Trip
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Sorry, I realize this has already been discussed 1,000 times here but I'm not quite ready to move on from his one, yet. I'm still ready to place blame.
After a day to digest it, this is the order I think the blame belongs.
1. Cortez
Despite our conservative play-calling, bad interceptions, two young tackles and missing our starting RB, the bottom line is if we can make a 29-yard field goal we win the game. I was starting to defend Cortez a few weeks ago, because he was kicking a little better, he has a strong leg and I know sometimes it takes kickers a few years to get the consistency they need to perform at a high level week in and week out, but it's been apparent the past two weeks, as he's reverted to form, that this guy will never be what a team needs. I'm glad he was released today, and he deserves the majority of the blame for this loss.
2. Game plan and conservative play-calling
We came into this game not trying to attack, but with a vanilla, predictable offense. We rarely ran 3 WR's, forcing the opponent to respect the pass, instead we kept backs and tight ends in pass protection and allowed the 'Hawks to blitz and double Glenn, basically making our passing game useless. We didn't play to win offensively, we played scared and I don't see how anyone can debate this point.
3. Bledsoe
Stupid, stupid pass at the end of the game. I also think two of the four sacks on Bledsoe were coverage sacks. Some leaks in protection yes, but I don't think it was as bad as our coaching feared it would be, based on the gameplan. If we'd have corrected either of the two above, Bledsoe wouldn't be in that position at the end of the game, where he felt compelled to force a pass.
As it was, we had one of the best teams in the conference beat in their house, if only we had a kicker or some balls. Either would have worked.
After a day to digest it, this is the order I think the blame belongs.
1. Cortez
Despite our conservative play-calling, bad interceptions, two young tackles and missing our starting RB, the bottom line is if we can make a 29-yard field goal we win the game. I was starting to defend Cortez a few weeks ago, because he was kicking a little better, he has a strong leg and I know sometimes it takes kickers a few years to get the consistency they need to perform at a high level week in and week out, but it's been apparent the past two weeks, as he's reverted to form, that this guy will never be what a team needs. I'm glad he was released today, and he deserves the majority of the blame for this loss.
2. Game plan and conservative play-calling
We came into this game not trying to attack, but with a vanilla, predictable offense. We rarely ran 3 WR's, forcing the opponent to respect the pass, instead we kept backs and tight ends in pass protection and allowed the 'Hawks to blitz and double Glenn, basically making our passing game useless. We didn't play to win offensively, we played scared and I don't see how anyone can debate this point.
3. Bledsoe
Stupid, stupid pass at the end of the game. I also think two of the four sacks on Bledsoe were coverage sacks. Some leaks in protection yes, but I don't think it was as bad as our coaching feared it would be, based on the gameplan. If we'd have corrected either of the two above, Bledsoe wouldn't be in that position at the end of the game, where he felt compelled to force a pass.
As it was, we had one of the best teams in the conference beat in their house, if only we had a kicker or some balls. Either would have worked.
