Hey, I'm just asking the inevitable question after this debacle, which, unfortunately, rhymed with most of the rest of the year on defense.

Sadly, there's no other way to slice this one: Injuries didn't help, but Ryan Day was thoroughly out coached in a way we haven't seen.

The O underperformed while the D virtually didn't show up that is, other than showing up with one of the most inexplicable schemes, or non-schemes, I've ever witnessed, i.e., purposely, knowingly and totally submitting to another team's strength.

I mean, you hate to lose, but to not even.give a fight (especially on the back end)?

Mind you, I think the players would have been' willing, but the Defensive Coordinator basically called off the dogs from the opening whistle.

Sure Coombs could reply, "You try to stop those guys!" But he'd lose the argument as soon as he said it, because guess what, Kerry.?

At least I would have TRIED to stop them schematically.

You didn't.

I mean, so what if you would have gotten beat by playing physical? You got beat anyway, time after time, without even letting your guys fight.

On a related note, DaVonta Smith is a great player who had a great game, but at some point, someone is going to have to send a memo to all 175 pounds of him that unlike the SEC or Ohio State, the NFL (which dispatched with Coombs for a reason) doesn't use DBs as if they're disinterested bystanders or turnstyles who spot WRs ten-yard cushions (or more) on every play.

They don't gift wrap space to receivers in the NFL, but that's what Coombs did tonight. Smith and Sarkisian are great at creating and exploiting space, so why give them more of what they feed on the most in the first place?

Inexplicble.

And inexcusable.