View topic - fourth and 1

[1fourdathumb Profile]

i liked going for it on 4th and 1 but why hand it to the "fool" back and not the tail back??? there wasn't any time to pick up a little steam handing it off to the supposed blocker. when we finally use the full back we use him in the wrong way in that particular instance. i still like using a lead blocker next week. overall not many more complaints here...not even for the O .C.

[madtowndrunkard Profile]

Going for it on 4th and goal was horrible.

3 points puts SD back by 2 td's and a 2 pt conversion. That essentially puts the game out of reach.

A TD puts the game out of reach as well, but the chance that you get stuffed is at least 50/50. So by getting stuffed we wasted that drive and kept SD in the game. Someone better talk to Tomlin because calls like that cannot happen. Not from an NFL HC. Absolutely moronic. Almost as moronic as the fake punt.

[madtowndrunkard Profile]

As for the offensive play calling. The first half was atrocious. You seem to forget the only points we had were off Holmes return. Ben had like two completely passes in the first half.

We were clearly winning the battle at the LOS early in the game. We didn't start taking advantage of that fact till the 3rd quarter. I'm guessing at half time the players told the coaches to get their heads out of their @#$es and start running the ball. Once we established the run their defense couldn't pin their ears back and go after Ben. Thus opening up the passing game.

Arians play calling is about as bad as it gets. He has no concept of establishing a flow to the offense. As soon as something starts working he shifts to something else. It's as if he's just pulling plays out of a hat.

[smheart78 Profile]

That was a uniquely designed play most likely from Arians and could have worked if not for the failed logic that LBs attack the Full Back on plunges like that, so that the DBs can crack at the RB.
The 'I' formation with eyes on the running back that swept outside to the right is a good diversion, and a Full Back Plunge is also not bad and better than the QB sneak, but at that point, the RB should come in behind for the extra push.

[Steeledge Profile]

As for the offensive play calling. The first half was atrocious. You seem to forget the only points we had were off Holmes return. Ben had like two completely passes in the first half.

We were clearly winning the battle at the LOS early in the game. We didn't start taking advantage of that fact till the 3rd quarter. I'm guessing at half time the players told the coaches to get their heads out of their @#$es and start running the ball. Once we established the run their defense couldn't pin their ears back and go after Ben. Thus opening up the passing game.

Arians play calling is about as bad as it gets. He has no concept of establishing a flow to the offense. As soon as something starts working he shifts to something else. It's as if he's just pulling plays out of a hat.

I would agree with you, if not for that last drive in the first half -

You seem to forget

Parker's TD run with 40 seconds left in the 1H to give us 14 points. Were you actually watching?

I know Arians has a well deserved bad rep after the past two seasons, but I honestly think the play calling was much better than I expected yesterday, at least from mid Q2 on...

Call it lowered expectations, but I don't think that's unreasonable after these past 2 seasons. I do think Arians has improved, however, if only slightly, and I was pleasantly surprised yesterday.

You need to go to a "meeting" and work through all the negativity...

[madtowndrunkard Profile]

The last drive was Ben calling the plays in a no huddle offense. Oddly enough we started moving the ball.

[SteelLloyd95 Profile]

I agree....Arians should be fired, but this was his best job of the season. I like going for it on 4th down. The game was 21-10 (another poster expained this incorrectly). A field goal does not put the game out of reach. A TD does. I like Tomlin's aggressiveness (instead of Cowher-like complacency). I also like the FB handoff, but not to Davis. He is a pansy. If he extends his body and/or doesnt bobble the snap, he gets in.

[SteelMohawk Profile]

I liked going for it on 4th and goal. IT was the best call. Keeps the ball out of Sproles hands in space.

BUT that call was stupid. Davis isn't Lorezno Neal or some fat fuck that can move people, he is just a squatter slower Moore. just give it to Russell who porves time and time again, he has the right body and mindset to get one yard. BA couldn't help himself, he had to look like an idiot at least once a quarter.

[madtowndrunkard Profile]

I agree....Arians should be fired, but this was his best job of the season. I like going for it on 4th down. The game was 21-10 (another poster expained this incorrectly). A field goal does not put the game out of reach. A TD does. I like Tomlin's aggressiveness (instead of Cowher-like complacency). I also like the FB handoff, but not to Davis. He is a pansy. If he extends his body and/or doesnt bobble the snap, he gets in.

A 2 - TD lead essentially puts them away. There aren't too many teams in the league that is going to score 2-tds and a 2 pt conversion on our defense in a quarter to beat us.

If SD scores on that drive it's a totally different game. 21-10 is MUCH easier to come back from then 24-10...w/ a full quarter on the clock. If SD hits a big play and scores a TD after us getting stuffed it's 21-16 or 21-18 w/ almost a full quarter of football left. A TD and a 2 pt conversion makes it only a 3 point game w/ plenty of time on the clock. With out a doubt they'd attempt the 2 pt conversion to make it 21-18. Their is no down side to taking the 3 points. There was plenty of down side by not getting any points after the SD muffed punt. Given how poor our offense is and how prone to turning the ball over we are....you take the points. There isn't a good coach in the league that would not take the points. Why leave your self exposed to such a possibility if you don't have to?

Obviously it turned out OK, but that doesn't take away from the fact that it was a bad decision.

[logjammin Profile]

One thing nobody has mentioned here is field position. If they fail on 4th down (as, it turned out, they did) then the defense comes in with GREAT field position. A chance to score a safety, etc.

[dave8105 Profile]

Go for it on 4th and 1. Rely on your #1 ranked defense to do their job if the offense doesn't score. Thats how it played out and seemed to work. Its not the first time we gave the ball to San Diego on the one. Remember what happened last time we gave them the ball on the one? SAFETY! Almost happened again yesterday. Speaking of, why wasn't that a safety? Forward progress?

[jstallworth82 Profile]

i liked going for it on 4th and 1 but why hand it to the "fool" back and not the tail back??? there wasn't any time to pick up a little steam handing it off to the supposed blocker. when we finally use the full back we use him in the wrong way in that particular instance. i still like using a lead blocker next week. overall not many more complaints here...not even for the O .C.

It was a great call both ways and if the Fullback doesnt fumble we might have gotten the TD because I know that SD was not expecting the 1st man through to get the ball.

[jstallworth82 Profile]

I agree....Arians should be fired, but this was his best job of the season. I like going for it on 4th down. The game was 21-10 (another poster expained this incorrectly). A field goal does not put the game out of reach. A TD does. I like Tomlin's aggressiveness (instead of Cowher-like complacency). I also like the FB handoff, but not to Davis. He is a pansy. If he extends his body and/or doesnt bobble the snap, he gets in.

I totally agree. If we had any other Back in we probably score. and 28-10 seals the deal

[shawnlucas Profile]

I liked going for it on 4th and 1.

I liked the playcall, too, just not the back that got the ball.

[IhateARIANS Profile]

[quote="madtowndrunkard"]Going for it on 4th and goal was horrible.

3 points puts SD back by 2 td's and a 2 pt conversion. That essentially puts the game out of reach.

Sorry, but you go for the win in that situation. 100 percent correct call, especially when you have the number 1 defense you are either going to force a turnover or get field position to get "your 3 points" anyways. The ball was inside the 1 yard line. Manhandled their line on day long. It was just bad execution, personally, having a big ass QB I QB sneak because it takes no time to develop and its all or nothing so BEN could afford to reach the ball over the line, not having to worry about turning the ball over because its going to be turnover on downs anyways. You have to know our team, the game, and the situation before you make an assumption about methodically going for it. I know it was the right call.

[IhateARIANS Profile]

Going for it on 4th and goal was horrible.

3 points puts SD back by 2 td's and a 2 pt conversion. That essentially puts the game out of reach.

A TD puts the game out of reach as well, but the chance that you get stuffed is at least 50/50. So by getting stuffed we wasted that drive and kept SD in the game. Someone better talk to Tomlin because calls like that cannot happen. Not from an NFL HC. Absolutely moronic. Almost as moronic as the fake punt.

3 points puts SD back by 2 td's and a 2 pt conversion. That essentially puts the game out of reach.

Sorry, but you go for the win in that situation. 100 percent correct call, especially when you have the number 1 defense you are either going to force a turnover or get field position to get "your 3 points" anyways. The ball was inside the 1 yard line. Manhandled their line on day long. It was just bad execution, personally, having a big ass QB I QB sneak because it takes no time to develop and its all or nothing so BEN could afford to reach the ball over the line, not having to worry about turning the ball over because its going to be turnover on downs anyways. You have to know our team, the game, and the situation before you make an assumption about methodically going for it. I know it was the right call as do all the "so called" experts around the league.

I do agree about the fake punt though

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[shawnlucas Profile]

The "best" playcall in that situation is probably the QB sneak.

Basically tell everyone to go on sight, don't execute a snap count, have a signal for the center to go, snap the ball, and get it across the goal line.

However, giving the ball to the short man makes some sense because it surprised the hell out of me and, it would seem, Davis, who looked like he thought that he might be plowing into the pile to loosen up the defense.

[toomuchmerrilhoge Profile]

There was only one problem with that call: Carey Davis.
He's slow, has no moves, no hands, and I really don't see why he gets so much playing time. And what the hell is he doing returning kicks? What other team uses a god damn full back on kickoff returns? He's a decent blocker but Sean McHugh is way better coming out of the backfield in front of FWP. In that situation, I think McHugh goes in for 6.

[El Nino Profile]

if they gave the rock to russell instead of davis, it's a touchdown. davis is a decent lead blocker, but he sucks ass at carrying the ball. make him block for the guy who should be getting carries.

[prowlin Profile]

I thought intensively about that 4th and 1 decision and what I would do if I was the head coach. For me it came down to the distance into the endzone. I reasoned if the ball was within a foot of the plane going for it was by far the BEST scenario and that a QB sneak had a good 85% chance of success from that distance. Anything over a half a yard would lean me towards calling out the FG unit. It was a TOUGH call and I was on the fence somewhat about it, but I think the right call was made.... just not the RIGHT play. Having the #1 defense did have a lot to do with the decision. 99 yards against that unit doesn't happen too often and would take a lot of time off the clock.