The Shocking Truth
So here we are, after another heartbreaking loss. Or is it? We've heard from many who are thrilled we were even in the game. They see this as a positive sign because we're almost as good as the Patriots. I'm amazed there was any question. I already knew before the year started we were good enough to play the Patriots and have a good chance. Sunday showed yet again we have the talent to compete with anyone. Sadly, it also confirmed we do not yet have the composure to actually beat them.
We did not play our game on offense, we lost our swagger at times in the game. We appeared to be afraid to make a mistake often times and yet we made them anyway. Correctable, but it's been happing with this offense for a long time, it's a pattern. I think the Pats defense is better than they get credit for, but they are not as good as many that we've faced, they were not better than our offense.
My simplified game analysis? We beat ourselves. Romo's pick was not forced by their D, Choice's fumble was lazy ball handling and Austin's drops were probably the difference in the game. He was open for first downs, the throws were on the money and he dropped them. Some of the penalties were just dumb, I agree with holding if it's your last chance to keep the QB from getting nailed. Some of those holds were sloppy technique and did not even impact the play. Spencer needs to know better than to run into the kicker and the examples go on.
The Pats made mistakes too, but I feel our defense forced them into most of their mistakes. Our offense continues to beat itself. When they're on, their incredible, when they're off, it's just depressing. We all understand a few mistakes will happen, but three games now we've beat ourselves when we were and are clearly the more talented team.
The defense is playing very good, until the end. It's not always because of the offense, the D continues to allow points to be scored late in the game. This has been going on for years and it's not just because of turnovers. They played more than well enough to beat the Pats but the offense did not, I am not trying to be critical of the defense overall. However, I really hope the D can find a way to dig in and close the game stronger than they start it. These 4th quarter scores to tie or lose the lead have to stop.
So final records, playoffs, SB? None of that matters to me right now. What matters is this team needs to learn how to prepare and execute or it won't matter who the players are. We are more talented than the Pats, we deserved to win that game and we failed to take it. Perhaps time will cure this, it's a new oline. But under this same OC, the offense has been shooting itself in the foot in critical situations for a long time. Is it the coach, the players, the system or all of the above? I really do not know.
What I do know is most objective people will say Romo is the next tier of QB down from Brady, Rogers, Rivers and Brees. I'd like to add that right now, other than maybe Ryan, our coaches are the next tier down from Belichick. The defense is the next tier down from the Steelers and Ravens, the special teams is one tier down from elite and our WR's are a few mistakes away from top tier. I don't think I need to say anything about the running game.
The truth is, the entire team is the next tier down from elite right now. We're really close, we're almost as good, but we're not because we don't execute when it counts. The offense keeps making that dumb mistake to kill a drive. The coach keeps making that one questionable call that kills a drive. The D keeps giving up that 4th quarter score to lose the lead.
My example would be when the game was on the line, Brady made a great throw that beat our great coverage and his receivers made great catches when it mattered the most. Conversely, when we had time to drive the nail in the coffin, Romo made a great throw and Austin dropped it when it mattered most. Last game Romo made some bad throws when it mattered most. ST's ran in to the kicker when it mattered most. The D was great until it mattered most the last two games and gave up long 4th quarter scoring drives.
So close to elite, if any of those individual examples had been able to execute, the one example alone may have been enough to win the game. If all of them execute, we easily win the game. And these were unforced mistakes for teh most part, the other team did not create them, we did it to ourselves.
I would assume my tone comes across as negative and depressed, it is. So far, we're almost good enough. I'm dying to actually be good enough. I think we can be and even by the end of this year. But the truth is, we're not right now. The shocking truth is, I'm not sure we can be with Garrett running the offense. I can point back to the Giants playoff loss on questionable preparation, play calling and offensive mistakes. How long have we been struggling in the red zone and with the running game? Can Garrett make the changes needed to correct the ongoing issues with the offense? Red zone, running game and mental mistakes. I hope so but I'm really not convinced.
There are many reasons to be excited for the future of this team and I am. This post is about the state of the team right now based on Sunday's game. For better or worse, that's how I see it as of today.
