Studs & Duds in Chicago

[OldSchool101]

@OldSchool101

If they get to the 6, it's 4th and 2. I think he takes the points since it's the 2nd quarter.

The end around to Reed was just a bad call, that was not the time or place to call that play. Not to mention, it hasn't worked in weeks. He never tried it last week against the Lions, but he just couldn't help himself today...

This is the primary point I was trying to make. That play is what forced a difficult throw.
3rd and 4 opens up the playbook some.
Getting in 3rd and 11 is a recipe for failure down in the Redzone. 3rd n 11 is hard enough anywhere on the field much less against that audience. They are one of the best Redzone Defender at their house. Knowing our opponent would help our Playcaller

 

[DoURant]

This is the primary point I was trying to make. That play is what forced a difficult throw.
3rd and 4 opens up the playbook some.
Getting in 3rd and 11 is a recipe for failure down in the Redzone. 3rd n 11 is hard enough anywhere on the field much less against that audience. They are one of the best Redzone Defender at their house. Knowing our opponent would help our Playcaller

Yes sir, that 3 play sequence went from bad to worse to dreadful

 

[OldSchool101]

Yes sir, that 3 play sequence went from bad to worse to dreadful

We both have high expectations for our team. But those drives are reasonable fixes with points.

Only difference I think we’re 3-5 contests of a healthy Love before things open up. Similar to last year, but slightly sooner. This is the very first game Love looked 95%+
My guess? We’re 2-4 weeks to go to get some continuity.

 

[DoURant]

We both have high expectations for our team. But those drives are reasonable fixes with points.

Only difference I think we’re 3-5 contests of a healthy Love before things open up. Similar to last year, but slightly sooner. This is the very first game Love looked 95%+
My guess? We’re 2-4 weeks to go to get some continuity.

I agree, he has been injured all year, and this was the healthiest he looked since week one. Aside for that pick, I thought he looked good today, and had some zip when he needed it.

 

[OldSchool101]

I agree, he has been injured all year, and this was the healthiest he looked since week one. Aside for that pick, I thought he looked good today, and had some zip when he needed it.

What’s crazy is we are able to do much of the heavy lifting on Offense (putting ourselves in scoring position). For whatever reason we often cant put the finishing touches on drives.

One thing we seem to be missing is using our TE in the Endzone. We used to be good at utilizing them better to finish drives. Kinda use your more physical players. Quarless, Richard Rodgers, Marcedes, Tonyan. Just TE seemed more involved down there. Also the FB like John Kuhn was always good at getting that tough 2 yards.

The plays with 3rd n 1 etc. I love when Tuckers comes in motion for a direct snap and just bullies for 2 yards. Hard to stop a 258lb RB with a direct snap. Mix it up but have a few designed plays that aren’t so predictable

 

[OldSchool101]

I’m looking for the positive here. It was a tough game to watch because we really could’ve lost against what was a struggling team. That said, our ST stepped up with a Block. Karl Brooks literally saved the day with the equivalent of a game sealing INT.

Stud:
Christian Watson.
I’m often ******* Watson because I have high expectations for a guy with his physical makeup and draft expenditure. Today he impressed with his highest career yardage total.

Brenton Cox.
Ok. It did look like he benefited from a breakdown on the OL. However he capitalized on it. He came in with some attitude and didn’t look out of place in His first meaningful snaps

Josh Jacobs.
He really proved himself today. I wondered if he would maintain Aaron Jones like production because he’s essentially his successor. He seems to be answering that question. I love his durability and endurance.

 

[Thirteen Below]

Sequence of the interception was more frustrating than not going for the 3. 2nd and 1 then a play is called that ends up resulting in illegal receiver down field, some garbage wide sweep run by Reed then the pick. Had a chance to go up 14-3 and drive just disintegrates.

I'm pretty sure that was at least the 5th time this season that a stupid penalty on an early down led to a desperation interception by Love - if not the 6th. I haven't been counting since the very beginning of the season, but I started keeping track a few weeks back, and I'm interested enough that at some point I'll set aside an hour or two (well, more likely three or four) and go through footage of every INT this season. Just out of curiosity, because I suspect there are more.

This is one of the things that people don't talk about much, but it's definitely a significant downstream consequence of so many of the lazy, sloppy, undisciplined offensive penalties that teams sometimes take. Especially our team, apparently.

Offensive penalties immediately turn a 2nd and short or 3rd and short into a 2nd and long or 3rd and long. Which in turn invariably changes the next play call into something a lot riskier - instead of needing 2 or 3 yards to move the chains and keep the drive going, this next play suddenly needs 12 or 13. It completely disrupts the entire sequence of plays that the OC has planned for the drive, because now they're much more likely to lean toward pass plays or other plays that are a lot more risky. Instead of moving the ball steadily, they're playing catch-up.

These penalties put a quarterback into a bad position, forcing him to make choices that he'd rather not have to make. Instead of taking short, safe checkdowns to keep the chains moving, he's more likely to force a longer pass into coverage to avoid a punt. And he's statistically more likely to throw interceptions on those plays.

And it's not just on that particular drive. When a quarterback gets used to thinking that his linemen are always just a snap away from committing some stupid penalty, he's often going to place a priority on getting the most out of every play that he possibly can. He becomes more likely to take more risks to keep a drive going, not be as patient and willing to throw it away and try again on the next snap.

These dumb penalties (and dumb playcalls) that stall drives put Love into a very bad position, where he feels he has to do a lot more on his own instead of trusting the system or his teammates.