Are two very different things. This team did not open the season ready to win games in the NFL. I've posted about our past teams being ready to come out at the top of their game. It's been too many years since that has happened.
earlier today is pretty good at pointing out where things were missed or overlooked. One thing I keep hearing is how great this offense was with BM as the OC but regressed as the HC. I disagree some. For a lot of what was good, we were playing behind a lot. We played teams with leads on us which allowed us to go out and pass the ball a ton. Check downs are easy (see end of Dallas game week 1) when the other team knows it can't beat you. Scoring is easier when you are playing behind and the other team wants time to be run and a score here or there will not beat them.
The offense was not really looked at as much as it should have been when we were 11-5 last year. The defense scored a few TD's in games that were very close (New Orleans and Los Angeles) and in both of those games our offense was putrid. Cleveland was another example of game we won but did not dominate at all. We looked pretty average and once the defense got involved to help the scoring. Sure, defenses score but the point is, without those scores we may not win New Orleans game and were struggling mightily in the other two. Not exactly a powerhouse offense.
We come into this year and say we need play makers. We get a TE with speed, a BIG WR and a blocking TE but we forget two very important things- our oline is not good and our QB is immobile and starting to age.
Even with that oversight though we still could be winning. You game plan differently. You choose plays that set up others and look to rest your weary defense that may have been over hyped in terms of their ability. Instead we put people in positions to fail (Flowers, Jerry, Hart, Perkins), we do not use people the way they should be used or as much as they should be (Adams, Ellison, Vereen, Gallman, Engram) and we counted on people to be their past selves at older ages and stages (Manning and Marshall)...
Classic case of team believing all the press about themselves Â
and failing to show up on Sundays. Yes the coaching has been head-scratching at times. But on paper we sure were the best team in the NFC East coming into this season. But you don't win the games on paper.
The offense was not really looked at as much as it should have been when we were 11-5 last year. The defense scored a few TD's in games that were very close (New Orleans and Los Angeles) and in both of those games our offense was putrid. Cleveland was another example of game we won but did not dominate at all. We looked pretty average and once the defense got involved to help the scoring. Sure, defenses score but the point is, without those scores we may not win New Orleans game and were struggling mightily in the other two. Not exactly a powerhouse offense.
We come into this year and say we need play makers. We get a TE with speed, a BIG WR and a blocking TE but we forget two very important things- our oline is not good and our QB is immobile and starting to age.
Even with that oversight though we still could be winning. You game plan differently. You choose plays that set up others and look to rest your weary defense that may have been over hyped in terms of their ability. Instead we put people in positions to fail (Flowers, Jerry, Hart, Perkins), we do not use people the way they should be used or as much as they should be (Adams, Ellison, Vereen, Gallman, Engram) and we counted on people to be their past selves at older ages and stages (Manning and Marshall)...