- Jun 12, 2014
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- 32,701
Founding Member
Spot on about the tackling. It gets very frustrating when guys are getting to the ball, but the ball carrier breaks free, often from multiple attempts, for positive gains. Part of the problem yesterday was our front seven either can’t get off blocks (DL) or are slow to diagnose the play and get cut off (LBs) more often than should reasonably be expected.Sure seems like the overall tone of the game changed on the interception. Prior to that we had just scored a couple more TDs and gotten a fumble and a punt out of the cawks. Looked to me like Trask was throwing to a spot and Toney slipped coming out of his break which let the ball sail into the arms of the defender, who I still think dropped the ball and we should have had the play reviewed.
While I agree with a lot of the scheme and personnel points made about the defense, IMO everything looks a hell of a lot better if we can just do a better job of tackling. Just way too many yards after contact.
The long drive by the cawks at the end of the game was frustrating to watch but probably a lot of it was situational. Looked like we were giving even more cushion than normal trying to prevent giving up a big play knowing they needed two scores to tie, which let them dink and dunk their way down the field but also chew up the entire clock. Even if they converted that 4th down play for a TD, the game was over. Cover and I were talking about predictions before the game and we both agreed it would be something like 35-21 and that's pretty much what we got.
Overall I have to agree this isn't a championship team because of the defense, more so because of talent/depth than scheme IMO.