2021 DC question

[Doomsday]

Is it unreasonable to be thinking maybe just maybe we're sandbagging the rest of the league this year?

Watching past games - when we're successful running the ball the plays we call are different from the ones when we're not. When we are successful, it is power football, mashing them up front with traps, wham blocks, crossbucks and double-doubles. Backs slam in downhill with no hesitation. We impose our will. When we do poorly it's invariably zone plays, with some type of delay by the RB in hitting the hole.

Same with the passing game - when we've done well it's a helluva lot fewer checkdowns and much more downfield throws, and with both the run and pass when we've been successful this year it's been with a hell of a lot fewer changes at the LoS pre-snap.

This is just observation, having gone back in my DVR and watching the games. I don't think we have great strategists running this thing, who would actually think of sandbagging. But shit, how do you explain it?

Could it be we're sandbagging pretty much, since the bye week? We don't want to show playoff opponents what we really do? It could explain much.

 

[dbair1967]

Would be great if it were true, but it isn't true.

We're just inconsistent in all phases. OL play has been getting gradually worse, QB is about as helter skelter as you can get now, star RB has only one leg, the defense has moments of brilliance (see Washington game) followed by downright dreadful play (allows mediocre Cards offense missing three key starters to score on 5 of first 6 possessions), the special teams are done in by a maddeningly inconsistent kicker sprinkled in with some boneheaded plays from others.

Who knows for sure what we will get next weekend in the WC round, but if a gun is to my head and I HAVE to bet my own money, it sure aint going on our guys now.

 

[bbgun]

There's a similar thread over at DCC. I don't think we're nearly that Machiavellian. The more logical explanation is that the o-line gets pushed around and is living on past reputation, our #1 RB is slow and dinged up, our $20M WR goes missing for games at a time, our good QB is paid like he's great, and our #1 corner gives up a shitload of passing yards when he's not snaring picks. I mean, is Zeurlein missing kicks and XPs to lull the opposition into a false sense of security?

 

[dbair1967]

There's a similar thread over at DCC.

That place still exists?

Who's over there now? Same cast of Cabal or some others?

 

[bbgun]

That place still exists?

Who's over there now? Same cast of Cabal or some others?

They ask the same thing about this place.

Yep, same guys, and a much more active gameday thread.

 

[Doomsday]

I HAVE to bet my own money, it sure aint going on our guys now.

That's been me all season. Can't trust 'em enough to bet on 'em.

If we play up to our ability there's not a team out there I'm scared of. If.

 

[Doomsday]

We have two teams.

1.) All out attack and physicality where we impose our will and physically mash you in the run game, and smoke you on intermediate to deep ball passing game.

2.) Highly conservative "take what they give us" "play it safe" milquetoast play, looking to come out of the day with no major injuries and ostensibly just trying to stay within two scores by the 4th quarter, then we flip the switch and turn the heat up at the end if we have to.

We have seen our QB do everything top 5 QBs do. There's not a throw or a play we haven't seen him make. We have seen our Oline mash 'em up front and blast 'em with whams, slams, traps and double-doubles. It seems our coaching believes aggressiveness and physicality can be turned off and on like a floor lamp.

Meanwhile the defense, when we are in "take what they give us" mode, is essentially told it's ok to give up points and TDs because we're gonna crank up the heat towards the end and pull the game out.

That's not winning football. It's not a switch you can flip off and on. It means you have no identity. It means we let the opponent dictate who and what we are on any given week. We see this as "inconsistency" when in reality, it's the philosophy.

I don't care how great your roster is, you're not going to beat good teams this way.

 

[theoneandonly]

Magic 8 balll says "no" it also says instead of peaking going into the playoffs, it is headed in the opposite direction.