ATTENTION SMITTY

[phocis850]

FIX OUR 3RD QUARTERS NOW

[Gritz]

Supes and I were talking about that while we were watching the game. The weird ass thing is that we had the same problem under Mora/Knapp/Donatell

[kibitzer]

(11-12-2010 10:49 PM)Gritblitzer Wrote:  Supes and I were talking about that while we were watching the game. The weird ass thing is that we had the same problem under Mora/Knapp/Donatell

Remember that all-too-well. I always chalked it up to them just being incompetent enough to not know how to motivate the squads, or make adjustments.

I guess it's just chess. Y'know the other team gets a halftime too, and a chance to make their own adjustments against what's thrown at them. I'm kinda thinking that if we have 2 great quarters like we did last night, our coaches aren't adjusting much, but our opponent's coaches are. Perhaps they need to work on "sustain".....

[phocis850]

LOL, I think it was last year that we rarely scored in the 3rd qtr. I was always yelling at the screen to slow a 3rd qtr drive down and wait for the 4th qtr to get there. It just seems that we really aren't good at all in the third. However, we always wake up in the 4th when it matters.

[Jesus]

Looks like someone needs the Patented Smitty Heart Monitor.

[I Am The Truth]

Yeah, coming into the Ravens game, we were the least scored upon team in the 4th quarter. We had surrendered just 16 points ALL year in that frame. It's like our halftime occurs in the 3rd quarter and we make adjustments in the 4th.

At any rate, I'm more concerned about being up two scores and then one of several things have happened the past few games:

1) After dominating for upwards of 3 quarters, we surrender the 21-7 lead in the 4th Q (Ravens), but need last minute heroics to win thanks to one of the best QB-orchestrated sub-minute drives ever.
2) We completely dominate (up 24-3 at halftime), collapse and give up the lead in the 3rd Q, only to wrestle it away in the 4th (Bengals)
3) We go up 21-7 in the 2nd Q, allow a few big plays, but need a goal-line stand to win with a couple mins left (Bucs)

These Falcons are amazing because they don't give up and keep finding ways to win...but they need to find a way to close teams out. As much as we love them and their 7-2 record, we can't keep living on the edge. Our prevent defense and conservative offensive playcalling after the half (or after immediately going up two scores) have played a role in all 3, inconsistent QB pressure--after dominating QB Pressure in the first half--contributed for the Ravens game, and not scoring on key late drives with good field position (Bucs especially) have to stop. Of course, there will always be games like this over the course of a season, but it is just something that needs to be cleaned up.