Thanks Fade; love it. Agree virtually 100%...
The defense was impressive, actually, all things considered. DBs had their best game of the season. I like Blair also. We need to learn how to tackle better and we need to get creative on the DLine for pressure. I believe we have the personnel in place for a top-third level defense in time for the playoffs.
This offense doesn't lack personnel. We don't need at TE to be successful. The OLine is average or better. Wilson sacked once and as a team we ran for 4 yards a pop. Carson had several runs with good lanes to run in. I believe the blocking is adequate.
What is missing, to me, is intelligence. Our offense performs like a person who gets through college, gets their Master's Degree maybe even...but when you talk to them they just can't get past textbook concepts and thought processes; i.e. they aren't creative and aren't critical thinkers. Each play in the Hawks' playbook, individually, can be a very successful play...but in the context of game-flow and situation, it just looks like someone trying really hard but just doesn't "get it". It's hard to quantify, its hard to even contemplate sometimes.
Pete and Schotty schemed us to 3 FGs and a TD. Russ posted a <50% completion% and 65.5 QBR. We won ToP, yds, ran more plays...yet our offense created 3 garbage-time points in the 2nd half.
Here's how others did earlier this season against the Baltimore defense:
-Freddie Kitchens schemed the Cleveland Browns to 5 TDs- at Baltimore! Mayfield went 67% and 102 QBR- and that's with an INT.
-Ryan Fitzpatrick had a better QBR against this team than Russ did, again also with an INT.
-In his 2nd game ever in the NFL, with a below average OLine, Kyler Murray threw for 350 and had a 90 QBR.
-Mahomes went for 375 and 3 TDs, 73% and 132 QBR.
-Mason Rudolph went 65% and a TD, 100 QBR.
-Only the hapless Bungals fared worse than we did with their QB; Dalton still completed >50% passes, including 8 completions to RBs and TEs for 90 yds: they weren't long seam routes...they were underneath routes and check-downs.
Point being...this wasn't a good pass-defense AT ALL. And yet, we couldn't scheme this offense to more than 1 TD? I don't fricking get it. It makes zero sense to me.