What took so long.........

For the last 3 games, (and actually a few more, but i'm just getting into the losing streak) we stuck with the dink and dunk offense, even though teams had figured it out ……. We struggled with offensive futility, which had an exhausted defense giving up more points and big plays …… I can't believe it took losing 3 games and getting manhandled in the 1st half by the colts for randy fichtner to start throwing the ball downfield...……. The team that played the 2nd half against the colts would still be undefeated

 

They took RF s dennys menu off of him.

 

I have two theories:

1) Ben took a shot in his knee at halftime

2) Fichtner was demoted at halftime

Nothing else makes sense. They ran a completely different offense.

 

I would guess #2 before #1, but both are very viable because the offense we saw in the 2nd half was not the same offense we've seen the last month. Its great news that Ben doesn't need to play next week, I wouldn't even dress him. We may not have gotten the bye week with the #1, but use this final week as the bye week.

 

I think maybe all the dropped passes and quite possibly the terrible playcalling had Ben down and second guessing who to go to. A qb has to have faith in his wideouts

 

Not sure

 

Colts pass interference penalties helped out.

 

Goes both ways, should’ve called holding against Colts in end zone versus Ebron

 

The zebras missed 74 holding penalties on TJ today.

 

We had all said for weeks that if they could get the derp and intermediate passing game going it would completely open up the offence. That is what we saw in the second half, Ben was hitting guys 10+ yards down the field and the Colts simply had not game planned for that.

I have no idea why they weren’t doing this all along. Somebody said on another thread that they may have been trying to keep the playbook under wraps but came to a point where the dink and dunk was in danger of costing them too much. I can’t believe that any team would take that approach but at the same time that second half was like they flicked a switch, all of a sudden they were getting first downs for fun. It makes no sense.

Whatever the case may be that win is going to give them a huge shot in the arm. You just sensed something changing in that second half. Hopefully they can carry it forward.

 

Ain’t that the truth.

 

It is beyond ridiculous, every team is dealing with it but when your team is built around a fierce pass rush it is just appalling to be hamstrung in this way. The league wants high scoring shootouts and is tilting every rule it can towards offence. I find good defence to be just as exciting tbh.

 

This is the thing though - they have been doing it, just a combination of drops and inaccuracy has stalled the offense before.

What was odd today was not only was Ben more accurate, the receivers were getting open and mostly making the catches. This makes me think someone got the whiteboard out and drew up some adjustments. And Ben got something to ease whatever was bothering him.

 

And the team that played the 1st half against the colts would be getting ready to draft Trevor Lawrence. It goes both ways,

 

Yes, his knee, or his elbow

 

I think a lot of the drops were before the first down markers though. I could be wrong but it just seemed to me that Ben was pushing the ball a bit further down the field in general and it caught the Colts out because they had pushed their defence up.

Absolutely agree that Ben was more accurate and the execution was superb all around. Can they keep it up is the question

 

Ben was overthinking it.. He got back to just playing football in the second half.

 

One was a dang choke hold. I was on my feet screaming at the TV

 

No doubt, sometimes during a game you see borderline..but he was mauled several times today...like tackled with the OL on top of him. Just disgusting.

 

That's an understatement.

 

Youre right on the drops. The deep balls the last few games haven’t been great though, and often bad decisions.

I don’t think it’s as simple as some are suggesting that they just let Ben do his thing. Something put a rocket up their arses and no mistake.

 

According to Juju they went back to “having fun” and Pouncey gave them a motivational speech. So maybe it’s not as complicated as I thought...

 

Whatever happened, their confidence returned in that second half and it even gave the defence a lift as well. Their whole body language changed as momentum swung their way.

Approaching the Browns game next week is a little tricky now. It’s an ideal opportunity to take a mini bye and rest your guys but you don’t want to risk losing this momentum.

 

As well as Alex Highsmith. Every week its like ground hog day with the holds on Watt. And he still dominates...

 

I really feel that Matt Canada had the cuffs taken off. Ol Randy has to go.