Did he go pass heavy because the turf was making a ground game impossible? i'm not sure the ground game performance can be credited to the turf. Deon was electric fast filling those holes. He knew where Gurley was going . They were well positioned. We did not adapt or prepare for their preparedness.
Were all those unproductive passes to Gurley in the flat by design or check down? Same as above.
Were the unsuccessful because of the turf? Stated above.
Why didn't we go to a hurry-up offense sooner when we were having trouble finding our rhythm? Atlanta wanted Goff to prove his worth. We just didn't give him enough time. We only did it when we absolutely had to. So they completely took Gurley out and we kept trying Gurley for all but the very end of the last quarter. I think Goff could have won it for us if we prepared to do so with him in addition to preparing Gurley as we did.
Donald was held all game by the same tactic they flagged Havenstein for. Goff obviously passed to Watkins because he saw the defender holding him. Assisting a runner is a 10-yard penalty. If there is one area where I think inexperience or youth showed itself it is here. If it is true that refs do not call defensive players on holding as much in playoffs, then McVay should have coached our team to do more of the same and/or blasted refs in the ears all during the game about what was going on.
