Here’s my framework for understanding this offensive performance:
- A. #10 QB Herbert’s throwing mechanics got progressively worse for most of this game.
- B. There’s a window of time that took place after this had become clear and before the score and gameclock forced the team to abandon the run.
- C. During that window, the staff should not have called designed passes when they didn’t have to, but did anyway three times.
- D. Before and after that window, the playcalling was between good to brilliant.
There were of course bad plays by Herbert before that window, but without the benefit of hindsight, they appear to me to have been appropriate playcalls in those moments.