Definitely had a playoff feel today

What a big win. Russell took over the game in the second half, no doubt. Panthers sold out all day to stop the run and Russ carried the team. Their CB’s looked lost by the end of the game.

Would have been nice if the D adjusted at all to cover mccaffrey in the flats, absolutely killed us today. Some work to do on that side of the ball this week.

Team keeps winning and control their path to the playoffs. Nice place to be in.

McCaffrey gashed us. Play calling for Carolina was very good. I do hope they work on that open field stuff we got torn up on. Also I hope Shaq Griffen makes a step because the way he is playing is not good. I would not give up on the kid but he needs to improve.

I don't care what anyone says, that was a must-win game.

Getting gashed by Christian McCaffrey is what happens when your front seven drops off into nothingness after Clark, Reed, and Bobby. We badly need a reload from the draft, plus either Kendricks or KJ back.

MontanaHawk05":1fw6ujao said:

I don't care what anyone says, that was a must-win game.

Getting gashed by Christian McCaffrey is what happens when your front seven drops off into nothingness after Clark, Reed, and Bobby. We badly need a reload from the draft, plus either Kendricks or KJ back.

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For sure. This offseason better have a ton of roster churning on the defensive side. I hope they look for some cast off pass rushers like they’ve done well in the past. Frank Clark makes a good move or two a game but there’s no other guy getting pressure. LB needs some new blood too, wagner is doing it all.

Carolina totally game planned for our pass rush. Screens, RB in the flats, quick slants, play action. It was infrequent for us to be in favourable down and distance to dial up pressure.

What we need more than pass rushers is better run stopping DL. Our rotation is getting destroyed too often and that's not Pete Ball.

That guy was killing it all game although he fumbled 3x. Definitely a playoff feel. Huge win on the road with the season on the line.

Given that our odds of making the playoffs was under 50% IIRC going in, yeah, it was a critical game. If we had lost, our odds would have dropped into the 25% range, which is not where you want to be going into December. About as 'must win' as it can get without being completely do or die.

With what looks like an easy stretch coming up, we have a chance to pile up several more wins rather quickly. Other than maybe KC, I suspect we'll be favored for every other game. Just got to get it done.

Totally schemed our D tendencies and McCaffery is a beast to make it hurt. Looked like when he destroyed my other ‘Hawks in the bowl game when at Stanford. Buuuuttt record day, yet we pulled it out.


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MontanaHawk05":25aw6f1o said:

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Getting gashed by Christian McCaffrey is what happens when your front seven drops off into nothingness after Clark, Reed, and Bobby. We badly need a reload from the draft, plus either Kendricks or KJ back.

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Mostly True, but not 100% true.
Key play: Naz Jones bursting through for a key tackle in the backfield.
Key play: Mingo defending a would-be TD pass.
Key play: Austin Calitro getting in on a short-yardage run stop.

Looks like my exceptions to your rule just about serve to "prove" your rule.
From the front 7, I'm hard pressed to come up with key plays made by other than your list.
Figure there had to be some more unsung front 7 heroes on the handful of key plays where the Hawks D stuffed the Carolina run game to force a FG or 4th down turnover.

From our secondary, guys like McDougald, Flowers, and Griffin had key, key plays. And even our other safety, his name escapes me, starts with a C I think.

Poona Ford was inactive today; as a decent run-stopper, maybe he would have helped. Or not.