I must have missed yesterday's game...

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by sandtrapjack

You can blame the offense all you want. You can praise the defense all you want.

But when you blame the offense, just recall that in the 2000-2001 season the Baltimore Ravens won Super Bowl XXXV.

And thier anemic offense did not score an offensive TD in the final SIX weeks of the regular season. Thats 24 quarters of football, without one offensive TD. All scores were either field goals or defensive scoring.

They clinched the wild card and went on the win it all.

Ultimate example of a "team" effort.

Somehow we play great defense but can never get a defensive score.

[SBXVII]

Umm, Ok, I'm seriously confused of what the OP wrote.....Is it the Defense that sucked only during the last drive, or was it the Offense that sucked all day and was forced to only kick field goals?

To me the Skins played admirably. Against a team who should have atleast blown us out since they do have the capacity to score which we don't. The Defense held Dallas to no score the whole first and second half up until the last drive which was basically the last 3 min. of the game. During the second half the team failed to sustain their drives which brought the Defense back out yet again to get tired so by the last drive I think they were spent. Had the Offense been able to score one or both field goals or actually score a TD the Skins would have one.

Now having said all that. I'm not impressed with our offense. I'm glad our young players are getting involved and getting playing time but two field goals....6 points will not win all the big games.

[DBUCHANON101]

I wasnt aware it was the defense's job to score 7pts a game on turnovers, they held the other team to 7 pts and kept it within reach so id say they did their job.
Sure they had chances to make big plays but so did the offense and special teams.

[SmootSmack]

There were missed opportunities defensively. But this loss wasn't on the defense

[KI Skins Fan]

So now we have an OP blaming the defense for a loss because they didn't pitch a shutout. And, worse, there are others who actually agree with him. So, we should have won an NFL game 6-0, then? It's hard for me to believe that reasonable people could come to that conclusion.

If we had even a halfway decent offense that Cowboys touchdown would have been little more than an afterthought.

[sportscurmudgeon]

I did not "blame the defense for not pitching a shutout". What I said was that the Skins led the game with about 6 minutes to play. The defense did not have to hold them outside field goal range; they had to prevent a TD.

They had done that - - and more - - all day long. But when it mattered most - - because if they failed the staggering offense would have precious little time to overcome the deficit - - the defense came up small.

The point for fanboys to look at is this:

The Skins' defense has done this about 5 or 6 times in the past two years. The coaches and the "Larry Michaels" of the world love to paint this as an elite defense. And for three quarters of a game they are usually well above average. But when it matters - - when it REALLY matters - - they OFTEN come up just small enough to lose the game.

Now if that isn't what happened on Sunday, I must have seen the wrong game. I'm not talking about what should have happened if the offense had scored more or what might have been if the moon were actually made of green cheese. I'm talking about what actually happened in the final six minutes of the Skins/Cowboys game on Sunday 11/22/2009.

As Dandy Don Merideth used to say on MNF back in the 70s:

"Were ifs and buts candy and nuts,
Oh, what a Christmas there'd be..."

[over the mountain]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

The point for fanboys to look at is this:

lol i hate when people do this. makes you look like a smug know-it-all talking down to the nitwit peons.

[Trample the Elderly]

Originally Posted by over the mountain

lol i hate when people do this. makes you look like a smug know-it-all talking down to the nitwit peons.
[/INDENT]

He's saying the D is at fault. How credible can he be in the first place?

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by sportscurmudgeon

I did not "blame the defense for not pitching a shutout". What I said was that the Skins led the game with about 6 minutes to play. The defense did not have to hold them outside field goal range; they had to prevent a TD.

They had done that - - and more - - all day long. But when it mattered most - - because if they failed the staggering offense would have precious little time to overcome the deficit - - the defense came up small.

The point for fanboys to look at is this:

The Skins' defense has done this about 5 or 6 times in the past two years. The coaches and the "Larry Michaels" of the world love to paint this as an elite defense. And for three quarters of a game they are usually well above average. But when it matters - - when it REALLY matters - - they OFTEN come up just small enough to lose the game.

Now if that isn't what happened on Sunday, I must have seen the wrong game. I'm not talking about what should have happened if the offense had scored more or what might have been if the moon were actually made of green cheese. I'm talking about what actually happened in the final six minutes of the Skins/Cowboys game on Sunday 11/22/2009.

As Dandy Don Merideth used to say on MNF back in the 70s:

"Were ifs and buts candy and nuts,
Oh, what a Christmas there'd be..."

If they let them score in the 3rd they still would have won. Anytime a team scores on us it big because our O does not but up any points and that what your missing. Also a game is 60min. not six. We just have to agree to disagree.

[CRedskinsRule]

I think the OP's point, and it is accurate, is that our defense has a habit of giving up points at the end of a close game, think Rams last year, 49'ers last year. If our offense would blow out other teams then it would not be an issue, and would be considered garbage time (we know about those right?) But I think it is a consistent trend of this defense to give up points not only on the last, but also the first drives of the game. Think back to the first drive yesterday. Dallas went down the field with EASE. It was only a fluke Barber fumble that stopped that drive at the 20. Then the D locks down, like it can, but come the last drive of the 4th quarter, bang, zip powee, the Cowboys move it with ease. I don't get it. I think our D should be able to shutout offenses that are struggling (like the cowboys yesterday) but somehow, as good as they are, they find a way to diminish their effort.

[Lotus]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

I think the OP's point, and it is accurate, is that our defense has a habit of giving up points at the end of a close game, think Rams last year, 49'ers last year. If our offense would blow out other teams then it would not be an issue, and would be considered garbage time (we know about those right?) But I think it is a consistent trend of this defense to give up points not only on the last, but also the first drives of the game. Think back to the first drive yesterday. Dallas went down the field with EASE. It was only a fluke Barber fumble that stopped that drive at the 20. Then the D locks down, like it can, but come the last drive of the 4th quarter, bang, zip powee, the Cowboys move it with ease. I don't get it. I think our D should be able to shutout offenses that are struggling (like the cowboys yesterday) but somehow, as good as they are, they find a way to diminish their effort.

I think at least sometimes they are just pooped from being on the field much of the day and thus are vulnerable late in the game.

[CRedskinsRule]

Originally Posted by Lotus

I think at least sometimes they are just pooped from being on the field much of the day and thus are vulnerable late in the game.

Maybe, but yesterday our Offense had the ball for some nice drives, I think. you have to expect to be on the field 30 minutes right?. and our O was getting torn up with injuries, the D only had Hall i believe. I don't know, I just think the d could have and should have shown Dallas whose their daddy!

[GMScud]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

Maybe, but yesterday our Offense had the ball for some nice drives, I think. you have to expect to be on the field 30 minutes right?. and our O was getting torn up with injuries, the D only had Hall i believe. I don't know, I just think the d could have and should have shown Dallas whose their daddy!

They did for every single drive except one. Can't fault them for allowing 7 points in 4 quarters. They get ZERO help from our pathetic offense.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

Maybe, but yesterday our Offense had the ball for some nice drives, I think. you have to expect to be on the field 30 minutes right?. and our O was getting torn up with injuries, the D only had Hall i believe. I don't know, I just think the d could have and should have shown Dallas whose their daddy!

It would have been a great ending if they would have. I know exactly what you mean C, but considering we played without AH I thought they played very well. Orakpo almost had Homo sacked and the refs missed an illegal receiver downfield call, plus the D held them scoreless for most of the game. The D shouldn't have to play a perfect game for us to win. It's frustrating as hell.

[tryfuhl]

Originally Posted by CRedskinsRule

I think the OP's point, and it is accurate, is that our defense has a habit of giving up points at the end of a close game, think Rams last year, 49'ers last year. If our offense would blow out other teams then it would not be an issue, and would be considered garbage time (we know about those right?) But I think it is a consistent trend of this defense to give up points not only on the last, but also the first drives of the game. Think back to the first drive yesterday. Dallas went down the field with EASE. It was only a fluke Barber fumble that stopped that drive at the 20. Then the D locks down, like it can, but come the last drive of the 4th quarter, bang, zip powee, the Cowboys move it with ease. I don't get it. I think our D should be able to shutout offenses that are struggling (like the cowboys yesterday) but somehow, as good as they are, they find a way to diminish their effort.

Even if you give them a TD on that drive that Barber fumbled, it's not too much to ask for 14 points from your offense.