is second). If you're going to run a 3-4 there is nothing more important to your stopping the run than gap responsibility. Both that and poor tackling are coaching issues.
RiverDog wrote:I didn't say that our lack of a running offense was the primary reason for our loss. What I said was that you're not going to win a lot of games in a run first offense when your feature running back gains less than 2 yards a carry, and I'm pretty sure that's a true statement.
If I had to weight the reasons for our losses, I would agree with you that our run defense would get the lion's share of the blame. After all, the last play of the game was an 85 yard TD run.
There was no primary reason we lost. We couldn't stop the run but we couldn't stop the pass either despite keying on it in preparations for the game. Ive been as big a defender of Pete the coach as anyone but weve been outcoached the last 2 games. And we have a bigger problem at safety than any other position. Diggs got the picks but cant erase. Neal cant stay on the field and its a completely different defense without him. That Jones guy is awful and cant be put back on the field. Jacobs smoked him on that last run. As KJ said pre season safety play will determine our defense. We have no Adams and Diggs isn't right and neither is Neal.
The run game, specifically K9 has collapsed. And he was trending down, held to just over 50 vs NY, battled to get to 100 vs Cards then nowhere last 2 other than 2 TDs which is huge of course but its not a good tradeoff. Not sure what happened on the red zone fumble but it looked like Walker wasn't even expecting the ball there. Hes run the wrong way on handoffs at least 3 times thins season as well. The run on the OT possession was an absolute critical waste of a down on a guy who had not done a god damn thing outside the 10 all day. His win rate is dead last among qualifying backs.
We turned it over twice, that weird pick I dont even know what happened. Not sure anyone did.
And then we had the ball twice to win. Got a progress stopped call as well but they called it. First possession to win is on Geno Smith. Nice start then bounce it to Lockett. Then the big throw to DK that was low and forced him to dig it out. I think we got Fed on the call but Oh well. Geno said he doesn't blame the refs, said he should have thrown a better ball. Stand up guy but when you're always having to be a stand up guy your losing games.
Our much maligned D GETS A STOP IN OT AND HANDS US THE BALL AT MIDFIELD. That's where hindsight is 2020. second and 5 play action boot run or pass or maybe that out and up to Lockett and your in FG range. Instead hand it off to K9 the dog .Zero gain .3rd and 5 they know what's coming and Crosby smokes Lucas. I've noticed a pattern in these late game losses. The sacks come late in the games as these rooks get worn down. Not sure we dont need more check down valves for Geno but sacked 3 times and HIT 10 more as Carr was sacked once and pressured 4 times.
In the end Geno was good but not great and hes going to need to go to that great level if this inconsistent defense is going to be this bad. We could lose them all.