GP1 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Article As the Zips improve, they will find themselves in more close games. Ideally, a team would like to have the ball to run out the clock with a lead. If that isn't possible, it is important to have a good defense that plays well in the clutch. Let's hope the Zips defense will play better in the clutch that my Steelers defense has played in the clutch in recent years. Quote
Zipmeister Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Somewhere DIG is reading this article and having an orgasm. Quote
Dr Z Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Wow, I'm not sure how to critic that article w/o writing about the Steelers defense, so I won't. In short I'll say Scott Kacsmar doesn't seem to understand defense, he likes stats, but doesn't understand what he sees on the field. This is a big cliche, but it holds true, the Zips need to pressure the QB, and create turnovers. Bowden echoes this every chance he talks about defense...for a reason. I'm hoping with the depth the Zips have moved toward in the front seven, this will finally be possible this year. Quote
johnnyzip84 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Somewhere DIG is reading this article and having an orgasm. Probably in his nether regions. Quote
GP1 Posted May 31, 2013 Author Report Posted May 31, 2013 Wow, I'm not sure how to critic that article w/o writing about the Steelers defense, so I won't. In short I'll say Scott Kacsmar doesn't seem to understand defense, he likes stats, but doesn't understand what he sees on the field. This is a big cliche, but it holds true, the Zips need to pressure the QB, and create turnovers. Bowden echoes this every chance he talks about defense...for a reason. I'm hoping with the depth the Zips have moved toward in the front seven, this will finally be possible this year. I think the author sees things exactly as they materialized. Where I would be critical is he came close to articulating a good point about why this particular defense is struggling late in games and it applies to all defense. I think too many people in the media today don't understand the modern game and how it has drastically changed in the past few years. For example, the younger guys on ESPN are much more in tune about the modern game than guys like Ditka or Tom Jackson. Too many defenses these days are set up to either stop the run or stop the pass. I like a front four designed to be great run stoppers and the rest of the team to be great pass defenders. It's not an either/or thing for me. Stop the run, force a third down pass into a heavily covered defensive backfield on third and long and have a great pass rusher to apply pressure. Force turnovers and not punts. The main point was, in the clutch, a defense has to come through or rankings don't matter. The only rankings that matter are the standings. I like nothing more than the players for the teams I like playing their best at the end of games. If they can't, then what is the point of playing well the rest of the time if you can't win in the end? As the Zips get better, it will be fun to watch who the players are who come through and those who don't. Quote
legendofzippy Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 I think the key is that every defense - and offense, special teams - needs one or two difference makers. You need that elite level talent to come up with big plays that most players can't make. I'm not sure if this is "clutch" as much as it is superior ability. In the case of Pittsburgh, when guys like Troy and James Harrison were fully healthy, they competed for and won Super Bowls. With them less than 100%, they struggle. I'd say this is true of any defense. Do the Zips have difference makers yet? Fingers crossed... Quote
Dave in Green Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Stats don't excite me; great performance does. Stats are just metrics used to quantify performance. Taken by themselves, numbers don't tell the whole story. Properly interpreted, the right stats can be helpful in understanding results. Quote
K92 Posted May 31, 2013 Report Posted May 31, 2013 Stats don't excite me Dave, did you laugh when you typed this? I laughed when I read it. Quote
Dave in Green Posted June 1, 2013 Report Posted June 1, 2013 I was laughing at the posts ahead of mine. Quote
GP1 Posted June 1, 2013 Author Report Posted June 1, 2013 You need that elite level talent to come up with big plays that most players can't make. I'm not sure if this is "clutch" as much as it is superior ability. Your post takes me back to the MAC Championship we won with the coach TW fired. It was a high scoring game for the time (nothing compared to the points teams are putting up now around the country) and a defense with very average talent was able to make a key stop against a very, very good NIU offense late in the game that set up the miracle catch by DH. Not only did they make a key stop on that drive, they kept NIU out of the end zone twice in the fourth quarter and forced field goals. We don't need great players who crap their pants in the 4th quarter. In 2013, points get scored regardless because the rules are set up for them to be scored. Clutch play is more important than defensive rankings, etc. Quote
mbalsinger Posted June 1, 2013 Report Posted June 1, 2013 Your post takes me back to the MAC Championship we won with the coach TW fired. It was a high scoring game for the time (nothing compared to the points teams are putting up now around the country) and a defense with very average talent was able to make a key stop against a very, very good NIU offense late in the game that set up the miracle catch by DH. Not only did they make a key stop on that drive, they kept NIU out of the end zone twice in the fourth quarter and forced field goals. We don't need great players who crap their pants in the 4th quarter. In 2013, points get scored regardless because the rules are set up for them to be scored. Clutch play is more important than defensive rankings, etc. I completely agree with this. A good number of the games we lost last year, were lost in the 4th quarter. I've always been a fan of dominant defenses, but when your a team like ours you've got to hold when you need to hold. I trust this coaching staff is doing everything in their power to make and coach a defense that can hold when it needs to. It did a couple times last year, but it was usually the weak link...and when it wasn't the weak link the offense was the weak link. Quote
ZachTheZip Posted June 1, 2013 Report Posted June 1, 2013 Defense is mostly about being in the right place at the right time. Last year, everyone was out of position. They appear to have corrected that, for the most part, from what we saw at the spring game. Quote
GP1 Posted June 2, 2013 Author Report Posted June 2, 2013 I completely agree with this. A good number of the games we lost last year, were lost in the 4th quarter. We lost 11. What does "A good number" mean? My original post uses the words "average talent". The MAC Championship team may have had average talent, but they were still better than the talent level from last year. Lack of talent makes a team predictable. A predictable defense is a sitting duck in the fourth quarter. The Zips had a huge talent problem last year and I hate to say it, they still do. Quote
mbalsinger Posted June 2, 2013 Report Posted June 2, 2013 We lost 11. What does "A good number" mean? My original post uses the words "average talent". The MAC Championship team may have had average talent, but they were still better than the talent level from last year. Lack of talent makes a team predictable. A predictable defense is a sitting duck in the fourth quarter. The Zips had a huge talent problem last year and I hate to say it, they still do. I think you know what it means...but it's really irrelavent: FIU, Tennessee, Miami, Can't, Toledo for starters. We were reasonably in those games until the defense went from being "okay" to attrociously horrible. And I agree with you that we're predictable and lack talent both this year and last. I have faith in this coaching staff to be able to do the best with what they've got, however we need to find more talent; a point that Bowden has harped on over and over again. Quote
legendofzippy Posted June 3, 2013 Report Posted June 3, 2013 We don't need great players who crap their pants in the 4th quarter. In 2013, points get scored regardless because the rules are set up for them to be scored. Clutch play is more important than defensive rankings, etc. I guess I would need some examples of great players who haven't come up big in the 4th quarter. I'd say our failings in the past few years in the 4th quarter are more the result of having DIII talent on the roster (thanks to coach Rob) that have simply wore down by that point in the game. Quote
GP1 Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Posted June 3, 2013 I guess I would need some examples of great players who haven't come up big in the 4th quarter. Dan Marino Quote
legendofzippy Posted June 3, 2013 Report Posted June 3, 2013 Well, I think if the next Dan Marino comes along and for some reason he wants to play for the Zips, I'd say let's take him. Now maybe I'm crazy, but I think he could win a few games in the MAC. Ok, sarcasm aside... 4th Quarter Comebacks Quote
GP1 Posted June 3, 2013 Author Report Posted June 3, 2013 Well, I think if the next Dan Marino comes along and for some reason he wants to play for the Zips, I'd say let's take him. Now maybe I'm crazy, but I think he could win a few games in the MAC. Ok, sarcasm aside... 4th Quarter Comebacks You can have him. Marino beat a lot of bad teams in the fourth quarter. He also played forever which helps those numbers. These are the kind of stats that get people in the baseball hall of fame but leave me yawning. Testaverde is #7 and played forever so he makes the top ten? Great clutch player or a guy who was able to hold on for a long time? Tarkenton being in the top 10 is interesting considering the era he played in. Other than Testaverde, there isn't a guy in that top 10 I would take Marino in place of. Quote
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