[4thandgoal]

Kinda tough to blame the play calling when the line couldn't protect at all. (And, when blocking, the receivers had an iffy day catching and Costello an iffy game decision-making.) Much as people like to think play-calling is the tonic to whatever ails an offense...it seems like a very strange diagnosis here. 

Defensively, the line was obviously less than strong, but I don't understand what the heck the gameplan was. Book had was strong on intermediate passes but never tried to throw deep. Meanwhile the short passing game proceeded pretty much unharmed. I don't think ND's skill position players deserved so much respect: they should've been pressed pretty much as a matter of course.

Alternately, it's kinda tough to blame the line when the play calling was so transparent.

[4thandgoal]

Kinda tough to blame the play calling when the line couldn't protect at all. (And, when blocking, the receivers had an iffy day catching and Costello an iffy game decision-making.) Much as people like to think play-calling is the tonic to whatever ails an offense...it seems like a very strange diagnosis here. 

Defensively, the line was obviously less than strong, but I don't understand what the heck the gameplan was. Book had was strong on intermediate passes but never tried to throw deep. Meanwhile the short passing game proceeded pretty much unharmed. I don't think ND's skill position players deserved so much respect: they should've been pressed pretty much as a matter of course.

Alternately, it's kinda tough to blame the line when the play calling was so transparent.