We didn't lose this game on offense, save the stupid penalties on the first drive. We lost because our defensive scheme left it to two linebackers to make every play on defense.
Offense wasn't the problem. When they had the ball, not often, they did OK. Met expectations. The lack of time on the clock and the 2 TD deficit affected the ability to run the ball more than we did.
Still, I'd have liked to see three runs from 2nd and goal at the end.
Guys - this is wrong. The D was suspect and unconventional but it was not flawed. It held Army to at least a full possession/score under their average. Had our defensive edge players, actually played faster instead of guessing so much, the D would have been even better.
Offense is definitely where we lost this game. Holy cow. Completely inept game planning, and play calling and lack of discipline, composure - which to me - goes to division of reps in practice.
We were at the Army 30 yard line on the first drive of the game, when consecutive OL penalties - holding and false start pushed as back past mid field. 2nd drive, we move it out to mid field with a nice balance of run and possession control passing that Army sucks at defending - and then we go long with passes, hit 4th down. Punt. Army gifts us a first down on running into the kicker, and the next play - FIRST DOWN - another dumb long pass play that Army can defend that goes for an INT. Equivalent of a punt, with almost no time off the clock, but a lost possession that was gifted. If you're going to beat the army offense, you need to keep your own offense on the field as much as you can. Stupid.
Next offensive possesion. Enter the Tim Boyle experiment - who gives a crap about establishing offensive consistency anymore this season. Any thought to the clock and keeping it running and keeping the army offense off the field and scoring points? It is only 14-0 at this point 2nd Q. ?
Here's what happens. Boyle throws not 1, not 2, not 3, not 4, but 5 consecutive passes, no runs, that gets us to a 4th and 1 with less than 3 minutes off the clock, at our own 45, which guess what? Coach Bobby decides to go for it, since at this point, the Army offense has had the ball for something like 18 of the 22 minutes played so far before this possession. We false start. I feel awful for Levy - because all he wants to do is succeed.
Here's a question that no nimrod has thought of to ask yet - how many times has Tim Boyle's cadence been the voice the OL has listened to when practicing - especially for something like a 4th and goal? But it's good idea to rotate so many QB's in games and practices for some point in the future...
Not for that 4th and 1, IMNSHO. I freely admit, I have a hard time seeing too much farther beyond what's in front of my face. At this point is 14-0 on the scoreboard.
So moving on, punt. I will stop here for my own sanity.
At some point, the offensive coaches on this roster, or Mr. Manuel needs to have an intervention with Defensive Coordinator Bob Diaco, and introduce him to Head Coach Bob Diaco in the basic strategic meetings when it comes to preparing for an opponent.
