Whatever and Short. How did we do?

So, I know I'm not the only one screaming about this, although something tells me that Kubiak doesn't log onto BRB all that often and so he probably won't read this or anyone elses' thoughts on this subject.  However, I will charge on and give you my thoughts on this.

Well, not really thoughts, just some data.  My thoughts are pretty much the same as everyones.

We only found ourselves in short yardage situations 12 times on Sunday.  Which was lucky, because when we did, we were stuffed.

Here they are:

2nd Quarter    5:12    3rd & 1:  Slaton run, no gain

3rd Quarter    12:20   2nd & 1:  Slaton run, no gain

                         11:47   3rd & 1:  Slaton run, no gain

                         11:01   4th & 1:  Pass to AJ, Incomplete

                           6:47   2nd & 2:  Brown run, 1 Yard

                           6:09   3rd & 1:  Shaub QB Sneak, 2 Yards      Success

                           3:43   3rd & 1:  Brown run, 1 Yard  TD              Sucesss

4th Quarter      9:07   2nd & 1:  Slaton run, 2 Yards                   Sucesss

                          4:23   2nd & 2:  Pass to Slaton, 9 Yards           Sucesss

                        00:59   2nd & 1:  Brown run, no gain

                        00:52   3rd & 1:  Pass to Dresson, Incomplete

                        00:47   4th & 1:  Brown run,no gain

So we are successful 33% of the time in short yardage. 3 from 9 runs and 1 from 3 passes.  So that is pretty bad all around.

What happend to awesome plays like Shaubs QB draw from last year, 5 wide, empty backfield.  Draw the Lb's out and Shaub walks into the middle of the endzone untouched.

Like everyone else in the world not named Kubiak, I can see that we struggle in short yardage situations.  But reall, only when we run it.  When we pass it, we aren't too bad.  People HAVE to put 8 or 9 in the box in short yardage.  So we MAKE them do that, then get a quick throw to someone 1on1 outside.  If they only put 7 in the box, then audible a run.  I know you have to keep them honest, you have to make them commit to putting those people in the box.  But with less than a minute to play and the game on the line, play to your strengths.

Take the Dressen pass for example.  Not a success, but that was a failure because of execution.  Shaub lobbed the ball a little to high.  Dressen was open, and he landed with just half of one foot out of bounds.  Shaub was moving well and had little pressure.  From memory, three Defensive players were between him and the goalline, but none of them wanted to drop back to cover Dressen and none wanted to come forward to attack Shaub,  they were caught in the middle, right on the goalline.  Another play like that would have had more chance for success than the next play up the middle.