tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post5350903897934975130..comments2023-10-31T06:31:41.395-04:00Comments on Bottom of the Barrel: TMQ: Gregg Uses Them Statistics Thingies to Prove Passing the Ball a lot May or May Not Be Effective in the PlayoffsBengoodfellahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-16412320004597686012012-01-06T08:34:50.384-05:002012-01-06T08:34:50.384-05:00Murray, I am glad I don't live up there then. ...Murray, I am glad I don't live up there then. That's so negative. I'm not used to hearing negative things a/b the Pats, so I guess everything Gregg said are things you had heard before already. <br /><br />I think takeaways and points allowed count for something. Look at Oklahoma State's football team. They weren't a great defense but had a ton of takeaways this year.Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-52968167737155897342012-01-06T07:11:09.594-05:002012-01-06T07:11:09.594-05:00I actually didn't mind Gregs Pats analysis. Lo...I actually didn't mind Gregs Pats analysis. Locally every week the Boston media is determined to find ways to tell us how much the Patriots suck. You would think they are 3-13.<br /><br />I know that GB and NE give up allot of yards but they are both middle of the pack in points allowed and top of the league in takeaways. That should count for somethingMurraynoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-66660857028587486742012-01-05T14:51:49.719-05:002012-01-05T14:51:49.719-05:00Jack, I agree. Gregg's criticisms aren't e...Jack, I agree. Gregg's criticisms aren't even consistent. Exactly like you said, why would he want to show everyone how smart he is when it isn't in his best interests to do that? At some point, he would get fired for being bad at his job if "mega blitzes" don't work. So it isn't about him, though Gregg seems to think a coach can fail intentionally at his job in an effort to somehow keep his job by doing it poorly. <br /><br />That's what I was thinking about Elam in the post. He may not have even been in position to miss the tackle if it weren't for the defensive call. It seems bad tackling was the issue more than anything. I bet he gets pageviews and that's why he is kept around. <br /><br />Brizzle, great point about Gregg tooting his own horn. I have never thought of it that way. Now I will end up thinking about that every time I do TMQ and he mentions the things he brings up that others don't. <br /><br />What you just brought up is how consistently inconsistently Gregg can be. He changes his criteria for criticizing a team/player/coach when it is convenient. On one hand, if the Cowboys don't blitz they are "sure" to get a stop since the average gain on a play is just over 5 yards. On the other hand, Gregg throws this criteria out the window when saying a team should go for it on any down longer than 3rd-and-5. After all, if the defense plays straight up they are likely to stop the offense, right? <br /><br />Thanks for reading. I do enjoy writing. Smart commenters makes it worthwhile. <br /><br />Eric, never. You will never get a mea culpa for that huge story magically disappearing in TMQ. I'm not complaining b/c I am Tebow'd out at this point!<br /><br />Rich, Sensabaugh is a well-paid player, but definitely not megabucks. Also, good teams can find a running game when they need to. The Packers last year are a good example. <br /><br />I don't get how a blitz is drawing attention to himself. I also don't get why a checkdown was a bad pass. Obviously it isn't ideal, but why throw into coverage if you can get your receiver some room to run and hope he can cause players to miss? <br /><br />That's a great comparison. Gregg does remind of that guy who shows up at meetings and uses words that he believes to have meaning, but don't really. He reminds me of one of my superiors. Fundamentals...please, I don't believe that's the problem. Everyone knows Julio Jones is the problem. <br /><br />I don't see a reason to go for it on fourth down there. Especially with the Broncos defense showing they can win games for Denver late and the fact the Broncos would be giving away field position by not getting the first down. <br /><br />Offensive lines can be sub-par and have great individual performers. It does happen. <br /><br />Carolina was running a two-deep zone and Gamble let Colston go because he thought he had safety help. Unfortunately, Martin sucks. I rewound this play just to be sure Gamble didn't screw up and I don't believe he did. If Gamble had followed Colston deep, then Gregg would have complained he left Sproles (the NFL's all-time all-purpose yardage holder) wide open. <br /><br />I think effective blitzes can work for teams. Teams can win games, like the Giants did, by blitzing well. The Cowboys appeared to be in position to make tackles, they just missed those tackles.Bengoodfellahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09401971573776672570noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-48847893558535915492012-01-05T14:04:30.549-05:002012-01-05T14:04:30.549-05:00To clarify my point about the Giants and Cowboys:
...To clarify my point about the Giants and Cowboys:<br /><br />The Giants won a Super Bowl by blitzing the ever loving crap out of everyone.<br /><br />With the personal that the Cowboys have, it would make sense that a similar type of formula could be used.richnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-33610397845024775082012-01-05T14:03:04.472-05:002012-01-05T14:03:04.472-05:00But the Packers' allergy to the running game i...<b>But the Packers' allergy to the running game is, just like this time last season, a worry going into the playoffs.</b><br /><br />Ya, it really hurt them last year when they wont the Super Bowl.<br /><br /><b>then safety Gerald Sensabaugh, who just signed a megabucks contract extension</b><br /><br />That would be 5th round pick Gerald Sensabaugh.<br /><br />I mean, we're talking about the NFL, most starters are "megabuck" players if Sensabaugh is one.<br /><br /><b>Again Ryan sends a big blitz -- his defensive calls are about drawing attention to himself, not about winning.</b><br /><br />What the hell? How is calling a blitz "drawing attention to himself"? I'm legitimately confused as to what this means. You know how it's about winning though? Because the Giants won a Super Bowl with a mediocre secondary (like the cowboys have), a shit group of LBs (Cowboys have an advantage here) and a great D-Line (advantage to the Giants)... so how is it not about winning?<br /><br /><b>Tony Romo threw a short checkdown pass, even though it was third-and-13.</b><br /><b>Both plays look eerily similar -- short pass intended for a first down, careless missed tackles, safeties way out of position. </b><br /><br />The fact that TMQ can write that first sentence, then turn around and write the second one and not see an issue with it is why I hate him.<br /><br />Maybe they have great blocking on the play, maybe the checkdown receiver breaks a few tackles, maybe the defense is out of position.<br /><br />Especially on a 3rd and 13, most of the secondary will be 10-15 yards downfield, so it gives your receiver a chance to make a play with some open field.<br /><br /><b>everything called at the line, with multiple checks before the snap -- that the Falcons are losing track of the fundamentals.</b><br /><br />TMQ is like a guy who shows up at meetings using words like "synergy" and "capitalization" without actually knowing what they are.<br /><br />How in the heck are multiple checks and a no huddle leading to a loss of fundamentals? If they were losing fundamentals, then there wouldn't be a shift at the playoffs, there'd be a shift in the later parts of the regular season.<br /><br />What's so special about the week b/w the regular season and the playoffs that they lose fundamentals?<br /><br /><b>But even as someone who loves a good football game, my sense is the country is beginning to devote too much money and emphasis to the sport. </b><br /><br />What basis does he have for this claim? It's a point I'd likely agree with, but what is his rational behind it? <br /><br />Oh and part of that money is being spent on research into new safety gear... something TMQ talks about almost every week.<br /><br /><b>Denver punted on fourth-and-7 with 2:37 remaining, holding only one timeout. Sure it's fourth-and-7, but in this situation you must go for it! </b><br /><br />You have a QB with a YPA under 6.5, while completing half his passes.<br /><br />You have a defense that had shown that they could stop the opponent's offense and has, at various points in the season, gotten key turnovers late in games.<br /><br />You have an offense that had scored late in games several times to win or force overtime.<br /><br />But ya, totally needed to go for it on fourth down.<br /><br /><b>Consider that no one from the Denver or Houston offensive lines made the Pro Bowl, though the Broncos and Texans are first and second in rushing.</b><br /><br />No mention that the Broncos were the first rushing team because they can't pass the ball very well and so running is their primary means of moving the ball?<br /><br /><i>He didn't double-team Sproles, Carolina was playing a zone defense and Gamble was not responsible for man coverage on Colston. </i><br /><br />It truly baffles me how someone who gets paid to write about football still can't figure out what a zone defense is.richnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-68711548139123187012012-01-05T12:45:04.663-05:002012-01-05T12:45:04.663-05:00Offtopic: I'm greatly amused how the "Gr...Offtopic: I'm greatly amused how the "Greatest Story in the NFL for the Past 27 Years" has vanished seemingly overnight. Has anyone issued a mea culpa for this yet?Ericbnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-69174762466134769272012-01-05T12:12:34.329-05:002012-01-05T12:12:34.329-05:00Using the same example, but to point out the ever ...Using the same example, but to point out the ever present hypocrisy of TMQ:<br />"Ryan is so concerned about drawing attention to his own perceived genius, he can't just orchestrate a regular defense"<br />Later in the article, TMQ drops these two gems.<br />"Not entirely unnoticed -- a month ago, I detailed the Fed action in TMQ. Sports columns are unlikely to be your best source of fiscal policy news. But doesn't it say something about the state of the mainstream media that a quirky ESPN column had important information about Federal Reserve activity before most major newspapers noticed?"<br /><br />"But you read about it three months ago in TMQ. Same point: Doesn't it say something about the state of the mainstream media that a quirky ESPN column was ahead of the news curve on a major international-affairs story?"<br />It sure seems like the only reason TMQ writes this article is to draw attention to himself. <br /><br />And some more fun with the hipocrisy of TMQ, in regards to the average NFL play being about 5 yards,<br />"Giants facing third-and-9 on their 5. Ryan sends a corner blitz -- since the typical NFL play gains about five yards, straight defense is likely to result in a stop -- and the Giants convert."<br />"But later talking about the same game, he notes in his same column,<br />Then Giants leading 24-14 with 5:13 remaining, Dallas punted. I don't care if it's fourth-and-13, there is 5:13 left in your season! TMQ wrote the words "game over" in his notebook. On the play before the punt, Tony Romo threw a short checkdown pass, even though it was third-and-13. Outraged, the football gods caused the pass to be dropped. When it was 31-14 with 2:30 remaining, Romo was still throwing short."<br />If I was the coach I would have just punted on the 3rd down play, since the average play is 5 yards the Cowboys didn't have a chance anyway of getting a 1st down on 3rd or 4th down. And just to confirm that TMQ is as consistently, inconsistent as you can be,<br />"Denver punted on fourth-and-7 with 2:37 remaining, holding only one timeout. Sure it's fourth-and-7, but in this situation you must go for it!"<br />THis is more than 5 yards, the Broncos had know chance. <br /><br />Thanks for all the effort you put in Ben, I love reading your stuff.Brizzlenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-102327997051254703.post-4560360924874469222012-01-05T11:35:34.412-05:002012-01-05T11:35:34.412-05:00"Again Ryan sends a big blitz -- his defensiv..."Again Ryan sends a big blitz -- his defensive calls are about drawing attention to himself, not about winning. Abram Elam misses a tackle in the backfield, Nicks pastes Newsman and Ahmad Bradshaw walks into the end zone."<br /><br />What a penis. Seriously, how does ESPN continue to allow this man a forum to say this crap? Yes Gregg, Rob Ryan is only making calls on defense to call attention to himself. He doesn't care about stopping the opposition because it is clearly in his best interest for the other team to score as long as he calls a "mega-blitz" that shows everyone how smart he is. <br /><br />What is extra special dumb about Gregg's criticism here is whether he knows it or not, he actually validates Ryan's defensive call when bringing up Elam's missed tackle. All defensive calls are designed to do are put players in position to make plays, which Elam was in the opposing backfield (Gee I don't know, maybe because of that FUCKING MEGA-BLITZ!!!). But since Elam missed the tackle it was a dumb, selfish call by Ryan, not a blown play by a mediocre DB.<br /><br />How does this man make it through the day when his logice works this way?jacktotheracknoreply@blogger.com