Purdy throws far too many wtf passes in big games, even when he's otherwise playing well. San Fran was very lucky to have made it out of the NFC, and I think KC is well equipped to steamroll them if San Fran gets off to another slow start.
Gus Edwards had just 3 rushes (for 20 yards). It's like Harbaugh/Jackson set out to prove that Lamar is an excellent drop back QB, and it just failed miserably. It was a terrible idea, and then Lamar had a terrible game trying to execute it. I don't know how they come back from this.KC's rush defense was 18th best in yards allowed, 25th best in yards per attempt, and 15th best in first downs by rushing allowed.
I'd say that on the whole their rush defense was mediocre AT BEST, but on the whole, not very good. It's inexplicable that Baltimore only handed off 8 times all game to running backs. Inconceivable. And even then, Lamar only had 8 rushing attempts, but most of those were scrambles. He had almost no designed runs.
They were the #1 rush offense in the NFL this year by a wide margin.
#1 in total rush yards (262 more than #2). The difference between them and #2 was bigger than the difference between #2 and #9. They were #3 in rush yards per attempt. #4 in rush TD. #4 in rush first downs.
Dominant running game and they completely, utterly abandoned it in the AFCCG against a team with a poor rush defense. And not because they were down big or because KC was running up the score. They just...gave up on it. Moreover, when Jackson dropped back to pass, he rarely hit the short or medium pass. He kept looking for the huge play.
It's almost as if Harbaugh and Jackson said, look, in order to make sure everyone knows that you are in Mahomes' class, we need to win, yes, but we need to win by you throwing for 400 yards.
What a gag job.
Well, if they're smart, they come back from it by getting back to what works for them, and by being consistent with their approach. And letting Lamar win regular season MVPs and letting the ground game do the work in the playoffs.Gus Edwards had just 3 rushes (for 20 yards). It's like Harbaugh/Jackson set out to prove that Lamar is an excellent drop back QB, and it just failed miserably. It was a terrible idea, and then Lamar had a terrible game trying to execute it. I don't know how they come back from this.
Gus Edwards had just 3 rushes (for 20 yards). It's like Harbaugh/Jackson set out to prove that Lamar is an excellent drop back QB, and it just failed miserably. It was a terrible idea, and then Lamar had a terrible game trying to execute it. I don't know how they come back from this.
Actually only 6, 3 each for Edwards and Hill, the other 2 were end arounds to Zay Flowers.Circling back to the first game:
@Deathofthebambino was 1000000% correct on Lamar. He is now 0-4 in the playoffs when the opposing team scores more than 13 points.
Harbaugh is now 3-6 over his last 9 playoff games.
KC had an awful rushing defense this year and yet the Ravens had only 8 rushes all game that were handoffs to running backs.
Absolutely brutal performance in every way by Baltimore. They were, are and forever will be frauds under their current leadership.
Yep. I can understand it if you're down by 24 points and needing huge plays to catch up. But it was a close game the entire time. KC only scored 17 total. Absolutely mind blowingly awful coaching and play calling. Inexcusably bad.It's so fundamental. Baltimore's rush attack got them to where they were, it was truly elite, and is anchored by arguably the greatest rushing QB in NFL history. KC's run D stunk. With Marc Andrews clearly hobbled and playing a Gronk SB 46-level decoy, Baltimore's receiving corps was pretty mediocre. KC's secondary is elite.
Run the ball six times.
What???
Also, Lamar avoiding rushing so many times when if he rushed, he would have gained 5-20 yards. He had lanes. The difference between the Ravens and 49ers yesterday was Purdy used his legs in huge spots and succeeded. Lamar didn't and it cost them. He was running early.Gus Edwards had just 3 rushes (for 20 yards). It's like Harbaugh/Jackson set out to prove that Lamar is an excellent drop back QB, and it just failed miserably. It was a terrible idea, and then Lamar had a terrible game trying to execute it. I don't know how they come back from this.
Sure, but the stars were aligned this year. Lamar wins MVP, the Ravens get the 1 seed (in dominant fashion), they get home field in the AFC title game, KC and Mahomes had an off year (on offense at least), multiple top QBs get hurt (Burrow, Rodgers). Of course they aren't closing shop and trading Jackson and firing Harbaugh, but it's impossible see them back in the playoffs next year in a better position to get to the super bowl than they were yesterday. At least Josh Allen and the Bills can hope that someone else knocks off Mahomes and the Chiefs, since that seems to always be the team in the way for them. Lamar is 2-5 in the playoffs, with losses to Rivers, Tannehill, Allen, Burrow and now Mahomes. They could eventually break through, but there's no particular reason to be optimistic about it. Jackson has been godawful in the playoffs (they've averaged fewer than 15 ppg in his playoff losses), regardless of the opponent.Well, if they're smart, they come back from it by getting back to what works for them, and by being consistent with their approach. And letting Lamar win regular season MVPs and letting the ground game do the work in the playoffs.
Yeah, unimpressive in two victories makes it really puzzling to me that they opened as favorites. I'm not a better person, but if I were I'd have immediately gone hard on KC.Purdy throws far too many wtf passes in big games, even when he's otherwise playing well. San Fran was very lucky to have made it out of the NFC, and I think KC is well equipped to steamroll them if San Fran gets off to another slow start.
This ignores that KC was keying on Lamar runs. Very effective game plan to focus on containment more than sacks. Which begs the question if KC will use the same technique vs Purdy. Purdy may have been erratic in his throwing, but his running instincts were super impressive. At the same time, he's not Lamar so would be hesitant to have a defense make that their key.I was watching with a diehard KC fan and he was laughing because Baltimore kept calling pass plays instead of running the ball. At one point he even said Edwards' nonuse and not enough designed Lamar runs are going to kill them. Sure enough, he was right.
They're more than capable of winning the AFC. They just have to stick to what works. For some idiotic reason they chose to go away from it and play to Lamar's weaknesses instead of his strengths. If they correct that one thing, they have a legit shot at winning.Sure, but the stars were aligned this year. Lamar wins MVP, the Ravens get the 1 seed (in dominant fashion), they get home field in the AFC title game, KC and Mahomes had an off year (on offense at least), multiple top QBs get hurt (Burrow, Rodgers). Of course they aren't closing shop and trading Jackson and firing Harbaugh, but it's impossible see them back in the playoffs next year in a better position to get to the super bowl than they were yesterday. At least Josh Allen and the Bills can hope that someone else knocks off Mahomes and the Chiefs, since that seems to always be the team in the way for them. Lamar is 2-5 in the playoffs, with losses to Rivers, Tannehill, Allen, Burrow and now Mahomes. They could eventually break through, but there's no particular reason to be optimistic about it. Jackson has been godawful in the playoffs (they've averaged fewer than 15 ppg in his playoff losses), regardless of the opponent.
As much as I would've loved it, Lamar didn't lose to Burrow in the playoffs. While they'll always be contenders due to Lamar/generally good drafting, this was absolutely their best shot. They had excellent health after that being a bugaboo the last two years - now they have a ton of free agents and could very well lose Macdonald who turned a bunch of street vets into gold. It seems insane to move on after a year like this (I guess Marty was the last one), but I wouldn't be shocked if they fired Harbaugh to keep Macdonald - he's a wizard and Harbaugh has one playoff failure after another since Lewis and Reed left.Sure, but the stars were aligned this year. Lamar wins MVP, the Ravens get the 1 seed (in dominant fashion), they get home field in the AFC title game, KC and Mahomes had an off year (on offense at least), multiple top QBs get hurt (Burrow, Rodgers). Of course they aren't closing shop and trading Jackson and firing Harbaugh, but it's impossible see them back in the playoffs next year in a better position to get to the super bowl than they were yesterday. At least Josh Allen and the Bills can hope that someone else knocks off Mahomes and the Chiefs, since that seems to always be the team in the way for them. Lamar is 2-5 in the playoffs, with losses to Rivers, Tannehill, Allen, Burrow and now Mahomes. They could eventually break through, but there's no particular reason to be optimistic about it. Jackson has been godawful in the playoffs (they've averaged fewer than 15 ppg in his playoff losses), regardless of the opponent.
In a torrential downpour.It's so fundamental. Baltimore's rush attack got them to where they were, it was truly elite, and is anchored by arguably the greatest rushing QB in NFL history. KC's run D is pretty bad, but their pass rushing talent is excellent. With Marc Andrews clearly hobbled and playing a Gronk SB 46-level decoy, Baltimore's receiving corps was pretty mediocre. KC's secondary is elite.
Ran the ball six times. Barely any RPO to speak of. Drop back after drop back after drop back.
What???
Agreed. Spags had Lamar seeing ghosts everywhere, he's going to crush Purdy. I hope I am one million percent wrong on this but the guy is an excellent DC and oh yea, they have Mahomes on the other side of the ball. How on earth is KC the underdog???Purdy throws far too many wtf passes in big games, even when he's otherwise playing well. San Fran was very lucky to have made it out of the NFC, and I think KC is well equipped to steamroll them if San Fran gets off to another slow start.
Kinda crazy that Spags is such a good DC and yet was 11-41 as a head coach.Agreed. Spags had Lamar seeing ghosts everywhere, he's going to crush Purdy. I hope I am one million percent wrong on this but the guy is an excellent DC and oh yea, they have Mahomes on the other side of the ball. How on earth is KC the underdog???
As per my post in another thread: It's a really, really stupid labor market.Kinda crazy that Spags is such a good DC and yet was 11-41 as a head coach.
It felt to me like they got rattled by those first two hot-knife-through-butter KC drives and decided they were going to have to go into shootout mode. What was really puzzling was that the Ravens stayed in that mode even after their D calmed things down and pitched a shutout in the second half, and even when it was clear that Lamar didn't have it throwing-wise. As others have noted, they played right into KC's hands - making "Spags" look like a genius.Yep. I can understand it if you're down by 24 points and needing huge plays to catch up. But it was a close game the entire time. KC only scored 17 total. Absolutely mind blowingly awful coaching and play calling. Inexcusably bad.
He had the misfortune of taking over a Rams team in the midst of one of the worst stretches in league history, going 15-65 from 2007-2011 and finishing last in offense twice.Kinda crazy that Spags is such a good DC and yet was 11-41 as a head coach.
Is it though? I mean, being a HC entails so much more than just focusing on one aspect of the game you know? I totally get how someone can be aces at knowing how to work with one subset of the team but totally be overwhelmed and out of their league managing all the aspects a HC has to deal with.Kinda crazy that Spags is such a good DC and yet was 11-41 as a head coach.