The "Always Crowned And Highly Decorated" New York Jets got beat by the Raiders today. Who saw THAT coming in Jetsville? Nobody.
Who saw the Bills beating the Patriots today, after having lost 15 STRAIGHT to the Patriots??? Nobody. Even the NFLN guys this morning were chuckling about how "dumb" it would be to dare pick the Bills over the Patriots. Oops.
Everybody shoots their wad in the first four weeks. Just look at us last year.
This loss is hung squarely upon playcalling in the red zone, and Kubiak knows it. We failed to STAY physical and failed to STAY vertical with the passing game even when faced with less real estate once you get down to the end zone area, we just sort of froze up and tried to eek out a TD every time. Schaub made several mistakes throwing the ball down there, too. The lack of having TWO quality RBs hurt us too. Oh, and we played in the Super Dome.
I watched some of the Steelers-Colts game. Steelers only dressed out EIGHT offensive linemen, and one guy went down and then another guy was on a cart on the sideline at the end of the game. They barely got by the Colts. That's not the same Steelers team we are familiar with. Every year they're getting less potent. Their line is in shambles. They're in our house next week.
If we are just good enough, and tough enough, to sweep our AFC South foes, that's 6 wins right there. Add the one win we've already got off Miami last week, and that leaves 9 games left to play. We should win at least 5 or 6 of those nine and finish either 13-3 or 12-4 winning the AFC South easily.
I see LOTS of ways this particular loss today is not as bad as some are making it out to be. Schaub is his own worst critic, but this year he has a better defense behind him by MILES and MILES, and I expect him to come out next week and drive nails into Steelers coffins fairly quickly at Reliant.
All Wade has to do is slide Manning toward KJ faster. Joseph is holding his own, IMO. Hell, Quin or Nolan can even roll to KJ for all I care. I'm not down on this defense yet. Lockout affected us, like it has other teams. New players in secondary are already producing with multiple interceptions and big-time knock downs of passes in critical moments.
It's not as bad as it feels, IMO. A loss will always sting. It should. We've got to get Ward or Foster in there ASAP, and hopefully Foster will stay healthy the rest of the way. He'll be primed for the late run toward the playoffs.