[Bearcat]

Originally Posted by Zouk

I love the delusion here.

If we just come out on the road with a QB in his first game, Chris Terry and John Welbourn on the right side, and our only good receiver a rookie and throw the ball a lot, we beat the Super Bowl champs easy!

What's driving me crazy and making me post so much tonight is that this game actually validates Herm as the guy to take us to the next level. Once we get better offensive talent this offseason, with his D we can win these games that only teams like the Pats can!

Yawn.

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I'll take the first three quarters... even with all the stupid screens and whatever. If you want to say it kept us in the game, fine, I can deal with that.

But, give me back the two drives in the 4th quarter... especially the one at 14:53.

You drive, score a TD, force the Colts to punt... and then you hand off on first down (again), setting up a screen to Bowe (again), and it's 3rd and 12.

WHAT THE HELL? You justdrove down the field.

So, you force them to punt again. Hand off (again), pass on 2nd down (again, but 7 yards). First down, hand off... 2nd down, why would Croyle get sacked? How the hell did the Colts know we were going to pass on 2nd and 15? 3rd & 18.

Game over.

Originally Posted by Bearcat

We drive down the field and score a touchdown. Force a punt. We fold up. Force a punt. We fold up.

Why is there faith that the philosophy will change when the talent changes, when Herm comes out and says "we were in a defensive game, we were looking for one play at the end"?

Some of you guys sound like it's our first year in the NFL. You all complain about respect and how we made the playoffs last year and how we are a game out of winning the AFC West... yet, we lose, and it's "we're rebuilding, it's a moral victory".

Which one is it?

Like you said, if the philosophy doesn't change when there's more talent, that'll be the time to really be disappointed. I just don't see why it would change. Croyle proves he can drive down the field for the TD, and you put the diapers back on? It was almost like it was practice... good week, Croyle, we'll come back out next week and see if we can do it again... oh wait, there's another quarter to play?

Originally Posted by Bearcat

I don't think it's about that for most people... I could care less about the loss as far as the standings. Herm made these sort of choices in big games with the Jets. He made the same decisions in our playoff loss last year, and he's making the same decisions now.

Why is he going to change now? When we have more talent, and we're tied in the 4th, he's going to punt before taking a chance, and give us the 50/50 chance of winning that we've had all year. It's always going to be about one big play. We'll win some games we shouldn't win, and lose some games we should win by 21.

It's hard to win 3 or 4 playoff games in a row like that, regardless of the talent on the field... because you know, playoff teams are usually pretty good, too.