Well considering they only ran the ball for 69 yards on 13 carries, that stat is pretty meaningless.
I remember the Pats had a third and 8 at pivotable part of the game, and damn if they didn't run it for the first down.
IIR it was a rain slogged field too. And no, can’t win w 6 turnovers. 262 rushing yards against is disgusting too. Crazy thing is, the week prior when Marino led that sick 3 TD, 4th quarter comeback down 20-3 vs Cleveland, they had two backs over 100 (Bryner and Mack) and another (Curtis Dicky) w 65 or so - they must have hit near 300 on the ground and we stole that game due to Marino 4th quarter heroics. The Pats game played out the same way w the run defense sucking beyond belief but there would be no heroics that day - I suppose due to all the fumbles. I hated watching our defense those years. Got gashed by runners in sickening fashion.
44 TD passes and we don’t make the playoffs That’s on the D 100%. Our entire offense hasn’t scored 44 total TDs in forever in today’s offense - friendly NFL.
Those were the days of mastermind John Olividotti and our “read and react” (too slow) defenses.
Shula shouldn’t escape blame either. He was the man in charge. The second half of the 80s were the worst years of his career by far.
I will never understand why he hung onto him for 10 years.
Actually, it was Chuck Studley. Tom Olivadotti didn't arrive until 1987. Then things really hit the fan for a couple of seasons before we became a good but not great defense for a couple of seasons.
The early 90s defenses were the Purple People Eaters compared to the defenses of 86-89. Of course, by then Marino, and especially his pass catchers, were several years older and the offense wasn’t as potent as it was during the wasted years. And no running game to be found— ever.
