Point Differential

[Chris_Sanders]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings/_/sort/differential/dir/desc

I was looking at the Chefs and the Bucs to try to get some insight on the over / under of 57.5

What stood out to me was point differential this last year. The Dolphins and the Cardinals were the only teams with positive point differential that didn't make the playoffs. Only the Browns made it with a negative point differential.

In fact, their +43 well exceeds the Bears and Washington in their division.

It would make it appear as though we are closer than it feels thanks to the collapse.

The flip side to that is that our offense is just well short of the good teams. Your final four points for were 509, 501, 492, and 473. The Cards rang in at just 410.

The defense was good enough to get them to the playoffs. The Cards need to score about 4 points more a game next year to really be in the conversation for the playoffs

 

[football karma]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings/_/sort/differential/dir/desc

I was looking at the Chefs and the Bucs to try to get some insight on the over / under of 57.5

What stood out to me was point differential this last year. The Dolphins and the Cardinals were the only teams with positive point differential that didn't make the playoffs. Only the Browns made it with a negative point differential.

In fact, their +43 well exceeds the Bears and Washington in their division.

It would make it appear as though we are closer than it feels thanks to the collapse.

The flip side to that is that our offense is just well short of the good teams. Your final four points for were 509, 501, 492, and 473. The Cards rang in at just 410.

The defense was good enough to get them to the playoffs. The Cards need to score about 4 points more a game next year to really be in the conversation for the playoffs

while as disappointed in the way the team finished -- i think the doom and gloom is way over the top

also: there is almost zero correlation between how a team ends one season and how it does the next.

the Cards are likely to start next year with a better overall roster than this year. Murray should improve.

to me, next year comes down to two factors:

will your best players be available for most/all of the season (i.e. injuries)?
will KK take the next step?

 

[Solar7]

I guess my overwhelming concern would be how well this differential holds up when we don't get four games against the pathetic NFC East, and two against the injury riddled 49ers.

 

[football karma]

and two against the injury riddled 49ers.

cumulative point diff vs SF

2020 -4
2019 -6*

i think the two teams match up well for some reason



*adj for fluke TD at end of game 2

 

[Chris_Sanders]

I guess my overwhelming concern would be how well this differential holds up when we don't get four games against the pathetic NFC East, and two against the injury riddled 49ers.

That's not unreasonable. As long as they can get to the 460 range though, it is a near lock for the playoffs even if the defense doesn't hold in the 350s

 

[Russ Smith]

https://www.espn.com/nfl/standings/_/sort/differential/dir/desc

I was looking at the Chefs and the Bucs to try to get some insight on the over / under of 57.5

What stood out to me was point differential this last year. The Dolphins and the Cardinals were the only teams with positive point differential that didn't make the playoffs. Only the Browns made it with a negative point differential.

In fact, their +43 well exceeds the Bears and Washington in their division.

It would make it appear as though we are closer than it feels thanks to the collapse.

The flip side to that is that our offense is just well short of the good teams. Your final four points for were 509, 501, 492, and 473. The Cards rang in at just 410.

The defense was good enough to get them to the playoffs. The Cards need to score about 4 points more a game next year to really be in the conversation for the playoffs

Which is why Zane killed us this year. He didn't cost us 4 PPG but he cost us easily 2 games this year with missed FG's

It's also why I'm completely open in the first round, take BPA. I know we need a CB, but if somehow Waddle is on the board take him and figure out CB later.

The offense was good this year, really good early then tapered off, we need more weapons

 

[Brian in Mesa]

Which is why Zane killed us this year. He didn't cost us 4 PPG but he cost us easily 2 games this year with missed FG's

It's also why I'm completely open in the first round, take BPA. I know we need a CB, but if somehow Waddle is on the board take him and figure out CB later.

The offense was good this year, really good early then tapered off, we need more weapons

I think Zane takes a lot of blame instead of KK's horrible play-calling and awful clock (mis)management in clutch moments of games. One minute we are tearing it up down the field and the next we are settling for a middle to long range FG just to tie or possibly scrape out the win.

 

[DVontel]

I think Zane takes a lot of blame instead of KK's horrible play-calling and awful clock (mis)management in clutch moments of games. One minute we are tearing it up down the field and the next we are settling for a middle to long range FG just to tie or possibly scrape out the win.

He should take a lot of blame cause he only has 1 job & has continually failed at it.

I’m not excusing Kliff, but this thing of people trying to take some of the blame off of Zane despite having one job to do is not it at all. Especially when the kicks are in range, but don’t even come close to making it.

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I want us to get talent on our team.

The question is what will KK and VJ do with this talent?

Get a talented WR and run bubble screens all season?

Get a talented CB that is good in man to man and play him in zone?

 

[BullheadCardFan]

I think Zane takes a lot of blame instead of KK's horrible play-calling and awful clock (mis)management in clutch moments of games. One minute we are tearing it up down the field and the next we are settling for a middle to long range FG just to tie or possibly scrape out the win.

Yes Zane missed some last minute FG's

But poor play calling and coaching cost us many points and games.

 

[Garthshort]

If we are willing to run a QB sneak or two with our backup QB, four more PPG is very doable. JMO.