The 28 points we scored aren't in question because they're unrelated to our defense. the point is, when the defense was rested, it gave up 17 points, including 3 points and 66 yards in 40 seconds. That'd be 34 points over the course of a whole game where there was no ToP disadvantage. They didn't play better, which was *my* point. and it wasn't incorrect.
The 28 points scored was
during the time Dallas' offense was winning ToP and thus allowed the defense to play better.
Your point is incorrect because you have
failed to contextualize the 10 points that were direct results of offensive or offensive coaching mistakes. Numbers without context can be misleading.
The problem with your analysis on the defense is that in the first half Weeden provided an easy set up for 7 points, that is not on the defense but on the offense because a short field and free turnover changes field position and makes for a much easier score.
Did the defense cough up the ball and set the Falcons up at the 19 after leading 21-7?
Does this HUGE mistake not account for the position the defense was in accordingly?
Second, the extra 3 points can be attributed to Garrett with respect to the offense, he failed to use the clock properly and allowed Atlanta time to drive. Garrett could have killed the clock and left no time, did the defense make this mistake?
The point that you are missing is that offense is not somehow abstracted from the defense, what it actually does, especially considering an undermanned defense, is going to have an impact.
Without these offensive mistakes (which is not on the defense), chances are the defense holds them to less than 10 points at the half, that is playing much better than the second half.
Context matters, these were offensive or offensive coaching mistakes on offense that directly put the defense in poor positions, to deny that is lunacy and dishonesty.
The defense was responsible for allowing points but not for being put in the position where points were even possible to begin with accordingly.
If you do not throw the easy pick, they have to drive the entire field, if you run out the clock, they have no time to drive for a FG.
And again, we coughed up another 7 points in the second drive after the half, right after the intermission and water break. (The first ATL drive was 8 plays). They were giving up points when they had no business being tired.
No one is claiming the defense was faultless, this really just proves Atlanta, a good offensive team made adjustments at the half.
Being tired was not the only problem, we agree they played poorly but surely after being on the field for the ENTIRE second half is going to wear down any defense, especially an undermanned one.
I am not claiming the defense is not culpable at all, it is you that are not attributing shared blame with respect to an inept second half offensive effort nor positing the first half offensive mistakes as making an impact on the defense in terms of those 10 points.
This is just more of what you were saying in the prior post. If we were playing better defense in the first half it'd carry weight, but as it is, it doesn't. And it's not the time of possession that really matters, anyway, if your argument is that controlling the ball fatigues a defense. It's the number of plays you run, because that's what actually tires defenses out, not the standing around in between plays. ATL ran 68 plays on Sunday, which is a good number, a play or three more than an average team might run on an average day. Keep in mind, for that to matter, you have to subscribe to the idea that defenders get more tired than offensive players, even for a team like Dallas that rotates its front a lot, and I'm not sure that holds true, either.
The point is not just that winning ToP keeps your defense off the field, it is because it keeps the other offense off the field, this is a simple concept.
The added benefit is that the defense can rest and have fresh legs throughout the game which certainly helps a struggling defense.
Incorrect, we were playing better defense in the first half you just fail to acknowledge the two HUGE
offensive mistakes in the first half that
had a direct impact in terms of scoring drives by Atlanta that should never have been, if you were being honest, it is right there for you.
ToP is how we won the first two games 40 minutes to 20 minutes on defense.
ToP is how we won all last year, controlling the clock and playing the best we could on defense, it was a proven recipe, to deny this is absurd.
We lost this one because we lost ToP and yes still played poorly overall. This how we lost games last year as well, this is a fact.
Incorrect, Chip Kelly runs tons of plays but when he fails to have ToP he loses and his own defense gets tired, this is a fact.
The entire Dallas defense was tired in the second half by being on the field all day in the second half, we have little depth with our injuries, this was obvious to everyone.
They played poorly to be sure but the offensive poor play had a direct impact on an undermanned defense as well.
Shared responsibility, synergy of poor play!
