On the 4th down calls

[blueblood70]

That is in spite of him, not because of him.

B S !

 

[Titleist]

What really bothers me are the 4th and short plays where we try to draw the defense offside but end up with a false start. Especially when it's the center who fidgets. Biadasz has one freaking job there - hold your ground on the hard count - and still manages to wiggle.

 

[Jarntt]

And yet we're 5-1.

Instead of 6-0...

 

[Dallasfann]

How can you say you’d go every day of the week with a straight face when the previous two times we didn’t make it? Seems disingenuous or oblivious.

Hell that would make me go for it 2 times a day every single day a week. Law of averages are heavily in my favor there. Makes my decision even easier.

 

[Runwildboys]

Instead of 6-0...

True, anyone who can't beat TB and the SB champs in their first game as a team sucks.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

So there were I think four fourth down calls that could have gone either way, and of course many fans killing McCarthy over the decisions, but wondering how would people have gone under the circumstances.

I would not have gone on the first possession.

I would have gone on fourth and goal

I would not have gone on the missed fg with a few mins left

I would not have gone on the tying fg

Yeah, I know he tends to get killed on these decisions, and yeah, he is absolutely a maverick. But I agree on 3 of 4 of the decisions. What about others?

actually, if he was going to be aggressive, I would have gone for it on first possession. early in the game, first possession. even if you don't make it, you have plenty of time and you know your offense is going to put some points on the board. and be able to drive on this defense. so challenge the team. and show that you will not back down and will do anything to win.

I would have gone on fourth and goal. they are pinned back there. fumble and turnover not withstanding....

I wouldn't have gone on missed field goal. yes, correct call. kick field goal.
I wouldn't have gone on tying field goal. yes, correct call, kick field goal.

I kind of agree on all decisions...(clock management not withstanding)

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Well, let me put it this way: Do you think we'd be 5-1 with Garrett?

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

Two things. Garret had several winning seasons, including winning 13 games (not sure laundry ever did that and don’t think jimmy did either). So yeah, garret could do 5-1.

Second, the Hc coach get is the head coach so he gets the umtimate credit for wins and losses. After all, they go on his record right? They don’t go in the coordinator record.

well, do you think garrett could have pulled out the game yesterday? probably not.

 

[droopdog7]

well, do you think garrett could have pulled out the game yesterday? probably not.

I'm betting that he pulled out many of these games during his winning seasons. Often, that is the difference between being a 13 win team vs a 9 win team.

 

[fivetwos]

So there were I think four fourth down calls that could have gone either way, and of course many fans killing McCarthy over the decisions, but wondering how would people have gone under the circumstances.

I would not have gone on the first possession.

I would have gone on fourth and goal

I would not have gone on the missed fg with a few mins left

I would not have gone on the tying fg

Yeah, I know he tends to get killed on these decisions, and yeah, he is absolutely a maverick. But I agree on 3 of 4 of the decisions. What about others?

Not sure if someone pointed it out....I didn't scroll through all posts....but he also went for it down 14-7 late first quarter in his own end.

Play was stuffed but Elliott bounced it outside.

 

[RonnieT24]

Not sure if someone pointed it out....I didn't scroll through all posts....but he also went for it down 14-7 late first quarter in his own end.

Play was stuffed but Elliott bounced it outside.

Yeah that one and the ones we threw it on all worked if I'm not mistaken. It makes sense because we lost the interior line of scrimmage most of the day so I didn't expect us to convert running up the middle.

 

[charron]

I'd prefer not to go for it inside your own 40 so early in the game but if you do i can live with it. But not going for it late in the game for the win, that is an absolute must. you can not be scarred here.

 

[Established1971]

So there were I think four fourth down calls that could have gone either way, and of course many fans killing McCarthy over the decisions, but wondering how would people have gone under the circumstances.

I would not have gone on the first possession.

I would have gone on fourth and goal

I would not have gone on the missed fg with a few mins left

I would not have gone on the tying fg

Yeah, I know he tends to get killed on these decisions, and yeah, he is absolutely a maverick. But I agree on 3 of 4 of the decisions. What about others?

agree on all your choices. The "go-for-it" and "play to win" or "not play to lose" crowd are very vocal these last few years. I think if we had scored first in this game that we would have won by 2 td's. So handing 7 points to NE in Q1 to me was just dumb. Some may call that conservative or old-school, I call it wise and this game backs me up

 

[fivetwos]

Yeah that one and the ones we threw it on all worked if I'm not mistaken. It makes sense because we lost the interior line of scrimmage most of the day so I didn't expect us to convert running up the middle.

You're right about the inside.

For all the Biadasz banter around here last week, he didn't have his one bad snap, but this was the one time he didn't win regularly in the run game IMO.

I still have to rewatch though.

Good call.

 

[fivetwos]

Good post.I go every time there.
I go every time there.
I absolutely would have gone there. The chance at a 2 point lead with a lot of time left isn't worth passing up the chance to get the 1st and basically put the game away.
You have to kick the FG there.

So, like you, I agree with MM on three of four, just not the same three.

You swayed me in your direction on this when we went back and forth on it two weeks ago, but on your own 30 on the first drive of the game?

It didn't work.

Then again in the 1Q in their own territory, albeit much closer to the 50, stuffed again, and last years Zeke doesn't make that play.

Sure, they won....but why hand a team things when they arent as good as you?

He seems to want to be agressive and that's fine, but now he is going to unnecessary lengths, and risk/reward is going to catch up to him.

Even the chart you posted didn't have any data for when you're inside you're own 40.

It's only a good move within desperation mode, and never is on the first drive of a game.

 

[droopdog7]

Not sure if someone pointed it out....I didn't scroll through all posts....but he also went for it down 14-7 late first quarter in his own end.

Play was stuffed but Elliott bounced it outside.

Thanks; yeah, I knew I missed one but couldn't remember them all.

 

[Doomsdayblitz]

A lot of guys here like to play revisionists and criticize risks when they don’t play off.

I, for one, love how aggressive McCarthy has been. It’s such a refreshing change from prior coaching staffs, who were either way too conservative or weren’t competent enough to know when to take chances.

Some calls might not pay off and I may scratch my head sometimes, but McCarthy is playing to win the games. That’s all I can ask for

If you agree that he should have gone for it on 4th & 1 from his own 34, you're as dumb as he is. A HC is there to put his players in the best position to win. Unless you have the '85 Bears, or the 70s Steelers, then you punt the ball. He put his defense in a bad position, & it cost the team. Period.

 

[jwooten15]

If you agree that he should have gone for it on 4th & 1 from his own 34, you're as dumb as he is. A HC is there to put his players in the best position to win. Unless you have the '85 Bears, or the 70s Steelers, then you punt the ball. He put his defense in a bad position, & it cost the team. Period.

That “period.” really proved your argument there. Good job. Call it dumb all you want, but that’s the way the NFL works these days.

And these coaches might not be so “dumb”, considering they’re making millions, leading billion dollar franchises while you’re sitting on your couch criticizing them. But yeah, couch warrior knows better.

 

[Doomsday101]

funny people saying they would have gone for it on any particular play and had the team fails to convert people would be questioning you as well.

 

[LovinItAll]

To me, it is 4th and a yard. Everyone on the defense is stacked in the box ready to break heads for the run. Why not slip the TE out for a quick 5 yards? Every team does this, lines up head to head on 4th and short, like our line can get a yard against your line. With a running back like Zeke, the opponents are stacked like Pam Grier with a shotgun. I would line up like it is smash mouth time, then slip the TE out for a quick toss. Simple.

Except that there's a DB on the TEs hip if the TE moves off the line, then you have a 6 man rush and no receivers.