Can anyone explain not punting with 1 minute left?

[Nightman]

Which happens more often...a punting snafu (bad snap, block, or long return), or a Hail Mary completion? The punt screwup happens FAR MORE often. By running a play, Dallas GUARANTEED the only way Miami could score was by a desperation heave. Send the punt team out there, and you multiply the chances of them scoring quickly by three.

Good coaches don't take unnecessary risks, and there is far more risk in attempting a punt as opposed to handing the ball to your RB. Your assertion that "99 out of 100" coaches would punt there is asinine. I'd bet that it's more like 50-50 in that situation. Put more time on the clock, or give Miami at least one timeout, or cut the lead to one score or less, and it changes the decison greatly.

There was over a minute left when we handed them the ball after going backwards 7yards at the 40.

That was as bad as a missed FG or botched snap on a punt. We chose one of the worst case scenarios.

They didn't need a Hail Mary. Did you watch earlier when they scored right after getting the ball at the 40?

Another 35 yards in field position could have been very important and is well worth the miniscule risk of a blocked punt for a TD.

 

[Nightman]

True, and a quick punt should be routine.

But the team has found ways to lose 7 in a row, and the potential benefits of punting didn't outweight the risks by much.

I think they needed to eliminate any catastrophic errors, and they did that.

If they actually went for it with a pass for a first down that would be completely different. They win the game with one completion. After the false start penalty they had to punt.

 

[Doc50]

If they actually went for it with a pass for a first down that would be completely different. They win the game with one completion. After the false start penalty they had to punt.

Yeah, I know.

I've come to expect very little from JG regarding critical game mgt; this is the way a non-coach tries not to screw it up.

He's not making much progress in that area.

 

[rpntex]

There was over a minute left when we handed them the ball after going backwards 7yards at the 40.

1:04 at their own 38. 62 yards away from the goal line.

That was as bad as a missed FG or botched snap on a punt. We chose one of the worst case scenarios..

Botched snap could have been potentially much worse. Once again, ho9qwever, that wasn't the only potential folly. Big return or ablocked punt also has tro bhe considered, and weighed against the reward vs. the risk.

They didn't need a Hail Mary. Did you watch earlier when they scored right after getting the ball at the 40?

Different scenario. Miami still had the ability to stop the clock with multiple TOs. They had access to their full playbook because ofr the TOs. They didn't have that luxury at the end, which severely limited their options.

Another 35 yards in field position could have been very important and is well worth the miniscule risk of a blocked punt for a TD.

Most likely only going to get 16 yards difference - not 35. Pinning them deep isn't likely considering Jones would have to hurry the punt and keep it away from Landry. And yes, the odds of a blocked punt/bad snap/long return are miniscule. The odds of a Hail Mary being completed are even less.

 

[Cowboys22]

I still think it's funny all you who claim it was right because the punt could get blocked. If you are worried about that, then why run a play at all. RBs fumble way more often than punts get blocked. If you aren't going to try and get the first down, then punting is the correct play 100% of the time. I have no doubt that if someone had posted a poll outlining that exact situation before today and asked what the team should do, not a single person would have responded with run the ball and give it back to them at the 40. 98% would have said punt and 2% would have said throw it and try for a first down.

 

[Idgit]

I still think it's funny all you who claim it was right because the punt could get blocked. If you are worried about that, then why run a play at all. RBs fumble way more often than punts get blocked. If you aren't going to try and get the first down, then punting is the correct play 100% of the time. I have no doubt that if someone had posted a poll outlining that exact situation before today and asked what the team should do, not a single person would have responded with run the ball and give it back to them at the 40. 98% would have said punt and 2% would have said throw it and try for a first down.

RBs fumble more often because teams run the ball more often. But snaps get muffed and punts blocked when team are selling out to return them a significant percentage of the time. Punts also get returned for TDs against our coverage teams.

You guys are being silly. We all know why they didn't punt, and there was a good reason for it. If you'd have done something differently, that's fine. But stop pretending it was a coaching error to play it the way we played it today.

 

[Cowboy4ever]

8 pages on this call? Really? We won the game! It was not a bad decision. It may be different than you would have done but that doesn't make it wrong, stupid or anything else. The special team unit had already screwed up a pretty routine play with the squib kick that led to 7 points earlier in the game. Why risk it again? I liked the call.

 

[superonyx]

I was wondering why we called a timeout at 2:04 vs running the ball which would have taken it down to the 2 minute warning, this basically gave miami an extra timeout

The play clock was expiring at 2:04. So they had to take a TO or snap the ball to avoid the delay of game penalty.

 

[iceberg]

Dumbest decision ever again by Garrett. You never ever give up the ball there Punt it idiot, they were fortunate to get the two sacks but this could have backfired in their faces.

you new to garrett or just like to blow things out of proportion when you make silly statements?

 

[Cowboys22]

RBs fumble more often because teams run the ball more often. But snaps get muffed and punts blocked when team are selling out to return them a significant percentage of the time. Punts also get returned for TDs against our coverage teams.

You guys are being silly. We all know why they didn't punt, and there was a good reason for it. If you'd have done something differently, that's fine. But stop pretending it was a coaching error to play it the way we played it today.

That's why you call a max protect and have the punter kick it out of bounds inside the 20. It's done all the time and was a better option than just giving them the ball 25 yards from field goal range.

 

[rynochop]

8 pages on this call? Really? We won the game! It was not a bad decision. It may be different than you would have done but that doesn't make it wrong, stupid or anything else. The special team unit had already screwed up a pretty routine play with the squib kick that led to 7 points earlier in the game. Why risk it again? I liked the call.

Yeah, the game was over. I don't think the announcers even commented on it.

 

[KalEl]

I understand it was a 2 possession game. The value of 30 yards of field position vs the miniscule chance of a punt block, recovery and return, it's not really close.

It is when you have Landry back there. It was the right decision.

 

[DanteEXT]

 

[pansophy]

We should have punted it. If they scored quick and get an onside kick....it goes down as the biggest coaching blunder of all time. We're not Michiagn, were a professional football team, act like one and punt it.

Yeah, I went to Michigan State and I really didn't understand not punting. Keep everyone in to block and punt it out of bounds or out of the end zone if you are that worried. But to give them the ball on the 40 just didn't make sense to me. Fortunately it didn't matter.

 

[DandyDon52]

This is the dumbest post-game thread I've seen in awhile.

Considering the score, it would've been utterly stupid to punt it there. Makes no sense to risk a return or block for a few yards worth of field position, at a point where the opposition needed a miracle.

The way it played out makes it seem ok, but had miami scored in 2 quick plays, which is just as likely as a blocked punt or FG,
Then you might feel differently about it.
I think it shows lack of confidence in the punt and kick units, kind of a slap in their face.

It was ultra conservative and playing to not lose, and it worked this time, but against a better team it might not work out so good.

I salute JG for the early 4th and 1 play at their own 45, I liked that, but this was the total opposite.

 

[tyke1doe]

8 pages on this call? Really? We won the game! It was not a bad decision. It may be different than you would have done but that doesn't make it wrong, stupid or anything else. The special team unit had already screwed up a pretty routine play with the squib kick that led to 7 points earlier in the game. Why risk it again? I liked the call.

I'm like "eight pages" really? Did we lose the game? Did going for it and not punting cost us the game?

 

[DandyDon52]

Yeah, the game was over. I don't think the announcers even commented on it.

yeah they did, even they thought it was odd.
I just think it showed how JG plays to not lose, very conservative, and that will bite them later on in another situation

 

[rynochop]

yeah they did, even they thought it was odd.
I just think it showed how JG plays to not lose, very conservative, and that will bite them later on in another situation

I dvrd the 2nd half, musta skipped over them talking about it. I didn't think it was a big deal, certainly not worthy of a 9 page thread. I had a bigger problem with that kickoff before the half

 

[Dodger12]

For some fans, winning isn't enough. They think they are smarter the folks that get paid to coach this game so if you don't win the way these self imposed experts thing you should then they are going to raise hell. With these individuals, there will always be something to complain about... a win can never be enjoyed just because you won. You know who you are.

I don't know if I'm smarter than anyone else but I will say this.....I wouldn't squib kick near the end of the first half with a 2 TD lead and over a minute left, I would run the ball with a 3 TD lead in the second half, I wouldn't have Brandon Weeden as my back-up QB, I wouldn't (accidentally) freeze my own kicker, and I'd know how to manage the clock to close out the first half so I minimize the chances of the other team scoring and gaining momentum.

So this idea that these coaches are so smart is kind of silly when they've done some stupid things over the course of their tenure. Just because they get paid (thanks to Tony Romo) to do what they do doesn't make them smarter or their decisions right all the time.

 

[Cowboys22]

Yeah, the game was over. I don't think the announcers even commented on it.

You think a game is over when a team is down by 10 and has the ball on their own 40 with 1:08 left on the clock? It may not happen often but from time to time teams in that type of situation find ways to win the game and it usually is aided by a stupid mistake by their opponent. Go back to week 1 against the Giants. If they run the ball on that 3rd down instead of throwing an incomplete pass, they win the game. That game should have been over by your standards but they did something stupid.