Is it fitness?

I have been puzzling (as many of you have) about the meltdown at the end of the game last night. If memory serves, this is not a one-time thing, but we have (a) been unable to put people away for a while now offensively, (2) have had trouble closing out games effectively defensively, and (iii) to add to this, we have been plagued with a lot of injuries. Do these things point toward poor conditioning and fitness? Fatigue could play a role (not the entire explanation for sure) in the end-of-game mishaps, lack of firepower in the second half of games, and maybe some of the injuries.

Maybe we also need substitute coaches at the end of games. Their play calling sure didn't look like they were mentally alert at the end of the game.

 

You are right about it not being a one time thing not being able to hold a fourth quarter lead with the defense. Remember 2009 after we won superbowl 43, how many games did we lose in the final minute of the fourth quarter when we had the lead? At least four or five, possibly more. And the inability to put teams away by scoring touchdowns goes back to at least 2008. I remember having fourth and goal from around the one in the dallas and indy games and we couldnt punch it
in. We beat dallas and lost to the colts, and i know there were other times we struggled to get touchdowns and put teams away other than those games. I remember tv announcers used to always put that crazy stat up about Cowhers win loss record when he had like a ten point lead going into the fourth quarter, the Steelers almost never lost. They would put teams away.

 

I wish I could believe that it is something as simple as conditioning. I'm afraid that it is more a result of game management philosophy. When a team is ahead late in the game, the ground game needs to be used to put the opponent away. I think the coaches are more inclined to say "let's try to score 7 more". If the game is a shootout this may be a valid point of view, but when points are at a premium (like they always are in Ravens/Steelers games) it is foolish to think this way. If the clock gets to zero, game over. When you have a lead in the 4th qtr. this should always be the goal.

 

You are right about the ground game, we no longer have the mentality to impose our will and grind it out on the ground since we have moved to a passing team. I understand it is becoming a passing league, but still the pound the rock take time off the clock mentality is gone. I have seen us line up on third and three in a five WR set and throw trying to close out a game only to see an incomplete pass that stops the clock and gives the other team too much time. But i guess thats the way it is.