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Convince me that I'm wrong: Our defense has been bad

Even that late hit penalty came on a 1st down on our own 22 - the result would likely have been the same (made FG) whether it was called or not.

I'm not saying the defense was (or is) bad - but pointing to the scoreboard in this particular game isn't reflective of their level of play in this particular game. Washington moved the ball more effectively against Rutgers than Rutgers did on Washington - but we benefited more from discipline breakdowns and special teams execution failures on their side.

The defense gave Washington a lot of scoring opportunities and forced only 2 punts. That they did not capitalize on those scoring opportunities is as much a testament to their failures than our successes. If we only force 2 punts against future B1G opponents, I'd expect them to score more than 18 points.
I get all the points- it's funny, because of the 2-12 on 3rd down, I had to go back to see how they only punted 2 times.

* we held them on 2 4th down plays. (better than a punt) 3 missed FG's
 
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So - the other way to look at it is that they only got inside our 20 4 times. And the drive for the first FG(that they did make) lol was aided by a questionable late hit on the passer. And I do not think that should have been called- 1 step, Thompson was pulling himself back with hands up and it was only chest to shoulder pad.
The 4th down at the 2- defense did it's job.

The defense does have to get better but they have also done enough to "not lose"

Looking at redzone trips for our upcoming opponents and their scoring:

Nebraska - 22 trips (4.4/g): 13 TDs, 4 FG (20 TD / 4 FG total)
Wisconsin - 14 trips (3.5/g): 8 TDs, 3 FG (10 TD / 5 FG total)
UCLA - 10 trips (2.5/g): 3 TDs, 6 FG (5 TD / 8 FG total) (2.5 per game)
USC - 22 trips (4.4/g): 14 TDs, 6 FG (17 TD / 6 FG total)
Minnesota - 21 trips (4.2/g): 13 TDs, 3 FG (16 TD / 6 FG)
Maryland - 20 trips (4.0/g): 14 TDs, 5 FG (21 TD / 7 FG total)
Illinois - 18 trips (3.6/g): 12 TDs, 5 FG (16 TD / 8 FG total)
MSU - 18 trips (3.6/g): 7 TDs, 5 FG (12 TD / 8 FG total)

Totals: 145 trips: 84 TDs, 37 FG (117 TD / 52 FG)

58% of redzone trips for those teams have resulted in TDs, and 26% in FGs. 28% of their TDs and 29% of their FGs have come from outside the redzone.

Using those percentages, 4 redzone trips in an average game against our upcoming opponents would work out to about 27 points allowed (assuming 100% on PATs). Washington managed just 18. Part of that was our defense, part of it was errors on their end.
 
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On their ten 4th downs:
2 punts
2 turned over on downs
2 converted
3 missed FG
1 made FG

I know we missed the sack, but that 4th and 2 on the TD drive was otherwise well defended. 7 times out of 10 that pass probably falls incomplete.

The whole theme of the D performance would likely feel a lot different if things went that way. Yes, I understand we caught a lot of other breaks. But the yardage disparity probably ends up looking a good deal different and we almost certainly win by 2 scores.

That was a huge play that is getting tossed aside in my opinion. Such emphasis on their penalty on the blocked FG, but if we took over at that point with a fresh set of downs in Washington territory, Washington probably only gets the ball again if we score TBH. We probably get the first in that situation because we’d be playing with a 4 down mindset on anything close. I don’t know that we’d only vanilla run up the middle when we have a 2 score lead and a turnover doesn’t give them the ball in scoring position. Totally different situation.
 
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I know we missed the sack, but that 4th and 2 on the TD run was otherwise well defended. 7 times out of 10 that pass probably falls incomplete.

The whole theme of the D performance would likely feel a lot different if things went that way. Yes, I understand we caught a lot of other breaks. But the yardage disparity probably ends up looking a good deal different and we almost certainly win by 2 scores.

That was a huge play that is getting tossed aside in my opinion. Such emphasis on their penalty on the blocked FG, but if we took over at that point with a fresh set of downs in Washington territory, Washington probably only gets the ball again if we score TBH. We probably get the first in that situation because we’d be playing with a 4 down mindset on anything close. I don’t know that we’d only vanilla run up the middle when we have a 2 score lead and a turnover doesn’t give them the ball in scoring position. Totally different situation.

The difference being that the missed sack falls under the umbrella of our own performance/execution, while the penalty on the FG does not (it was a wonderful gift from a guy who wasn't even in the game on that play). There are several plays where we could have done better or worse that would have impacted the game. Much of the focus above was on "luck" - events that were not in our control that broke our way (killer penalties by Washington, missed FGs).
 
The difference being that the missed sack falls under the umbrella of our own performance/execution, while the penalty on the FG does not (it was a wonderful gift from a guy who wasn't even in the game on that play). There are several plays where we could have done better or worse that would have impacted the game. Much of the focus above was on "luck" - events that were not in our control that broke our way (killer penalties by Washington, missed FGs).

I get your point, but I don’t think it’s fair to call it failed execution on that particular play (now if we were talking about the missed tackle on the QB the previous drive that would be completely different story). That was a miss that didn’t hurt us because they missed a FG later in the drive.

A sack would’ve been a great play on the 4th and 2 (A+ defense) while we still probably grade out at an A- or better for the pressure we applied on Rogers. The D executed well and forced an off balance throw that required a really difficult reception (Boston tipped the ball to himself and rescured it).
 
I haven't really been happy with our LB play this year as a unit. A lot of mistakes Also I don't think or DBs play like a senior DB laden DB unit should (like say the 2012 defense with McCourtys, Logan Ryan, WIlliams etc).

Team speed on defense also seems slower than in the past. Its no where near our 2012 defense or even last years defense.

But as a team we are a better team this year than last year mainly due to improvement in the passing game and OL run and pass blocking (though I feel our OTs are an area of weakness on the OL especially in pass blocking. Center is great. Guards are solid).
 
I get your point, but I don’t think it’s fair to call it failed execution on that particular play (now if we were talking about the missed tackle on the QB the previous drive that would be completely different story). That was a miss that didn’t hurt us because they missed a FG later in the drive.

A sack would’ve been a great play on the 4th and 2 (A+ defense) while we still probably grade out at an A- or better for the pressure we applied on Rogers. The D executed well and forced an off balance throw that required a really difficult reception (Boston tipped the ball to himself and rescured it).

I wouldn't call it "failed" execution, just that it was under the umbrella of execution. We could have performed better (great play for the sack and turnover on downs) or worse (allowed a TD) on that play - but it was something within our sphere of influence. We had zero to do with some rando running off the sideline during a live play (which still baffles me).
 
How is that possible? He’s 2 of 4 on the season isn’t he? One miss was a 53 yarder.
he missed two of three at VT and I thought they counted the block last week as a miss. I guess they don't. That 53 yard miss wasn't even close. It went 25 yards low and left like a wounded duck. It wasn't anywhere near close. (and why GS put him in that spot I don't know)

And don't get me wrong. I like the kid (he's from my home town) but just think he's got a little mental thing going on right now. Hoping he gets back on track. Like a basketball player he needs to see that ball go threw the uprights (net).
 
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Patel kicked the game winner at VT, which is a similarly hostile environment
come on man it was a 24 yarder that just made it inside the right upright (an extra point is from 20 yards). It wasn't from 45 or something like that. I know he CAN do it but will he I guess we'll see.
 
come on man it was a 24 yarder that just made it inside the right upright (an extra point is from 20 yards). It wasn't from 45 or something like that. I know he CAN do it but will he I guess we'll see.

It was a pressure filled situation in front of a hostile crowd, and he nailed it. Washington’s kicker missed 3 kicks, though they were at a longer distance. Not as easy as it looks.
 
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Last year he was one of the best kickers in the nation. Darn close to team MVP.
This year has been rough so far. We know he can do it but certainly something is off.
 
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I wouldn't call it "failed" execution, just that it was under the umbrella of execution. We could have performed better (great play for the sack and turnover on downs) or worse (allowed a TD) on that play - but it was something within our sphere of influence. We had zero to do with some rando running off the sideline during a live play (which still baffles me).

I get what your saying. I still find it pretty remarkable that we were even in a position where one single play (one whete we actually did perform on D but the offense just made an insane play) was probably the difference in us not rolling to a multi-score 11+ point win.
 
he missed two of three at VT and I thought they counted the block last week as a miss. I guess they don't. That 53 yard miss wasn't even close. It went 25 yards low and left like a wounded duck. It wasn't anywhere near close. (and why GS put him in that spot I don't know)

And don't get me wrong. I like the kid (he's from my home town) but just think he's got a little mental thing going on right now. Hoping he gets back on track. Like a basketball player he needs to see that ball go threw the uprights (net).

No that penalty counts just as a false start would’ve. We needed less than 5 yards for the first down so the result of the penalty was a fresh set of downs.

My point is 53 yarders are missed most of the time at the college level. He only has one recorded miss at this point outside of that one.
 
No that penalty counts just as a false start would’ve. We needed less than 5 yards for the first down so the result of the penalty was a fresh set of downs.

My point is 53 yarders are missed most of the time at the college level. He only has one recorded miss at this point outside of that one.
The kid proved himself last year. But the difference is- halfway through last season, we felt he was 3 points, write it down, on every attempt.
At the start of this year, you just can’t have that same confidence, yet.
 
No that penalty counts just as a false start would’ve. We needed less than 5 yards for the first down so the result of the penalty was a fresh set of downs.

My point is 53 yarders are missed most of the time at the college level. He only has one recorded miss at this point outside of that one.
Ok.
 
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