Sorry, you misunderstood me. The defense is ELITE, I wasn't criticizing them at all. I don't like the strategy this team seems to take of just not caring at all about points and feeling confident the defense will hold. That is unfair to the defense.
absolutely agreed. No defensive unit will survive for the whole game when the offense can't sustain drives. That being said, regardless of how these games are going... the defense somehow continues to get "better" in the 4th quarter of these games, while most other defenses (including the other elite ones) tend to get tired. That has also improved from earlier this year. They are susceptible to the QB scramble still but that's about it.
The Chiefs had plenty of breaks, too. A fourth down conversion deep in Chief territory was wiped out by a fairly dubious offsides penalty, as was a Schultz touchdown on an illegal procedure penalty that was so egregious, Collinsworth went silent when he discovered, while breaking the penalty down during the replay, that there wasn't actually a penalty. And let's not pretend the drops happened in a vacuum. You think Rice wasn't hearing Pitre footsteps on the 4th down play? The Kelce drop/interception (and to a degree, the Rice play, too) was a product of an effective pass rush disrupting the timing. Kelce should've caught the ball - but that was an awful, Anderson-induced throw from Mahomes. The Texans' D was, very often, causing the breaks. This is a violent, well-coached, very smart defense. They make life miserable for offenses.
They deserve a TON of praise. The effort level and the determination to step up is absolutely impressive. The coach shouldn't waste that by so easily squandering points. Kareem Hunt catches that little screen pass and suddenly the amazing defensive effort was meaningless. They seem to get comfortable with their points way too early for my liking.
No doubt about it. This isn't an argument about the defense. All teams get breaks, even the team that loses.
I agree Spags emptied the tank, but that’s what he does most games. I could see/saw the all out blitz coming on the regular. Seems as though the offense didn’t prepare for that enough. I am not as down on Caley as what most are. I don’t think this offense has been built properly. I think they piece it together and hope it comes together. There was a clear blueprint for building the defense, the offense needs the same. I am not sure what DeMeco knows about the offense in general but I feel like he needs to know more and be a little more involved. I want to see the offense punch people in the mouth like the defense does; impose its will. I don’t see that kind of confidence on that side of the ball.
I think... prep or not, they don't have an OL good enough to counter it. Generally, teams don't look *that* overwhelmed with all-out blitzes. This is precisely why you hire experienced coordinators who know exactly what they need. I keep going back to the Wade Phillips hire... in one offseason - before he had coached a single day of practice - the Texans signed Joseph, Manning and drafted Watt. Phillips knew what he needed and, more importantly, how to effectively deploy them. Caley may get there - I think he is - generally - a smart guy with a bright future. But on a team where he could take a year+ to figure some things out. Urgency to win here was too great and needed someone who knew what they were doing from day 1.
Clutchfans: “Coaching sucks, offense sucks, front office sucks, fire this guy, trade this guy, don’t pay this guy”, etc. Texans: W, W, W, W, W, … etc. Are the Texans the best team ever that sucked at so many things?
CJ has not proved he's elite or even a top QB. If we're going to pay him what he wants for the record (for think the 49ers are insane to what they paid Purdy) he needs to be better. Blame the coordinator, the OL but they aren't responsible for missing wide open guys. Lookat Hutchinson wide open on the on the overthrow. Nico having to dig balls out of the dirt
