Article: Dark side of the fourth

Worth reading.

http://www.fieldgulls.com/2015/10/21/95 ... ce=twitter

This stuck out right away but I'm still getting through the article:

Not-so-fun fact: The Hawks have scored three offensive points, total, on their last 12 late-game drives.

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EDIT: Way too many depressing stats to sift through. Ugh

First three qtrs: 64 pts allowed. 4th qtr: 61 pts allowed.
First three qtrs: 6 TDs allowed. 4th qtr: 6 TDs allowed.

It's defense, first and foremost. Then it's offense too.

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

One thing I've noticed about our defence, once they get down inside the 5 yardline we don't go with a run defence or jumbo package. We've got Bennett and Clark playing inside with four down linemen. Thats how Cincinatti scored on a 5 yard QB sneak. I mean "whats with that"?

SacHawk2.0":1dx3uzg2 said:

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

Click to expand...

Uh Huh. Dares some truf going on up inside here.

There are some interesting things going on with the defense.

But the question becomes, is that a result of the defense changing in the 4th or simply the reaction by the opposing offense? It feels like our defense has people in position to discourage the offense taking shots in certain directions but if the opposing team is behind and needs to score, and thus willing to take those chances, scores can be had.

The other issue is we are getting stops in the 4th, just not enough of them. And if the other team gets enough shots to beat on the door, it eventually opens.

But I still assert that it does not help when the opposing team scores a TD and we answer with FGs. In most of our losses, we lost by a few points, with time winding down. It stands to reason, if we had bothered to score more points, it would have been harder for the other team to come back and we would not be having this conversation.

Clearly the defense has issues, but with a rookie DC I am confused that people are surprised by this.

The larger question is whether :

1 - We have the ability to start scoring more, so this gap becomes harder to close.

2 - We can score reliably when behind, so that when an opposing offense breaks the wall (defense) it does not automatically doom the team.

3 - The defense can identify if it can close some of the gaps, so that less of these scoring trips in the 4th are successful.

It feels like getting Lynch back as a scoring option near the goaline addresses #1, whether #2 or #3 factors we can address is another point. But to go back to the door analogy, we have to give the other team less shots to bang on the door, as well as make it harder to open. That means the offense is going to have to start doing its job, which it has not done in any game this year.

Bruce Coslet had it mostly right.

We can't run. We can't pass. We can't stop the run. We can't stop the pass. We can't kick. Other than that, we're just not a very good football team right now. in the 4th quarter.

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LOL!
The one thing that strikes me as odd is it doesn't appear the coaches are paying extra attention to eliminating/reducing penalties. We simply aren't playing well enough to compensate for the back-breaking penalties we get, yet the Coaches carry on as if we are still that good. As many have said before, all of the sloppy, untimely penalties would catch up to us someday, and now we're seeing that.

SacHawk2.0":7e23edpy said:

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

Click to expand...

Yep

SacHawk2.0":3t6ziik0 said:

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

Click to expand...

Agreed 1000%.

Although I'm surprised you haven't been told to get off the bandwagon or to not let the door hit you on the way out. Suggesting anything that criticizes this regime is sacrilegious.

SacHawk2.0":35zljapt said:

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

Click to expand...

A lot of times they're playing a base look but just not executing. I do agree they need to get their throat stepping mentality though...

ludakrishna":1e8oltmm said:

SacHawk2.0":1e8oltmm said:

I assert that the problem is "prevent offense".

We need to step on throats like the Patriots do.

Click to expand...

Agreed 1000%.

Although I'm surprised you haven't been told to get off the bandwagon or to not let the door hit you on the way out. Suggesting anything that criticizes this regime is sacrilegious.

Click to expand...

There's not enough hyperbole/vague reference to specific posters in your statement. If you're going take swipes at people, you should at least put some effort into it.