I have no issues with the end of game clock mismangement

[mrmojo]

I dont understand why in a 2 minute drill the QB doesn't have control of the play calling and the clock.....maybe that's too much to ask of these new era OBs...

 

[mrmojo]

I get ya. Outcome does not always make the choice right.

But I fail to see what the "high risk" against the Cowboys for attempting a time expiring, 56 yard FG, during a TIED game?

Hell, I might be more upset if we were down 1 or 2 and the Cowboys would have lost if the FG missed.

But the WORST CASE SCENARIO in that situation is we played more football.

Color me not worried.

Worse case scenario is kick could have been blocked, which is a higher % at longer range, and returned for a TD.....that has happened to the Cowboys before.

 

[SackMaster]

Worse case scenario is kick could have been blocked, which is a higher % at longer range, and returned for a TD.....that has happened to the Cowboys before.

True. I stand corrected. That is the worst case scenario.

But then that falls right in line with "what could go wrong, will go wrong" in that game where A LOT went wrong for both teams.

OK, so I will correct myself with the WORST CASE LIKELY SCENARIO.

Fair?

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I guess you could take it that way, as far as "playing scared"?

Or we can look at THIS game and see the overabundance of terrible calls and say, "why force something if the COACHES had faith in their kicker?"

Also, how is "play should have been perhaps a deep throw to the endzone (throw it out if not clearly open). or two quick out throws to the sideline and throw it away if not there (remember what Brady did the last game?)" going to work on 3rd Down?

If we throw two incompletions, it would have been turnover on downs. You do remember we kicked the FG on 3rd down, not 1st down, right? And if we throw quick incompletion(s), how does that make the FG any easier for GZ?

So your answer is "just throw it somewhere" just to run a play and then compare it to a situation (TB and Brady) where it wasn't really comparable?

I saw a lot of good counter points against my OP, but this is not one of them.

JMHO

my mistake, I thought it was a first down, not the second down when Pollard ran. still we could have ran another play similar to what we ran with Wilson and gain another 5-10 yards...even throw it to the middle of the field and call a time out....

 

[Sydla]

'
I'm pretty sure if it was same exact scenario, but it was MM that ate multiple TOs just to let the Chargers run down the clock for a time expiring FG attempt, he would be R-O-A-S-T-E-D for it.

To me, that is the coaching side that REALLY mismanaged the clock. Why would you EVER allow a team to kick a time expiring FG when you have a chance to avoid it?

But I completely agree with the excuses after the game. Glad MM was (seemingly) truthful, but ya, that doesn't help the optics at all.

If McCarthy called a time out with 26 second left with the Chargers at our 40 yard line or so giving the Chargers a free timeout, he would absolutely and justifiably been skewered. In that situation with a running clock it would be beyond stupid to stop the clock for the Chargers and not force them to use their last timeout or rush a play or take a low risk 56 yard FG.

I don't get the bolded part. I bet every coach in the league would prefer that situation where the opposing team is kicking a very long FG as opposed to stopping the clock and giving the opposing team a free timeout to then likely move the ball even closer for a shorter FG.

At that point in the game, the Chargers know the Cowboys are in FG range. So at that point, their goal is to make that FG as long as possible. Stopping the clock and allowing the Cowboys to preserve their last timeout would be monumentally stupid and basically gives the Cowboys quite a bit of time to run a couple more plays and turn a 56 yard FG into a 45 yarder or 40 yarder.

At that point, the Chargers aren't trying to preserve as much time as they can because at that point, there is only going to be, at best, like 15-20 seconds left and with only one or zero timeouts left, there is zero chance the Chargers can do anything if they get the ball back. At that point, the Chargers are trying to make it as difficult a FG as they can.

 

[mrmojo]

my mistake, I thought it was a first down, not the second down when Pollard ran. still we could have ran another play similar to what we ran with Wilson and gain another 5-10 yards...even throw it to the middle of the field and call a time out....

Fair...I still think we looked liked the Benny Hill Show out there the last 30 seconds. Between this and the 4th down punt penalty STs need to get its act together.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Fair...I still think we looked liked the Benny Hill Show out there the last 30 seconds. Between this and the 4th down punt penalty STs need to get its act together.

oh, the benny hill show. I miss that show. it was actually funny...well at least some skits....

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

I would not say that but given the confusion with clock and personnel that at that stage knowing you are in range yet a simple 5 yard penalty take you out of range. I do not see this as luck, I see it as kicker executing the FG and put it down the middle.

even the coach after the game said they were confused as they didn't see the clock.......

 

[Soth]

I like MM but his clock management nearly cost us this game. It was amateur hour out there. He needs to do better.

 

[SackMaster]

my mistake, I thought it was a first down, not the second down when Pollard ran. still we could have ran another play similar to what we ran with Wilson and gain another 5-10 yards...even throw it to the middle of the field and call a time out....

Again, I'm not AGAINST us running another play in that situation. But the Cowboys NOT running another play in that situation was nearly as bad as some are making it out to be.

People making that argument seem to think we gave up "automatic yards" in that situation, yet I would counter that there is NEVER a situation that there are "automatic yards" in the NFL, especially in a game where teams combined for 20 (accepted) penalties.

I hope that whatever confusion was on the sidelines is addressed, but I'm not going to sit here and say that MM is the worst clock manager in the world in a situation which there was very little downside for the Cowboys.

But if you want to complain. Feel free. I just don't agree with what you are complaining about.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Again, I'm not AGAINST us running another play in that situation. But the Cowboys NOT running another play in that situation was nearly as bad as some are making it out to be.

People making that argument seem to think we gave up "automatic yards" in that situation, yet I would counter that there is NEVER a situation that there are "automatic yards" in the NFL, especially in a game where teams combined for 20 (accepted) penalties.

I hope that whatever confusion was on the sidelines is addressed, but I'm not going to sit here and say that MM is the worst clock manager in the world in a situation which there was very little downside for the Cowboys.

But if you want to complain. Feel free. I just don't agree with what you are complaining about.

I go back to my original comment. its lack of "game management" that concerns me more than what transpired...this is now two games in a row we have clock/game management issues. we had issues last year too.

and btw, I never said its automatic yards. you take it if its there, else you throw it away. you try to improve your position, if not, you are no worse off. Brady did it three times against us, each time, play wasn't there and he threw it away.....that simple. call a safe play. run it safely. Dak throws it if its not 100% there....that's it.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I dont understand why in a 2 minute drill the QB doesn't have control of the play calling and the clock.....maybe that's too much to ask of these new era OBs...

Analytics.

 

[TheMarathonContinues]

I don't either. People are labeling it "poor clock management"......but they kicked a field goal for the win with no time on the clock lol. Trust me, I don't like settling for a 57 yard field goal...but I'm not sure if the message is his clock management was poor. I'd lean towards he was arrogant that his kicker would make that kick.

 

[Aviano90]

t that point, the Chargers aren't trying to preserve as much time as they can because at that point, there is only going to be, at best, like 15-20 seconds left and with only one or zero timeouts left, there is zero chance the Chargers can do anything if they get the ball back. At that point, the Chargers are trying to make it as difficult a FG as they can.

You remember the 2016 GB playoff game...3rd and 20 from the 32 yard line with 12 seconds left and GB gets into FG range with one pass. Game over. We're the Cowboys and we allow the impossible to happen.

 

[SackMaster]

If McCarthy called a time out with 26 second left with the Chargers at our 40 yard line or so giving the Chargers a free timeout, he would absolutely and justifiably been skewered. In that situation with a running clock it would be beyond stupid to stop the clock for the Chargers and not force them to use their last timeout or rush a play or take a low risk 56 yard FG.

I don't get the bolded part. I bet every coach in the league would prefer that situation where the opposing team is kicking a very long FG as opposed to stopping the clock and giving the opposing team a free timeout to then likely move the ball even closer for a shorter FG.

At that point in the game, the Chargers know the Cowboys are in FG range. So at that point, their goal is to make that FG as long as possible. Stopping the clock and allowing the Cowboys to preserve their last timeout would be monumentally stupid and basically gives the Cowboys quite a bit of time to run a couple more plays and turn a 56 yard FG into a 45 yarder or 40 yarder.

At that point, the Chargers aren't trying to preserve as much time as they can because at that point, there is only going to be, at best, like 15-20 seconds left and with only one or zero timeouts left, there is zero chance the Chargers can do anything if they get the ball back. At that point, the Chargers are trying to make it as difficult a FG as they can.

Again, unless I am getting senile at my "advanced" age, I have seen PLENTY of teams do what they can to get the ball back with ANY time on the clock.

And I get your point about not wanting the Cowboys to get any closer than what they were, but the fact of the matter is the ONLY situation where there is "zero chance" for the Chargers is by allowing a time expiring FG attempt.

Virtually ANY OTHER scenario is better for the Chargers.

I mean, if that was NOT the case, why do teams try their hardest to be the team kicking the FG while the clock is running out in the first place?
To make sure the other team has ZERO chance of a KR TD, a Hail Mary, a "Stanford play" or a defensive penalty that gives the opposing O a "free play".

That seems like Football 101 to me. Get the ball back at all costs so you have a chance. But then again, I might be getting old and not "hip enough" for analytics.

 

[Doomsday101]

even the coach after the game said they were confused as they didn't see the clock.......

Yes did not see the clock and there were issue with the personnel coming out of the game. They were in range and while I think they did want to run a play the clock got down to far that they were not going to risk it. You can disagree but fact is they were in FG range and given the confusion were not willing to take the chance of losing that field position. I have no doubt their full intent was to run a play.

 

[jazzcat22]

We won, time to move on from this. And focus on the real issues.

The defense is still leaving too many wide open WR”s. still making stupid plays and penalties giving up a 1st down on 3rd and long. Need to clean that up.

Allso still coming up short too many times inside the red zone. Settling for FG’s and not TD”s.

on the other side, a lot of good things happening also.

 

[SackMaster]

You remember the 2016 GB playoff game...3rd and 20 from the 32 yard line with 12 seconds left and GB gets into FG range with one pass. Game over. We're the Cowboys and we allow the impossible to happen.

Exactly.

The Chargers getting the ball back would not have given them even semi-good chance of winning the game. BUT, they would have had a chance.

Instead, they allowed the only situation where they had zero chance to win the game in regulation to play out.

Hell, the only logical reason I could see them NOT calling a TO is if they believed the Cowboys had no timeouts. Then force them to not screw up the spike and see what happens.

As a Cowboys fan, I'm SUPER happy they decided to let the Cowboys control their own fate at the end, but I would be upset if the roles were reversed.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Yes did not see the clock and there were issue with the personnel coming out of the game. They were in range and while I think they did want to run a play the clock got down to far that they were not going to risk it. You can disagree but fact is they were in FG range and given the confusion were not willing to take the chance of losing that field position. I have no doubt their full intent was to run a play.

I don't disagree. but I rather take a chance to be closer given same kicker badly missed a 60 yard field goal...so this was only 4 yards shorter. and that is my point, they intended to run. but didn't. because they didn't seem prepared..

 

[Zekeats]

Look. Do I wish the Cowboys been a little smarter with the clock in the last ~30 seconds of the game? Sure.

But forced, and even worse, unforced errors are a thing. See the KC RB that just flat out drop the football while not being touched towards the end of that game vs Baltimore.

Bad snap, fumble, sack, TFL, interception, false start, holding, illegal shift, illegal formation, delay of game ... or anything else you can think of could have happened, then what was in range for GZ is out of range for GZ.

I do believe the Cowboys coaches were expecting the Chargers to take a timeout, hence no other playcall came in for the offense to run after that last run, but since the Chargers didn't call a TO, I think it played out perfectly.

Why, you might ask?

1. It was not a FG that if you missed you lost.
   
2. But we also made sure that if GZ did miss, LAC could not use their left over TO to try and attempt a last minute Hail Mary.

I get it, no one wanted to go into Overtime in that game, but at the same time, I'm thinking the end of the game clock management issue is being COMPLETELY overblown.

Fact of the matter is, last week we complained about giving TB too much time to make a last minute comeback.

This week Big Mike DID NOT make that mistake .... yet some people, to include the local Dallas media, is dang near calling for MM's head.

I just don't get it, but then again, you are more than welcome to try and change my mind.

Then you have issues.