Why the collapse???

dreamcastrocks

Chopped Liver Moderator
Super Moderator
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
Aug 19, 2005
Posts
45,668
Reaction score
10,867
The team has no identity because it has no real head coach. Kingsbury plays head coach but he doesn't take on the role of head coach. You would expect your head coach to establish an identity and Kingsbury hasn't a clue on how to do that.
It is hard to argue this one...
 

ajcardfan

I see you.
Moderator
Supporting Member
Joined
May 13, 2002
Posts
36,650
Reaction score
20,907
Backups did well the first part of the season, up to the bye week.

After that, wow... not good.

The lack of depth certainly hurt. The lack of our draft picks being able to contribute at a high level when they are really needed. At a time in the year when they should've been able to. I cannot get over the fact that Tanner Vallejo... Tanner effing Vallejo... was getting more snaps than Collins and Simmons in the playoff fight or our lives. And the worst part? He actually did play BETTER than either of the two did in that game!

Something happens at the Bye week. That is where it turned into going from a good playoff team, to a bad team the last two years.
 

Crimson Warrior

Dangerous Murray Zealot
Joined
Oct 27, 2002
Posts
7,544
Reaction score
7,254
Location
Home of the Thunder
Been thinking a lot about this over the last few weeks of course.
I think injuries were a significant reason for the 1-5 finish, Murray is so much better with a healthy Dhop on the field for example. But I don't think injuries were the sole reason. Something else on this team is broken, and the DET loss is the proof for my assertion.

What really bothers me is that I get the feeling there's something wrong in the locker room. I won't go as far as to say Kliff has lost the team, but we came out too flat too many times in the 1-5 stretch for me to believe that the team leaders are doing their job. It's only the smallest of examples, but Kirk not laying out for that deep ball early in the game yesterday... why? It's a contract year for him? Playoff game? Why don't you dive for that ball Christian?

Like everyone else, I want more from Murray. I still believe he is the answer at QB, but him having his worst game as a pro in his biggest moment in his pro career is troubling. It's a sign of something, but I'm not sure what. I don't believe he became a bad QB in the space of a several games. There may be a maturity issue with him? Maybe he didn't believe in the the coaching staff? Or group that was with him on the field last night (which reflects poorly on him too)? I don't know. I think he'll bounce back. He's still only 23.

And what the hell is going on at LB? Simmons getting benched yesterday? Collins being the least-played rookie in the NFL? So Keim sucks at drafting again? Or VJ and his staff can't coach players up? The defense regressed as bad as the offense during the 1-5 stretch. Anyway you look at it, someone is failing miserably regarding those two draft picks/players, at it has hurt the team badly.

In conclusion, I'm on the record saying overall, the team made progress this year, and I think Keim and Kliff deserve a chance to get the late season collapse thing fixed. Better depth, and perhaps a further upgrade to a few positions, and maybe we'll contend for real next year. But I also think the culture or leadership or chemistry (or all of the above) needs to improve as well. The proof of this is the DET loss. There was no excuse for getting blown out by DET.
 

cardpa

Have a Nice Day!
Joined
Mar 14, 2003
Posts
7,312
Reaction score
3,956
Location
Monroe NC
I made a statement last year saying I think Murray has a low ceiling and will not get much better than he's already showing and boy did I get hammered for that. It doesn't seem so far fetched now. I am going to say Murray has Camitis. Cam always seem to think he could get by on sheer natural ability and athleticism and never made the effort to better himself as a QB, at least not in the traditional way and in that I mean the off field work. I think Murray has a similar view of himself.
 

oaken1

Stone Cold
Supporting Member
Banned from P+R
Joined
Mar 13, 2004
Posts
16,233
Reaction score
12,467
Location
Modesto, California
Im gonna go out on a limb here...lets see if I can explain myself properly...

sometimes a team...sports, office, whatever... has a leader with a knack for easing pressure on his guys. mannerisms, speeches, whatever... the dude is just for some reason cool as a cucumber and the people around him get relaxed and focused on their tasks.

sometimes, a team has a leader that increases the stress and pressure on the people around him,..mannerisms, speeches, passive aggressive comments, etc.

football players should be loose, relaxed...that allows them to focus on their task and get in the zone. but with this team, every single game that has some sort of meaning.... they come out tense, wound up, unfocused, while early in the season when the games mean nothing they come out playing loose.
the bigger the game, the more pressure,,,, the more tense the team is...from the opening gun.

we saw it in the first half of the first game with this group, against detroit....we saw it last year in the two opportunities to clinch a playoff spot... we saw it this season in what was it?? four opportunities to clinch a playoff spot? then a chance to win the west?
then that disaster yesterday.

maybe keim is on the hot seat and tied to this staff, so he is spending more time in the locker room?

maybe kliff feels the pressure due to his history of late season collapse and relays that tension to his team?

Maybe kyler has absolute **** locker room leadership and tries to bully team mates or makes offhand comments??

obviously I dont know where it is coming from. but my guess is this is what is happening. when these guys take the field in important games they are feeling way more pressure than they should. There is a toxic personality somewhere in the chain of command or in the locker room...or two...
 

Solar7

Go Suns
Joined
May 18, 2002
Posts
10,973
Reaction score
11,582
Location
Las Vegas, NV
I personally think it's because of a lack of leadership. Coach Bro is too willing to be the cool guy with the players, and Kyler doesn't seemingly like to be vocal. He pouts, and he doesn't put in the mental work.

Talent plays a huge part. We don't have any strong drafted depth. We barely have players we can rely on that are home grown. Chemistry (if we really have any) is going to be hard to maintain next year. I think we need a major reset.
 

reebokalone2001

Hall of Famer
Joined
Jul 27, 2021
Posts
1,143
Reaction score
1,357
Location
Mesa, Arizona
Kyler play good

Then...

Kyler play bad.

Kyler weeks 1-8

284.5 yards per game
17/7 TD to INT ratio
2.12 TD's per game
72.41 comp %
Passer rating 109
8.84 YPA

Kyler weeks 12-17

251 yards per game
7/3 TD/INT ratio
1.16 TD's per game
66.29 comp %
Passer rating 94.9
6.84 YPA

His TD's per game dropped a whole 1. Nearly halved.

His TD to INT ratio doubled.

His comp % dropped over 6 percentage points.

His passer rating dropped 15 points and YPA dropped a whole 2 yards or 25%.

Two completely different players.
I do believe he had more than 3 INTs through game 12-17
 

bankybruce

All In!
Supporting Member
Joined
Mar 28, 2003
Posts
25,501
Reaction score
16,520
Location
Nowhere
How much did Covid effect the team. Chandler took a few weeks to looks average after he was out. Humphries was terrible after coming back, Kliff looked like he aged 10 years after his bout. Even Hudson little a little slower. Others had it too, but I wonder how much it effected the team physically and mentally doen the stretch.
 

Ouchie-Z-Clown

I'm better than Mulli!
Joined
Sep 16, 2002
Posts
59,937
Reaction score
51,284
Location
SoCal
How much did Covid effect the team. Chandler took a few weeks to looks average after he was out. Humphries was terrible after coming back, Kliff looked like he aged 10 years after his bout. Even Hudson little a little slower. Others had it too, but I wonder how much it effected the team physically and mentally doen the stretch.
Man a lot of teams got hit. And got hit as bad or worse than we did and they didn’t poop the bed the way we did.
 

slanidrac16

ASFN Icon
Supporting Member
Joined
Jul 11, 2002
Posts
15,002
Reaction score
14,417
Location
Plainfield, Il.
I personally think it's because of a lack of leadership. Coach Bro is too willing to be the cool guy with the players, and Kyler doesn't seemingly like to be vocal. He pouts, and he doesn't put in the mental work.

Talent plays a huge part. We don't have any strong drafted depth. We barely have players we can rely on that are home grown. Chemistry (if we really have any) is going to be hard to maintain next year. I think we need a major reset.
How many times have we heard Kingsbury say we’re going to do what Kyler is most comfortable with?
Kyler and Kingsbury play college ball. Kingsbury believe his play designs, play calling and game plan will overcome his opponent no matter what the situation. To hell with exploiting match ups. Empty backfield, no huddle, horizontal attack are all thinks they both have enjoyed in college.
The adage no huddle wears out the defense is dumb because it wears out your players too. There is a time to use it. Third and one. Your opponent stacks the line of scrimmage. You make the first down and you get to the line of scrimmage not allowing their big package to get off the field.
Unless Kingsbury and Kyler learn how to play NFL big boy football we will continue to see exactly what we we watched the last 2 seasons.
 
Top