The Dowdle Mirage - Play Calling Problems

[jfra78]

5 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

Has a single pass to T-Mac resulted in a fumble or INT?  I don't think so.

And yes, he has a couple drops, but that's it, it's only 2 actual drops so far.  

Too many idiot fans chalking up non catches to drops, just because they know how absurd of catches he is capable of making already.  Be frustrated he couldn't make a difficult catch, that's fair, but stop calling them drops or like the above post, trying to insinuate his hands are remotely in the same realm as XL, just lunacy.

And no, I'll never say we're improving based solely on T-Mac's stats over a game or full season.  I can objectively see and say if I see improvement on the team as a whole, something I'm not at all seeing right now.

Same thing fans like you were doing with XL last year

[tukafan21]

16 minutes ago, jfra78 said:

Same thing fans like you were doing with XL last year

I mean, he was tied for 13th in the league in drops with 7 despite only having only 84 targets while having 49 rec for 497 yards, with 7 catches of 20+ yards and 27 1st Downs in 16 games.

T-Mac has 2 drops this year on 43 targets while having 24 rec for 351 yards, 9 catches of 20+ yards and 19 1st Downs in only 5 games.

So in only 1 target more than half the targets, he has less than 1/3rd of the drops, while being half a catch shy of half his catches, already 70% of the yards, 2 more catches of 20+ yards, and 70% of the 1st Downs in 11 less games.

Again, trying to compare T-Mac's hands or any WR ability other than speed to XL is just completely insane.

Edited 16 hours ago by tukafan21

[jfra78]

4 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I mean, he was tied for 13th in the league in drops with 7 despite only having only 84 targets while having 49 rec for 497 yards, with 7 catches of 20+ yards and 27 1st Downs in 16 games.

T-Mac has 2 drops this year on 43 targets while having 24 rec for 351 yards, 9 catches of 20+ yards and 19 1st Downs in only 5 games.

So in only 1 target more than half the targets, he has less than 1/3rd of the drops, while being half a catch shy of half his catches, already 70% of the yards, 2 more catches of 20+ yards, and 70% of the 1st Downs in 11 less games.

Again, trying to compare T-Mac's hands or any WR ability other than speed to XL is just completely insane.

Lol the percentages aren't that far off

[ProcessBlue2]

Only concerns I’ve had with TMAC is there have been a few plays here and there where I felt like he could have done a little more to finish the catch or extend. But he’s probably just trying not to shatter on that concrete grass at BOA. 
 

XL on the other hand has real Laviska Shenault vibes

[jfra78]

6 minutes ago, tukafan21 said:

I mean, he was tied for 13th in the league in drops with 7 despite only having only 84 targets while having 49 rec for 497 yards, with 7 catches of 20+ yards and 27 1st Downs in 16 games.

T-Mac has 2 drops this year on 43 targets while having 24 rec for 351 yards, 9 catches of 20+ yards and 19 1st Downs in only 5 games.

So in only 1 target more than half the targets, he has less than 1/3rd of the drops, while being half a catch shy of half his catches, already 70% of the yards, 2 more catches of 20+ yards, and 70% of the 1st Downs in 11 less games.

Again, trying to compare T-Mac's hands or any WR ability other than speed to XL is just completely insane.

This wasn't even a knock on tmac, Bryce throws a lot of shitty balls, his ball placement is horrible.  So if you say that about tmac, then the same must be true about XL. Many thought he had 15 plus drops last year, it looks that way because of bad ball placement 

[Stuart Smith]

On 10/5/2025 at 7:11 PM, tukafan21 said:

The entire OP is about the play calling and results and only mentioned T-Mac one time, in the sense of our offensive struggles only made me more frustrated about our #1 WR only getting a single 2nd half target in a game we were behind for the majority of it.

How is that showing my true colors?

It's way more of other people reading too much into it and thinking this is all and only about T-Mac for me, but it's not.  He just happens to be the player that I specifically was upset by his 2nd half usage, but it had nothing to do with my personal feelings towards him, but that he's our only legitimate WR and he had a single target in the 2nd half after going for 73 yards in the first.

To me, that is a very legitimate play calling gripe, the win or particular player aside.

I have more concerns about whether we are utilizing the strengths of the roster than most anything else right now. Cade Mays should have been starting. It appears that relieving the defensive play calling from Roseboom was a good move. Having players on the active roster that have been released while Jimmy Horn was wasting away not activated is noted. I know it is still early in the season, but I feel like training camp was a missed opportunity to recognize our players skill set. This rookie class is the strongest I can remember. There will be games that will not be pretty, but these youngsters like Jimmy Horn need to be on the active roster every week. Dan Morgan hit a home run with this draft. 

[tukafan21]

18 minutes ago, jfra78 said:

Lol the percentages aren't that far off

They're pretty far off, double T-Mac's stats to get to the same targets as XL and it would be 4 drops to 7.  A 3 drop difference might not sound like a lot, but it's still almost twice as many drops on the same number of targets.

Not to mention, if I remember correctly, XL's drop problems last year seemed more down field, where he was dropping passes he should be making and it was clear his poor hands were there reason he dropped them.

And weren't both of T-Mac's drops this year on quick hitters with blockers out in front of him?  I know at least the second one was as he was going to go for a huge play and maybe a TD on it.

To me, and yes, I'd say this about any other player, those are drops because a rookie was trying to do too much in making a play before securing the catch.  Much easier to improve upon a lapse in concentration than dropping passes because you have bricks for hands and body catch more often than hands catch, like with XL.

12 minutes ago, jfra78 said:

This wasn't even a knock on tmac, Bryce throws a lot of shitty balls, his ball placement is horrible.  So if you say that about tmac, then the same must be true about XL. Many thought he had 15 plus drops last year, it looks that way because of bad ball placement 

And yes, 100%, which is why I wasn't one of those people you were referring to with talking about him that way last year.  Yes, I said he had drop problems., because he did, but I didn't think they were unsolvable and expected to see great improvement this year after an offseason of hitting the juggs machine (unfortunately not sure that happened though).

Edited 16 hours ago by tukafan21

[dpm0409]

18 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

I've said this too many times to count, but just enjoying wins because we get them so infrequently is how shitty franchises continue to be shitty, because their fans are "just happy" when they get flawed wins.

I'd rather lose but show improvement in key areas such as play calling and QB play than win and still struggle in those areas.  Because until we improve in those areas, this team is going nowhere, so what is the fun in "enjoying" the 3-5 wins we get where we still don't look great while doing it?

I want to make the playoffs again, we won't get there because we win fluky games, we'll get there because we've improved as a team.  Show me improvement in a loss and I'll enjoy watching that game more than wins like this, because I care more about our long term high level success than shitty wins in lost seasons.

You watched that game and enjoyed a win, I watched that game and saw why we're still going nowhere as a franchise in the foreseeable future but won in spite of that.  It's been a decade since we've been decent, how are you not sick of "enjoying" those type of games?

We won the game man..."flawed" wins still count the same as "perfect" wins no?

If you've reached a point of preferring the team to lose vs. win.....as long as what you saw on the field constitutes 'improvement' in your mind....that's a problem.  It likely means your happiness and well being is a bit too intertwined with a game that you have zero control over.  Just not healthy, but hey that's just my take. 

I'll acknowledge that everyone's perception is their own reality and you're entitled to your opinions.  I just personally choose to focus on positives.  Being down 17-0 and coming back to win shouldn't be downplayed.  That isn't an easy thing to do in the NFL.  It can really boost the morale of a locker room.

[csx]

19 hours ago, tukafan21 said:

I've said this too many times to count, but just enjoying wins because we get them so infrequently is how shitty franchises continue to be shitty, because their fans are "just happy" when they get flawed wins.

I'd rather lose but show improvement in key areas such as play calling and QB play than win and still struggle in those areas.  Because until we improve in those areas, this team is going nowhere, so what is the fun in "enjoying" the 3-5 wins we get where we still don't look great while doing it?

I want to make the playoffs again, we won't get there because we win fluky games, we'll get there because we've improved as a team.  Show me improvement in a loss and I'll enjoy watching that game more than wins like this, because I care more about our long term high level success than shitty wins in lost seasons.

You watched that game and enjoyed a win, I watched that game and saw why we're still going nowhere as a franchise in the foreseeable future but won in spite of that.  It's been a decade since we've been decent, how are you not sick of "enjoying" those type of games?

Nothing you or I or anyone does with regards to enjoying or moaning about wins and losses has any affect on the success or failure or shittyness factor of the franchise.

[strato]

9 minutes ago, dpm0409 said:

We won the game man..."flawed" wins still count the same as "perfect" wins no?

If you've reached a point of preferring the team to lose vs. win.....as long as what you saw on the field constitutes 'improvement' in your mind....that's a problem.  It likely means your happiness and well being is a bit too intertwined with a game that you have zero control over.  Just not healthy, but hey that's just my take. 

I'll acknowledge that everyone's perception is their own reality and you're entitled to your opinions.  I just personally choose to focus on positives.  Being down 17-0 and coming back to win shouldn't be downplayed.  That isn't an easy thing to do in the NFL.  It can really boost the morale of a locker room.

Yeah. But avoiding the negatives and sweeping them under the rug for the good feeling of a win is not going to solve those things and they will bite you in the rear.  That ain’t offering much thatks positive but I guess you could ‘glass half full” something out of it. 
 

That comeback was something g those guys should be proud of. I don’t think it really matched the original from 2003 but that matters not inside the locker room. 

[csx]

3 minutes ago, strato said:

Yeah. But avoiding the negatives and sweeping them under the rug for the good feeling of a win is not going to solve those things and they will bite you in the rear.  That ain’t offering much thatks positive but I guess you could ‘glass half full” something out of it. 
 

That comeback was something g those guys should be proud of. I don’t think it really matched the original from 2003 but that matters not inside the locker room. 

We arent solving any problems no matter what we do.

[dpm0409]

6 minutes ago, strato said:

Yeah. But avoiding the negatives and sweeping them under the rug for the good feeling of a win is not going to solve those things and they will bite you in the rear.  That ain’t offering much thatks positive but I guess you could ‘glass half full” something out of it. 
 

That comeback was something g those guys should be proud of. I don’t think it really matched the original from 2003 but that matters not inside the locker room. 

It's less about sweeping negatives under the rug and more about allowing yourself to be happy and enjoy a win.

And complete transparency here, I've been speaking on the mentality that a fan should have.  Now if you're actually employed by the organization, in any capacity, you better be looking at all your problems and constantly striving to improve.  That should go without saying.

When fans are salty after a 17 point comeback win and a 200+ yard rusher...those folks just won't ever be happy.

[strato]

7 minutes ago, csx said:

We arent solving any problems no matter what we do.

We have one huge problem and I agree with you for now. 
I’m not that negative on the rest. 
 

I

 

[strato]

4 minutes ago, dpm0409 said:

It's less about sweeping negatives under the rug and more about allowing yourself to be happy and enjoy a win.

And complete transparency here, I've been speaking on the mentality that a fan should have.  Now if you're actually employed by the organization, in any capacity, you better be looking at all your problems and constantly striving to improve.  That should go without saying.

When fans are salty after a 17 point comeback win and a 200+ yard rusher...those folks just won't ever be happy.

I look at that like small picture/big picture. In tne small picture I enjoy the wins. Everything feels better when you win. 
 

In the big picture, you want more wins you have to address what might be in the way of that. I am sort a perfectionist and it comes easy to me. Naturally I guess. I want to improve stuff. 

Edited 3 hours ago by strato