Thoughts on who is to blame for the loss

I'll start with the answer: No one player or unit gets the primary blame for this game. This is a bona fide team loss.

There were a lot of backbreakers.

- Hyde missed a crucial block on Hassan Reddick, who sacked Russell on the play. Dallas whiffed a block in OT. Homer, who was out due to a knee contusion, likely picks up both of those blocks.

- Mayowa's leverage penalty was deserved. It wasn't needed, it was silly, and it gifted them the continuation of a crucial scoring drive.

- Russell Wilson was off. Throwing to covered running backs, throwing seemingly directly to Cardinals players... Pete says he wasn't affected by the hits he took, but I'm struggling to find any other explanation.

- Shaquill being out hurt a bit. Concussion.

- Snapping the ball at 4 seconds remaining on play during the punt back to the Cardinals ended up being crucial, as they had 2 seconds on the clock when they kicked to tie it up.


The defense is genuinely not good. We know that. But, to assign them primary blame? No, this was a team loss with significant errors made in all 3 phases of the game - every single one of which the Cardinals needed to win.

I blame the D, they’re historically awful, the numbers do not lie, you also have to blame the front office in turn for fielding such a historically bad Defense. What did they think? We were gonna magically get pressure on opposing QB with a bunch of nobody’s? We don’t usually hit on D-linemen in the draft like Baltimore or Pittsburgh. We need to trade for proven players, boy I miss Frank Clark

I don't blame the refs, but don't forget the call on Wagner where we stopped them on first down and there was a total BS late hit call and they scored six from there.

PNW":txyn5g9l said:

I blame the D, they’re historically awful, the numbers do not lie, you also have to blame the front office in turn for fielding such a historically bad Defense. What did they think? We were gonna magically get pressure on opposing QB with a bunch of nobody’s? We don’t usually hit on D-linemen in the draft like Baltimore or Pittsburgh. We need to trade for proven players, boy I miss Frank Clark

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Yeah, but the game is won if special teams executes without making the worst possible mistakes, and the game is won if the offense doesn't make spirit-breaking turnovers or commit unnecessary holding penalties on the game winning play. The defense really shouldn't be primarily blamed for this loss in which blame can be placed on several players, groups, and coaches.

Maelstrom787":2bv07mc8 said:

PNW":2bv07mc8 said:

I blame the D, they’re historically awful, the numbers do not lie, you also have to blame the front office in turn for fielding such a historically bad Defense. What did they think? We were gonna magically get pressure on opposing QB with a bunch of nobody’s? We don’t usually hit on D-linemen in the draft like Baltimore or Pittsburgh. We need to trade for proven players, boy I miss Frank Clark

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Yeah, but the game is won if special teams executes without making the worst possible mistakes, and the game is won if the offense doesn't make spirit-breaking turnovers or commit unnecessary holding penalties on the game winning play. The defense really shouldn't be primarily blamed for this loss in which blame can be placed on several players, groups, and coaches.

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I blamed the front office not just primarily the D. They fielded the historically garage D. When the offense feels like they have to score 40 points to win you’re gonna see that, they can’t be perfect all season and carry the team, we shouldn’t have even been in situation for that field goal. You’re placing blame on an offense that put up 34 and has carried the team all season. No one is perfect not even MVP level Russ, he’s gonna keep making mistakes knowing he’s gotta put up 40+ points to maybe win.

The coach on putting this Defense on the field. Pete acts like this Defense is ok he'll be remembered for two defenses one which was the best ever seen and now this one which is the worst ever seen. His defense might be a little antiquated by now it seems like teams have it all figured out or it might be to run his defense you have to have very talented player's but I'll stick with the antiquated. We had very passionate player's in Kam Earl Richard they drove that defense with their passion for the game the were the leaders now there is no leaders. Not one of them call each other out for mistakes they just walk off the field with a smile when the other team scores I was hoping Adams would take up the role.

The miss tackle near the end of regulation TD. If Dunbar actually made the tackle, the Cards would have needed to burn a timeout or wasted more valuable time. Our tackling has been terrible.

How about which ever coach or coaches are responsible for calling the weak ass defense game after game after game? How about which ever coach or coaches try to sit on a 10 point lead for an entire half? Game after game after game, the offense takes it's foot off the gas and the defense plays pathetically soft. This is on the coaches calling the game.

2 penalties.. 1 correct, 1 not so.

Leverage penalty
Wags penalty..

We win the game with one.. not both.

Bobblehead":bxyncbf0 said:

2 penalties.. 1 correct, 1 not so.

Leverage penalty
Wags penalty..

We win the game with one.. not both.

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Probably win the game with both of those but minus the Moore hold. The Wags penalty was early enough to overcome and I could give them the benefit of the doubt... if they had also called the helmet to helmet or the QB slide hits.

And just like the DK rundown shows why you give it your all every play (traits that Earl proved over and over), even when giving it all is the discipline to run down the clock to the last second, as the poster above mentioned. I had not noticed that in my DVR viewing but that's as bad as Gurley scoring too quickly and is squarely on Russ.

FattyKnuckle":4td41iov said:

Bobblehead":4td41iov said:

2 penalties.. 1 correct, 1 not so.

Leverage penalty
Wags penalty..

We win the game with one.. not both.

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Probably win the game with both of those but minus the Moore hold. The Wags penalty was early enough to overcome and I could give them the benefit of the doubt... if they had also called the helmet to helmet or the QB slide hits.

And just like the DK rundown shows why you give it your all every play (traits that Earl proved over and over), even when giving it all is the discipline to run down the clock to the last second, as the poster above mentioned. I had not noticed that in my DVR viewing but that's as bad as Gurley scoring too quickly and is squarely on Russ.

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Well the Moore hold, is not a given, he might have been tackled.. IDK.

the other 2 were, just IMHO

It's quite simple. If you score 34 points in Arizona, you should never lose.

I get that you can spread the blame around, and I agree, but ultimately, our poor D cost us our first loss of the season.

The Cardinals are a good team with talented players on both sides but they had no business scoring 37 points on us.

Defense.

Ask Wagner if he agrees.