2026 Roster Thread - Semi-Live

[milani]

Context matters.

That is the game Love left with a concussion. MLF needed to manufacture something, so slightly more of end around looks were called. Even still, only 5 seem to have been called. I wouldn’t call that a lot for an offense that wants that motion manufacture opportunities. About 3 per game seems typical normal for them.

Overall, they weren’t bad. Williams ran 2 for 4.5YPC. Reed ran 1 for 6 YPC. Golden did poorly, 2 for 2 YPC. I’m going off box scores here. Every other carry was by a running back or quarterback.

As far as injuries, that seems to be incorrect. ESPN notes our injuries in that game as LB Welch on a KO and TE Fitzpatrick. Neither was carrying the ball during their injuries.

I do not attribute the outcome of the game losses to the Bears on any one iota except the onside kick blunder which was reminiscent of Seattle from 2014. After losing Parsons and Wyatt in 2025 it really set our D back even though they played hard. And despite a better performance needed on the offensive side of the ball, championships cannot always be won that way.

Lombardi had great offensive teams but he also had to do it with defense as well. In 1961 the Pack shut the Giants out. In 1962 the only Giant score came on a blocked punt. In 1965 in the conference playoff, the only Colt TD was a fumble return. Then they held Jim Brown and company to 12 points. In 1966 it was Dave Robinson that forced the Meredith INT to ice it. In SB 1 they held KC to 10 points. And even in the Ice Bowl the Cowboys scored 10 points from a fumbled punt and a fumbled return. Only 7 came from the offense. And finally they held the Raiders to 14 in SB 2.

 

[gopkrs]

I do not attribute the outcome of the game losses to the Bears on any one iota except the onside kick blunder which was reminiscent of Seattle from 2014. After losing Parsons and Wyatt in 2025 it really set our D back even though they played hard. And despite a better performance needed on the offensive side of the ball, championships cannot always be won that way.

Lombardi had great offensive teams but he also had to do it with defense as well. In 1961 the Pack shut the Giants out. In 1962 the only Giant score came on a blocked punt. In 1965 in the conference playoff, the only Colt TD was a fumble return. Then they held Jim Brown and company to 12 points. In 1966 it was Dave Robinson that forced the Meredith INT to ice it. In SB 1 they held KC to 10 points. And even in the Ice Bowl the Cowboys scored 10 points from a fumbled punt and a fumbled return. Only 7 came from the offense. And finally they held the Raiders to 14 in SB 2.

 

[gopkrs]

I was not attributing the loss to those end arounds. For sure the botched onside kick did that. I was just commenting on something I didn't like.

 

[milani]

I was not attributing the loss to those end arounds. For sure the botched onside kick did that. I was just commenting on something I didn't like.

And during the season I did not like those 4th and 1 obvious handoffs to Jacobs straight ahead with no one to block for him against a loaded box.

In the 1962 Championship game Jimmy Taylor ran the ball 31 times against a loaded box in addition to catching swing passes. But there was always someone next to him to block or act as a decoy.

Running 5 end arounds you hope someone could break even one of them. Or as a ploy off of it maybe you use the halfback option pass.