Well the percentage you got of winning when you turn the ball over as many times as we did, never mind the drops is about 10%.
Not really asking them to score 35 points here either. Having a bunch of 3 and outs is different than turning the ball over in crucial parts of the field.
Originally Posted by: Rios39
I think that is the key. I don't think anyone can except any offense to put up 35 points a game. That's not really the issue. IMO anyway, even if we had a great D (btw, what is a great D these days - 49ers?), it wouldn't have matter, the offense was SO bad.
We had THREE lost fumbles, including one where the Giants started at our 3 yard line. It should have probably been FOUR with the Jennings fumble.
We turned it over on downs at the 50 yard line.
We missed two onside kicks, giving them the ball at our 40-45 yard line.
Even with the world's greatest defense, how many teams can expect to win a game like that. You lose by 17 and your only two touchdowns were on drives that probably should have ended earlier due to referee issues. Even if people want this D that is going to hold down the other team, I don't know many D's, if any, that would win a game like that in the current NFL.
The Saints had FIVE turnovers and still almost won the game because Drew Brees turned to a hot flame, not because of the Saints D. Even the mighty 49ers D gave up 472 yards and needed a Alex Smith miracle to win. I just think its a different NFL and its nuts to expect your D to win a game in which the D is given a short field 6 times. I agree, in an ideal world you have the an awesome O and an awesome D but that's hard to do. So yes, in utopia, I want a D that combines the Ravens and the 49ers and a O that combines the Packers and the Pats but in this NFL, I was fine with our team. I'd rather have our team than the 49ers - may be we were just rusty or the emotions with the OC were too much and there was nothing actually wrong with this team in THIS NFL? I think we were good enough to win the Super Bowl but back-to-back is so hard, it was going to be an uphill battle regardless.