Quote:
Originally Posted by Hammock Parties
It's because the team got less explosive and more ball control starting in 2022.
When you are winning with less talent and more guile you better save some of that guile for the postseason.
More ball control is harder to sustain over 20 games, too. Can't always bring the same intensity every week.
I think it's part of the reason the team, at times, looked worn down and tired in '23.
'22 was a ****ing grind. They literally ground JuJu into dust.
I think Andy is acutely aware of the stars all playing a full season's worth of extra games at this point and has been careful to load manage. A big part of the reason the Niners and Cowboys never threepeated was fatigue. Probably Patriots too.
I expect to see a different team in the postseason. In the meantime we will just have to endure having the best record in the NFL.  |
Yeah - with young Kelce, Hill, Watkins, a younger Hunt and pro-bowl caliber bookend tackles, those early Mahomes teams could just go out there, play a vanilla gameplan and simply win on talent.
They had guys that would just go out there and smoke the dude on the other side.
We just don't have that anymore. Kelce's older, Hill and Watkins are gone. Hopkins and JJSS aren't guys that are going to just beat their guy anymore. Worthy can but comes with warts of his own. The running game has zero explosion (and not a lot more even with Pacheco around; he has no wiggle to speak of).
It's just a team that has to be creative and precise in its execution.
That's HARD to do for 17 games. Some days they just won't.
But maybe when it's win or go home for everyone in the post-season, they can be counted on to simply turn that level of execution up to 11.
But no, it's just not the sort of team that has the raw talent to go beat guys on ability.