Why do teams that look invincible go on losing streaks?

[Havic]

Injuries usually.

 

[kskboys]

The game against the 49ers sucked. I had already watched the 9ers game against the Steelers, and they looked so good, I thought they would end the season with maybe only one loss, or possibly even defeated. Then I was delighted to see the 49ers go on their 3-game losing streak, but I was extremely surprised. I think perhaps it was due to injury taking away some of their best weapons, especially Christian McCaffrey. However, they've often been a resourceful team that manages to win if some star players have to sit out.
...
I suspect that injury isn't the only thing that can make a good team go on a skid. Sometimes, maybe there's another team that just has their number. They've figured out their weaknesses and how to exploit them. Or maybe a team takes a less successful team lightly and doesn't prepare as well.
...
The Niners looked invincible at one point, as did the Eagles. Seeing the Eagles fall flat on their faces and go on a skid brought me even more joy. However, I just admit, I was also surprised. I've been loving it, but I'm surprised. It makes me think that the people who called them "frauds" were right.
...
Why do you guys think a team might look great for several games and then all of a sudden go on a skid?

Because a DC figures out a weakness, something to exploit.

 

[windward]

It’s hard to win in this league. Ignore the conspiracy theorists.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

I have pretty much quit, and after the way the Cowboys/ Lions game was fixed and it being so obvious, I will watch even less.
I feel sorry for the gullible fans who gamble.
After Derrick Barnes whiffed on what should have been a sack for a safety when Dak had nowhere to go, and then that turned into a 92 yard touchdown pass it was clear that the Cowboys were set to win that game. Then it got even more obvious at the end when the Cowboys refused to run out the clock and left Detroit with 1:43 to run that last drive.
About 80% of games over the past few years have begun to go down to the last seconds and end with less than a 3 point difference. Thats so the gamblers can keep running lines and keeps people believing that they actually have a chance. And now even a 6-9 team is still in contention for a playoff berth in the last week of the season, encouraging "longshot" betting.
The Cowboys/ Lions game from last year was an obvious fix, as was the Cowboys/ Colts and Cowboys/Texans.
And other teams are in games that have the same types of improbable endings, and the NFL wants you to focus o the officials and blame them.
It would take a blind man not to see what's really going on.

So you really think that the NFL could somehow manage to fix games and script the entire season while maintaining an appearance of extreme realism in addition to keeping thousands of players (tens of thousands of alumni), coaches, operations staff, and officials silent on game rigging?

It literally makes zero sense and is total lunacy to think the NFL is predetermined right down to the players knowing what the outcome of the game should be.

 

[Mark]

1. Key injuries
2. Film/familiarity
3. Contentment with present position
4. Overconfidence
5. Under-confidence
6. Fatigue
7. Ennui
8. Breakdown in coaching/team-cohesion
9. Bad luck
10. An irregularly-shaped ball, and the law of averages

 

[lostar2009]

Ravens gave them a number. In my eyes they could be had.

 

[Blackrain]

Because the NFL needs them to in order to keep drama going at the end of the season and give the gamblers something to waste their money on.

So you're saying the NFL is fixed? If that's the case, it makes me wonder why you would bother watching. I don't watch the WWF specifically because it's fixed. And, to be clear, I don't mean this response as a put-down. There's certainly nothing wrong with watching if you want to. I'm just saying to me it doesn't seem like it would be worth it to watch rigged games. I watch, but I don't think it's rigged.

If it's not rigged how in today's world with all the technology we have at our disposal can the officiating be so bad

 

[CCBoy]

Each game starts out with a game plan which focuses how an opponent is to be attacked.

The most important aspect at games' start is momentum. That can be affected by game changing events. This includes big plays that affect the score board from that point.

Culprets are penalties, injuries, and offensive/defensive units being attacked by the opponent.

After a momentum change, rhythm is then the dynamic changer. This either expands a deficit or returns planned play.

10-14 changes all as to direction. Add in a second round start by the opponent, and a point difference further added to the picture...and teams have to change most planned norms on schemes for both sides of the ball.

 

[DandyDon52]

The game against the 49ers sucked. I had already watched the 9ers game against the Steelers, and they looked so good, I thought they would end the season with maybe only one loss, or possibly even defeated. Then I was delighted to see the 49ers go on their 3-game losing streak, but I was extremely surprised. I think perhaps it was due to injury taking away some of their best weapons, especially Christian McCaffrey. However, they've often been a resourceful team that manages to win if some star players have to sit out.
...
I suspect that injury isn't the only thing that can make a good team go on a skid. Sometimes, maybe there's another team that just has their number. They've figured out their weaknesses and how to exploit them. Or maybe a team takes a less successful team lightly and doesn't prepare as well.
...
The Niners looked invincible at one point, as did the Eagles. Seeing the Eagles fall flat on their faces and go on a skid brought me even more joy. However, I just admit, I was also surprised. I've been loving it, but I'm surprised. It makes me think that the people who called them "frauds" were right.
...
Why do you guys think a team might look great for several games and then all of a sudden go on a skid?

well part of last year and now this year is the worst I have ever seen with this sort of thing.
It isnt just the top teams, it is just about all the teams!
They lose 5 in a big way then beat a team that has just won 7 in a row!
I cant help but think it is all rigged somehow.

 

[BleedSilverandBlue]

It's not that hard.
They let the teams play real football at times, driving up and down the field, and they only interfere for the storylines they want to push and whoever they want to win.
If they think fans respond to a certain player doing well, that player will have success.
The WWF was the same way.
Dak's 92 yd touchdown pass was a prime example; Detroit had him for a safety and let him go. They got caught because it was too obvious.

That does not solve the problem I just mentioned about maintaining secrecy. By your logic, the NFL would have had to communicated with the Lions defense to let Dallas score, meaning every player would be in on it and would need to stay silent on game rigging.

Nothing about it makes sense.

 

[Pass2Run]

The game against the 49ers sucked. I had already watched the 9ers game against the Steelers, and they looked so good, I thought they would end the season with maybe only one loss, or possibly even defeated. Then I was delighted to see the 49ers go on their 3-game losing streak, but I was extremely surprised. I think perhaps it was due to injury taking away some of their best weapons, especially Christian McCaffrey. However, they've often been a resourceful team that manages to win if some star players have to sit out.
...
I suspect that injury isn't the only thing that can make a good team go on a skid. Sometimes, maybe there's another team that just has their number. They've figured out their weaknesses and how to exploit them. Or maybe a team takes a less successful team lightly and doesn't prepare as well.
...
The Niners looked invincible at one point, as did the Eagles. Seeing the Eagles fall flat on their faces and go on a skid brought me even more joy. However, I just admit, I was also surprised. I've been loving it, but I'm surprised. It makes me think that the people who called them "frauds" were right.
...
Why do you guys think a team might look great for several games and then all of a sudden go on a skid?

The 9ers are good. But they're not so good, they're just miles better than the Cowboys. The majority of our fans are reactionary. Many are on the backend, and have grown bitter in their old age. For whatever reason.

My biggest issue with that demographic of our fanbase is that they should know better. They've been watching football longer than the others, so they've seen how it usually never goes how we expect.

Everyone thought it was the Eagles last year. They were the clear cut winners. The year before that, they thought the Rams were the next dynasty, even though the Rams blew their cap wad, putting them in a position that made it difficult to compete on that same level. They sort of squeaked in the playoffs this year.

You know what I like about our team? At 80-years-old, Jerral Wayne is still playing the long game. That tells me he's not trying to sell out the team, and the younger fanbase, just so he can claim he won a SB, without Jimmah, after the 90s. He's putting the team in a position to compete long-term. Maybe he will win one. So far, he's not selling out for one year, though. We've been competitive for three in a row now.

Like someone said in the "doubt" thread yesterday. All you need is a chip and a chair. That's how I learned poker. I was getting worked over by an experience player who just thought he was smarter than me, was playing me.. as the game went on, I literally had a few chips left. I could see him getting ready to drop his drawers, metaphorically speaking, and I played possum, ended up rolling him.

Anyway, my point is, as far as I can tell, McCarthy was playing possum at the 9ers. In fact, we may not even have to play them. But if we do, he made sure this isn't the same team we played earlier in the year. Not even close. That's what I like about MM. He's smart, but subtle about it. "The standard. We know who we are," etcetera.

That's good stuff right there. Way more effective and memorable, to me at least, than "how bout them Cowboys."

Anyway, to answer your question, there really aren't any "invincible" teams. It's football. In the NFL, that's not how this works. Only one undefeated champ in SB history. And, even that team should have had some losses. They just didn't, because luck went their way, and that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Skill, talent, scheme is only part of it. There are outside forces that impact the game. There's luck, weather, etc. That's what makes it the most interesting sport, IMO. Very dynamic game.

Anyway, 9ers are good.. Legit contender. Eagles have been overrated all year, if you've paid attention to their games.

 

[Pass2Run]

I have pretty much quit, and after the way the Cowboys/ Lions game was fixed and it being so obvious, I will watch even less.
I feel sorry for the gullible fans who gamble.
After Derrick Barnes whiffed on what should have been a sack for a safety when Dak had nowhere to go, and then that turned into a 92 yard touchdown pass it was clear that the Cowboys were set to win that game. Then it got even more obvious at the end when the Cowboys refused to run out the clock and left Detroit with 1:43 to run that last drive.
About 80% of games over the past few years have begun to go down to the last seconds and end with less than a 3 point difference. Thats so the gamblers can keep running lines and keeps people believing that they actually have a chance. And now even a 6-9 team is still in contention for a playoff berth in the last week of the season, encouraging "longshot" betting.
The Cowboys/ Lions game from last year was an obvious fix, as was the Cowboys/ Colts and Cowboys/Texans.
And other teams are in games that have the same types of improbable endings, and the NFL wants you to focus o the officials and blame them.
It would take a blind man not to see what's really going on.

What about your channel? How will you make you make money with your Stephen A Smith gimmick?

 

[CCBoy]

The 9ers are good. But they're not so good, they're just miles better than the Cowboys. The majority of our fans are reactionary. Many are on the backend, and have grown bitter in their old age. For whatever reason.

My biggest issue with that demographic of our fanbase is that they should know better. They've been watching football longer than the others, so they've seen how it usually never goes how we expect.

Everyone thought it was the Eagles last year. They were the clear cut winners. The year before that, they thought the Rams were the next dynasty, even though the Rams blew their cap wad, putting them in a position that made it difficult to compete on that same level. They sort of squeaked in the playoffs this year.

You know what I like about our team? At 80-years-old, Jerral Wayne is still playing the long game. That tells me he's not trying to sell out the team, and the younger fanbase, just so he can claim he won a SB, without Jimmah, after the 90s. He's putting the team in a position to compete long-term. Maybe he will win one. So far, he's not selling out for one year, though. We've been competitive for three in a row now.

Like someone said in the "doubt" thread yesterday. All you need is a chip and a chair. That's how I learned poker. I was getting worked over by an experience player who just thought he was smarter than me, was playing me.. as the game went on, I literally had a few chips left. I could see him getting ready to drop his drawers, metaphorically speaking, and I played possum, ended up rolling him.

Anyway, my point is, as far as I can tell, McCarthy was playing possum at the 9ers. In fact, we may not even have to play them. But if we do, he made sure this isn't the same team we played earlier in the year. Not even close. That's what I like about MM. He's smart, but subtle about it. "The standard. We know who we are," etcetera.

That's good stuff right there. Way more effective and memorable, to me at least, than "how bout them Cowboys."

Anyway, to answer your question, there really aren't any "invincible" teams. It's football. In the NFL, that's not how this works. Only one undefeated champ in SB history. And, even that team should have had some losses. They just didn't, because luck went their way, and that's how the cookie crumbles sometimes.

Skill, talent, scheme is only part of it. There are outside forces that impact the game. There's luck, weather, etc. That's what makes it the most interesting sport, IMO. Very dynamic game.

Anyway, 9ers are good.. Legit contender. Eagles have been overrated all year, if you've paid attention to their games.

Buffalo returned to the #2 seed and adds strength to a Cowboys' projection here and now...still some run defense to wade through for Dallas!

 

[Jammer]

So you really think that the NFL could somehow manage to fix games and script the entire season while maintaining an appearance of extreme realism in addition to keeping thousands of players (tens of thousands of alumni), coaches, operations staff, and officials silent on game rigging?

It literally makes zero sense and is total lunacy to think the NFL is predetermined right down to the players knowing what the outcome of the game should be.

Thank you. It seems so obvious. Conspiracy people can never answer how thousands of people can keep their mouths shut and everyone is so brilliant they can fool everyone in thinking everything is scripted.

 

[droopdog7]

A coupe of reasons; the talent gap isn’t as wide as people think. In fact, there is more parity in the nlf than in any other league. Second, there is a certain degree of what I will call “hotness” in play (kinda like error) in that guys that manifests itself in certain ways. There is the idea of the hot coordinator in that they get lucky with play calls at times. Or the hot qb that makes the right throw because I believe guys are always open.

You see this also with teams that win lots of close games. I believe the Viking last year won of record close games and this year, not so much. So you can equate being hot with luck.

So that’s gonna ebb and flow.

 

[Creeper]

I think this was a weird phenomenon this year. The 49ers lost 3 in a row when a couple of their key players went down with injuries. I think the Eagles really took the drubbing by the 49ers and let it get to them mentally. They were so used to being called the best team in the NFL that when they got blown out it damaged their psyche. Also, their defense is not the same this year. The locker room dissention started and that finished them. The Cowboys ran into two good teams on the road. They lost because they are not that good on the road. To be honest, after watching the Bills and Dolphins last night I have downgraded the Cowboys defense in my head. The Bills defense is much better than the Cowboys right now. They can be physical and aggressive in a way the Cowboys can't.. The Bills really stymied the Phins offense in the 2nd half in a way Dallas didn't - in Miami.

 

[kskboys]

In the case of the Eagles, they have a running QB who is a mediocre passer who they paid huge, and they let walk their NT, MLB, and both S's. That is why.

 

[Pass2Run]

??
I don't even watch that.
And now that it's clear that the NFL is rigged/fake, I think fans everywhere will be changing the channel(s).

It's a good channel, for a hater.

 

[JD_KaPow]

I have pretty much quit, and after the way the Cowboys/ Lions game was fixed and it being so obvious, I will watch even less.
I feel sorry for the gullible fans who gamble.
After Derrick Barnes whiffed on what should have been a sack for a safety when Dak had nowhere to go, and then that turned into a 92 yard touchdown pass it was clear that the Cowboys were set to win that game. Then it got even more obvious at the end when the Cowboys refused to run out the clock and left Detroit with 1:43 to run that last drive.
About 80% of games over the past few years have begun to go down to the last seconds and end with less than a 3 point difference. Thats so the gamblers can keep running lines and keeps people believing that they actually have a chance. And now even a 6-9 team is still in contention for a playoff berth in the last week of the season, encouraging "longshot" betting.
The Cowboys/ Lions game from last year was an obvious fix, as was the Cowboys/ Colts and Cowboys/Texans.
And other teams are in games that have the same types of improbable endings, and the NFL wants you to focus o the officials and blame them.
It would take a blind man not to see what's really going on.

Oh, we all see what's going on.
You predicted the Cowboys would win 5 games this season and spent your entire time here talking about how Dak isn't worthy of any kind of job (much less a starting QB job) in the NFL.
Once all your predictions and opinions were proven completely ludicrous and you lost all credibility (not that you had much), you desperately tried to find a way not to admit you were wrong. If i recall, you started down a path of "Dak has matured" or something, but I guess that wasn't working, so now you've moved on to full-on conspiracy theory garbage. But that won't work either. Wonder what's next? If the Cowboys lose in the playoffs, my best guess is you'll be right back to your old stuff without missing a beat and you'll drop the conspiracy stuff just as quickly as you picked it up.
It would take a blind man not to see what's really going on.

 

[TheFinisher]

The Eagles never looked invincible, they were the beneficiaries of some incredible luck and the ball bouncing their way to eek out close victories.

That is never sustainable and the pendulum has predictably swung the other way.