@freshman63 AND visa versa. Complete a couple passes and the running game opens up a little.
I watched the game, and I was stone cold sober! I guess Mike and Gene saying multiple times during the game that Baker had no touch today was zero context? Baker padded stats after we were down 31 - 13. Before that, he was just off, as in 9 for 23 = 39%!!!!!
When a D stays on the field that long, they are going to give up points. MOST had the ball almost twice as long as we did! 10 sacks! The O sucked - that includes our QB.
The game was not over at 31-13, especially after we scored quickly to make it 31-20 and got the ball right back with 11 minutes left. If we score on that drive, and make it a one possession game, it gets really interesting. As it were we turn it over on downs on a blown up RPO on 4th and 1 and the D gives up a 3rd and 17 touchdown to put it out of reach. The last TD drive can be a stat stuffer drive, but they were not playing prevent D...and even if they were there were multiple throws down field in to that prevent D, it wasn't dink and dunk throws.
Now at least we can talk some numbers and let me preface by saying I don't think Baker had a great game, my point all along was that this was a team stinkfest (coaches/play calling included). He wasn't the only reason why the offense didn't play well and he didn't play awful.
I've given down and distance on every throw and tried to annotate the results of each throw so we can talk specifics. One thing I'd like to note is how often he got put in 3rd and longs after two run plays went no where. All those 3 and outs you were complaining about that put the D back on the field, almost all of them were 3rd and medium/longs where he got to throw once on the drive. When I and other posters say the run game/play calling put them in bad spots, this is exactly what I/we mean. These are low percentage 3rd downs. Do we need to figure out a way to pick more of them up, of course! If they are able to do that, then Baker is probably lauded (not by you) for his performance, as it were, he was average...but not awful like you want to claim. He missed throws that he normally completes and he had some critical drops too (one that likely took points off the board), but you don't want to give context to the numbers you just want to say "Oh look 9-23 he was terrible" (btw 9-21 was the worst it got, not that it matters).
One more thing, the Defense played a great first half...they were on the field for around 60% of the game (indeed too long), but a good chunk of that was their own doing early in the game by getting to 3rd and long and not closing the deal. All those sacks don't mean dick if you can't get off the field (stat stuffers as it were). 13-20 on third down...that's terrible. They got owned in the second half not just b/c they were on the field for longer but b/c Mo St made adjustments to our scheme and we didn't adjust to those. I'm not going to rehash all of that, you can look at my earlier post if you care to get my thoughts there, but they absolutely get to own some of this loss.
Bottom line, this team needs to play better in all facets (including Baker) if we want a chance to do anything in the playoffs (hell even make the playoffs!).
Baker's Attempts:
First Drive (1 attempt) - Punt (3 and out)
0-1 (3rd and 13) Incomplete to Spencer under pressure
Second Drive (1 attempt) - TD
1-2 (1st and 10) Touchdown to Strong
Third Drive (No Attempts) - Downs
4 run plays turnover on downs
Fourth Drive (6 attempts) - FG
1-3 (1st and 10) Overthrow to Cox...missed PI
1-4 (2nd and 10) Overthrow to Cox
2-5 (3rd and 10) 10 yds to Rollins
2-6 (1st and 10) incomplete to Rollins (busted screen play)
3-7 (1st and 10) Lenoir 9 yards
3-8 (3rd and 1) incomplete to Cox (overthrow)
Fifth Drive (No Attempts) Punt (3 and out)
Sacked after 2 runs for 1yd (3rd and 9)
Sixth Drive (1 attempt) Punt (3 and out)
3-9 (3rd and 8...from SIU 4yd line) incomplete to Cox, a bit of under throw - after 2 runs for 1 yd
Seventh Drive (4 attempts) Missed FG
4-10 (2nd and 8) Lenoir 43 yards
5-11 (1st and 10) Lenoir 7 yards
5-12 (2nd and 3) Lenoir drops pass at 4 yd line would have been 1st and goal
6-13 (3rd and 3) Elliot -4 yds on swing pass
Eighth Drive (2 attempts) FG
7-14 (1st and 10) Lenoir 7 yards
7-15 (2nd and 3) Incomplete to Rollins Under thrown while scrambling but Rollins was wide open. Likely no points lost as time was running out, but possible they could have taken a shot at the end zone before kicking.
Halftime
Ninth Drive (4 attempts) Punt
8-16 (2nd and 4) Strong 11 yards
9-17 (2nd and 7) Strong 8 yards
9-18 (1st and 10) Incomplete to Lenoir...dropped pass
9-19 (3rd and 14) Incomplete to Spencer someone in his face during throw
Tenth Drive (1 attempt) Punt (3 and Out)
9-20 (3rd and 5) Incomplete (almost sacked no time to throw)
Eleventh Drive (1 attempt) Punt (3 and Out)
9-21 (3rd and 6) Incomplete to Lenoir overthrow...double covered
Twelfth Drive (2 attempts) Punt
10-22 (2nd and 4) Lenoir 8 yds
10-23 (2nd and 9) Incomplete to Cox...jump ball 1 on 1 defender made a good play
Sacked on 3rd and 9...no protection.
Thirteenth Drive (6 attempts) TD
10-24 (1st and 10) Incomplete to Spencer
11-25 (2nd and 10) Cox 23 yards
11-26 (1st and 10) Incomplete to Hartrup
12-27 (3rd and 9) Daniels 8 yds
13-28 (4th and 1) Lenior 4 yds
14-29 (1st and 10) Hartrup 19 yds TD
Fourteenth Drive (2 attempt) Downs
14-30 (1st and 10) Incomplete to Lenoir
15-31 (2nd and 10) Elliot 8 yards
Drive ends on the awful RPO play on 4th and 1
Fifteenth Drive (6 attempts) TD
16-32 (2nd and 19) Williams 1 yd
17-33 (3rd and 18) Lenoir 22 yds
18-34 (1st and 10) Cox for 27 yds
19-35 (1st and 10) Cox for 10 yds
20-36 (1st and 10) Williams for 13 yds
21-37 (2nd and 9) Daniel 11yds TD
Sixteenth Drive (1 attempt) End of Game
21-38 (1st and 10) Who cares game over
