I want to see teams play their best. For the most part, that’s just not happening.
This weekend’s games were a disappointment! I generally saw good teams (good offense, defense, special teams, etc.) hand away games by making monumental mistakes at key moments.
You can get ‘a pass’ when you fumble IF you’re up by a few scores and it’s at the end of the game. But that’s not the case when you give away the ball AT the goal line before the game even gets going– as Xavier Grimble did in the Steelers-Broncos game.
Later on, the Steelers lost a big gain when the Steelers’ James Conner fumbled. That lead to a Broncos TD and a Steelers loss.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TZX9cSg6YEA
And I’m not even talking about an interception inside the Denver 5-yard line. Let’s put it this way: the Steelers handed away the game.
Mistakes are being made on the coaching side, too. In the Cowboys-Falcons game on Thursday, for example, there was a play that Dan Quinn could have challenged, but he didn’t. Atlanta would have gotten the ball back if he had. Instead, Quinn let Dallas hurry to the line and run a play.
Ouch! That next play was a touchdown! And, ultimately, the Falcons lost.
Last week’s games had many lead changes, too. It was crazy! Lousy play-calling is one of the reasons.
If you’re up by two TDs, and your running game got you there, doesn’t logic say this: Don’t change what’s working?
But that doesn’t happen as much as it should. Teams often switch the offense. And, let’s face it, there’s high risk in doing that.
For example, the Jags have lost quite a few games that way. Leonard Fornette is Jacksonville’s workhorse. If he doesn’t get the ball, the game might as well be over. Blake Bortles can’t get it done by himself. But there is another storyline. The Cowboys have been winning quite a few games doing what they do best–feeding Elliott the ball.
I’m sure it’s frustrating to players when teams lose a game because of mistakes and poor play-calling.
What I want to see is more complete football-playing.
The Rams-Chiefs game is an example of what I mean.
I can’t wait to see more of that as the season unfolds. The NFL is exciting when teams play their best.
