Season by Season breakdown of ML vs. Playoff Teams

[*Wyche'sWarrior*]

(12-21-2018, 04:25 PM)bengalfan74 Wrote: Right on !

How many times have we seen this team up and totally abandon the run when the lights are the brightest ? Hell this season there's examples. Mixon 11 carries, 12 carries, and we were still very in the game and we were having some success.  It's like we panic when there's no need and then play with little urgency when it's totally called for.


We totally should have beat the Chargers that season, such a waste of a decent team.

In the particular instance in question....they ran him a little to start the 3rd quarter (the YPC wasn't great in the 3rd, but there weren't many attempts), then came the first turnover, and subsequent Chargers score.  Then came another turnover, and another score, but if I'm remembering right, one was a TD, and one was a FG.  At this point, they left Bennie on the bench for THE DURATION OF THE GAME.  After the second turnover would have been a GREAT opportunity to get the ball out of Andy's hands for a little bit to settle him down, get the offense some T.O.P. running the ball, and resting the defense.  SD had no answer for Green-Ellis for LITERALLY four years, on both NE and CIN.  What did we do?  Put the ball back in the hands of an obviously rattled QB.  Brilliant!

Let's just say that, after the 2nd turnover and SD score, we get the ball, run Bennie for a couple of plays and he either picks up enough yards to get us a 1st, or 3rd and short.  We can now run the ball again with him or Gio, or use a very short/high percentage passing play to settle the QB down, and help build his confidence back, and get a little momentum. If you convert, you ease back into the passing game, while still leaning on the run game to help your young QB.  Worst case scenario, flip the field on them with a punt and play defense (of course, Danny Woodhead looked like Earl Campbell out there against us that day, so.....) Nope! Have him throw it again and see what happens!