Drive stats have me discouraged...

[Scooch]

Comparing our drives for the first 5 games vs. the first 5 games last year (excluding OT)...

2012 vs. 2011:

End of Game/Half: 5 vs. 6
Field Goal Good: 3 vs. 4
Field Goal Missed: 3 vs. 3
Fumble: 6 vs. 3
Interception: 6 vs. 4
Passing Touchdown: 10 vs. 9
Punt: 24 vs. 25
Rushing Touchdown: 5 vs. 4
Turnover on Downs: 2 vs. 3

Total regulation drives: 64 vs. 61

We've certainly gained more total yards than last year, which is good. But the results aren't terribly different. We have 1 more passing TD and 1 more rushing TD. But also have 3 more fumbles lost and 2 more interceptions. Almost the same number of punts. And even though we're playing quicker, we only have 3 more drives than last year,

We're running a completely different kind of offense, but it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference.

:noidea:
:bang:
Oh Lord

 

[kingottoiii]

Our O was decent the first 5 games last year. They weren't a problem until after WV. The last two games this year have been an issue and brought our numbers down quite a bit. The question is what are we? The first 3? The last 2? In between?

 

[rrlbees]

That's probably a more enlightening way to look at it than anything else we gave seen. The only thing it doesn't account for is SOS to date.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

 

[GoSU96]

Minny and Pitt were able to slow down the game by playing slow and extending possessions on 3rd down. SU didn't help itself by not coverting a third down until the 2nd half.

The other side has a say, it's not like they are playing against air.

 

[Scooch]

That's probably a more enlightening way to look at it than anything else we gave seen. The only thing it doesn't account for is SOS to date.

Sent from my DROIDX using Tapatalk 2

Yeah, SOS is a fair debate to have. IMHO I think this year has been a little tougher, so maybe that's depressing the results.

USC is better this year than last, but we had them on the road last year, so that probably evens out.

SB is better than URI in terms of 1-AA opponents.

Wake, Toledo and Rutgers is a little worse than N'Western, Minnesota and Pitt.

 

[Scooch]

Minny and Pitt were able to slow down the game by playing slow and extending possessions on 3rd down. SU didn't help itself by not coverting a third down until the 2nd half.

The other side has a say, it's not like they are playing against air.

Well, of course. But can we not mistake Minny and Pitt for the 2000 Ravens defensively?

 

[GoSU96]

Comparing our drives for the first 5 games vs. the first 5 games last year (excluding OT)...

2012 vs. 2011:

End of Game/Half: 5 vs. 6
Field Goal Good: 3 vs. 4
Field Goal Missed: 3 vs. 3
Fumble: 6 vs. 3
Interception: 6 vs. 4
Passing Touchdown: 10 vs. 9
Punt: 24 vs. 25
Rushing Touchdown: 5 vs. 4
Turnover on Downs: 2 vs. 3

Total regulation drives: 64 vs. 61

We've certainly gained more total yards than last year, which is good. But the results aren't terribly different. We have 1 more passing TD and 1 more rushing TD. But also have 3 more fumbles lost and 2 more interceptions. Almost the same number of punts. And even though we're playing quicker, we only have 3 more drives than last year,

We're running a completely different kind of offense, but it doesn't seem to be making much of a difference.

:noidea:
:bang:
Oh Lord

64 drives, 58 have started on SU's side of the field. The best drive start they have gotten all year was on the very first possession of the year at the Northwestern 31. In the last two games they haven't had one possession that started on the opponents side of the field.

 

[Scooch]

64 drives, 58 have started on SU's side of the field. The best drive start they have gotten all year was on the very first possession of the year at the Northwestern 31. In the last two games they haven't had one possession that started on the opponents side of the field.

So you're saying we're losing the field position battle too?

Splendid.

 

[Aweart23]

Yeah, SOS is a fair debate to have. IMHO I think this year has been a little tougher, so maybe that's depressing the results.

USC is better this year than last, but we had them on the road last year, so that probably evens out.

SB is better than URI in terms of 1-AA opponents.

Wake, Toledo and Rutgers is a little worse than N'Western, Minnesota and Pitt.

Last years Defense Ranking: (end of year/yards per game)

Wake- #74
USC- #54
Toledo- #76
Buttgers- #12

This year Defense Ranking: (year to date/yards per game)
NW- #66
USC- #30
Minny- #23
Pitt- #22

Maybe the results the last two weeks have a bit more to do with the Minny and Pitt defense than last years results.

 

[kingottoiii]

Yeah, SOS is a fair debate to have. IMHO I think this year has been a little tougher, so maybe that's depressing the results.

USC is better this year than last, but we had them on the road last year, so that probably evens out.

SB is better than URI in terms of 1-AA opponents.

Wake, Toledo and Rutgers is a little worse than N'Western, Minnesota and Pitt.

RU had the best D of those 6. Wake was probably the 2nd best. Toledo was the worst. The schedule was pretty even this year vs last.

 

[GoSU96]

Well, of course. But can we not mistake Minny and Pitt for the 2000 Ravens defensively?

Did I do that?

 

[Scooch]

Did I do that?

No, that was my own rhetorical flourish.

But I'm saying that we're getting totally stuffed by good, but not great defenses. Does not bode well for the rest of the season, and it's discouraging to see our bright shiny new offense perform just as poorly as our old offense.

 

[Millhouse]

Minny and Pitt were able to slow down the game by playing slow and extending possessions on 3rd down. SU didn't help itself by not coverting a third down until the 2nd half.

The other side has a say, it's not like they are playing against air.

being bad on third down doesn't have anything to do with third down.

it's just a number on a stick. if there's something special about third down it probably just has more to do with play selection (pitt was better through the air than on the ground, they chose to throw more on third down)

how come no one ever talks about being better or worse on second down? we focus on 3rd down because that's when it hurts our feelings the most

 

[JeremyCuse]

No, that was my own rhetorical flourish.

But I'm saying that we're getting totally stuffed by good, but not great defenses. Does not bode well for the rest of the season, and it's discouraging to see our bright shiny new offense perform just as poorly as our old offense.

Bingo. The next two games are going to tell the tale here. People in support of the offense and play calling point to the first two games while people who have concerns like myself are pointing to the last two games where the offense has scored 2 (really 1) touchdown in 8 quarters. This team has been unable to score against BE opponents on any consistent basis since Marrone took over and so far this year, though its only game we have 1 touchdown against a Pitt D thats far from menacing. If this offense is really ready to take the next step forward the next two games are where it needs to show itself and actually put points on the board for once.