[stupac2]

[quote author=stupac2 link=topic=17904.msg210635#msg210635 date=1509836512]
I get criticizing bringing on Burns, I don't love it, but didn't that play gain 5 yards? It's hardly like it was a wasted effort. It did more-or-less what we needed from it. It was the play after that where the center got blown up and basically tackled Love himself that was the problem there, and I'm not sure what playcall you make to avoid "our center can't block".

1) I think lex (and I) are critical of the second Burns run on 2nd and 6 rather than the first. It was a novelty whose "trick" was exposed.

2) Of course it's tougher to plan and playcall around something that's unexpected. Burkett has been excellent all year, up until this game. If, say, Frank Buncom had struggled there's a plan to replace him (because he's often struggled this year). If Quenton Meeks and Burkett do? That's tough.
[/quote]

That play gained 3 yards on 2nd and 8. That's not exactly great but it's hardly a disaster. I don't necessarily see why you'd put in Burns as opposed to just calling a read option with Costello, but presumably there's some reason. There were many more downs where we had far worse outcomes than that. If I were going to pick playcalls to criticize (as opposed to general decisions like punting twice from ~midfield in the 4th quarter) I'd probably pick something else, it seemed like our general strategy on offense didn't change in the second half when it absolutely should have.

[stupac2]

[quote author=stupac2 link=topic=17904.msg210635#msg210635 date=1509836512]
I get criticizing bringing on Burns, I don't love it, but didn't that play gain 5 yards? It's hardly like it was a wasted effort. It did more-or-less what we needed from it. It was the play after that where the center got blown up and basically tackled Love himself that was the problem there, and I'm not sure what playcall you make to avoid "our center can't block".

1) I think lex (and I) are critical of the second Burns run on 2nd and 6 rather than the first. It was a novelty whose "trick" was exposed.

2) Of course it's tougher to plan and playcall around something that's unexpected. Burkett has been excellent all year, up until this game. If, say, Frank Buncom had struggled there's a plan to replace him (because he's often struggled this year). If Quenton Meeks and Burkett do? That's tough.
[/quote]

That play gained 3 yards on 2nd and 8. That's not exactly great but it's hardly a disaster. I don't necessarily see why you'd put in Burns as opposed to just calling a read option with Costello, but presumably there's some reason. There were many more downs where we had far worse outcomes than that. If I were going to pick playcalls to criticize (as opposed to general decisions like punting twice from ~midfield in the 4th quarter) I'd probably pick something else, it seemed like our general strategy on offense didn't change in the second half when it absolutely should have.