Running on a 4th down?

[Djfan]

OK. Don't misunderstand me. I love the win. I wonder about some of the calls, though.

The one that got me was the run on 4th down at the end of the game. We should have kicked it. We ran 4 seconds off the clock, about what we would have run off had we put three more points on the board for us.

No real big deal, but I couldn't understand that call.

[frankthetank1]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

but if they kicked a fg they would still only be up by 7 and then they would be kicking to cribbs. i like the call to go for it, but i would of perfered a low risk pass instead of a run

[Oviedo]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

They ran it to make sure that they didn't risk the blocked kick. If they had gone for the FG and it had been blocked the Browns could have returned it for a TD and then game over we lose. The run made sure they had a long field to try to score a TD.

Tomlin put it on the defense and said I know you will stop these guys.

It was a very smart call.

[Discipline of Steel]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

Plus the Browns would get it at the spot of the kick if Reed misses, another few yards we didnt want them to have.

[Djfan]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

I thought of these, but the only one that made real sense to me was the "Don't kick it to Cribbs" angle. Seems like that one was avoidable with a squib kick though.

No big deal. Just didn't get it.

[Jooser]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

I liked the call as opposed to getting the FG and kicking to Cribbs. But, lest we forget, Cribbs was knocked into dimensions of space time previously unknown by Silverback. So, who knows if he'd even have been able to return another kick. But, I still like the call. After all, it panned out, and Tomlin knew we owned them defensively last night anyway.

[url=http://imageshack.us][/url]

[Oviedo]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

Thinking about it, probably the only better play would have been Ben rolling and then sliding down and waiting for a Stain to touch him. If they would have drilled him it would have been a personal foul and 1st down--game over.

Just a thought. That way you even remove the possibility of a fumbled hand off to Wille.

[RuthlessBurgher]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

Thinking about it, probably the only better play would have been Ben rolling and then sliding down and waiting for a Stain to touch him. If they would have drilled him it would have been a personal foul and 1st down--game over.

Just a thought. That way you even remove the possibility of a fumbled hand off to Wille.

After the failed 3rd and long Ben bootleg in the Jax playoff game, the masses may have revolted if there was a failed 4th and medium Ben bootleg in this game.

[phillyesq]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

I agree with the decision not to kick. Especially with the weather, too much that can go wrong -- miss, block, botched snap (remember, Berger hasn't been holding for the Reid very long), etc.

I actually questioned why they ran at all. I thought it would have made more sense to just kneel down, and not risk a fumble -- either from a hit or botched hand-off.

[Mel Blount's G]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

They ran it to make sure that they didn't risk the blocked kick. If they had gone for the FG and it had been blocked the Browns could have returned it for a TD and then game over we lose. The run made sure they had a long field to try to score a TD.

Tomlin put it on the defense and said I know you will stop these guys.

It was a very smart call.

Completely agree. It left the stains w/ 30 seconds to go 70-some yards to get a td with no way to stop the clock except for getting out of bounds, spiking the ball or a steeler penalty. There was no way I wanted to leave that 4th down to the fate of our special teams. I thought the coaches made to correct call there.


Actually, here's what I thought should have been done at the time:

Have ben line up in an exaggerated shotgun, as if we were threatening to go for it. Then have him "pooch-punt" it about 15-20 yards. Cribbs would not have been back there for it and we could have let the ball bounce around before downing it (killing yet more clock) or smacked-down the foolish stain db that attempted to field it. However, I doubt they've practiced this much if at all and that play could have been subject to some terrible misfortune

[Starlifter]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

it was absolutely the right call. a FG would have been great, but in that weather it could have been a disaster. even if we had made the FG a kickoff to cribbs could have resulted in the browns being past midfield with the opportunity for a hail mary. having your opponent need 78 yards in 26 seconds, a TD and with no timeouts, sounds like it carries around a 98% success rate.

[Iron Shiek]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

it was absolutely the right call. a FG would have been great, but in that weather it could have been a disaster. even if we had made the FG a kickoff to cribbs could have resulted in the browns being past midfield with the opportunity for a hail mary. having your opponent need 78 yards in 26 seconds, a TD and with no timeouts, sounds like it carries around a 98% success rate.

Starlifter, you fail to factor in that Derek ("What time is it?") Anderson wastes about 10 seconds a play determining whether to call timeout and doesn't seem to be able to think on the run at all. So that 98% with an additional 1.99% points for the "Stains factor" and you've got virtually no shot at scoring a TD. I'm certain that is what went through Tomlin's brain at the time of the decision.

[Starlifter]

Re: Running on a 4th down?

You're right Shiek, it's 98% success against normal teams. I forgot to handicap the percentages for the stains. 100% is more like it..

btw, I LOVED this article from cleveland. Here's an excerpt with the link below:

"Except expecting the Browns to do something against the Steelers when it's necessary and matters is like asking pigs to fly with lipstick on.

Because when the Steelers need a play against the Browns, they get it. Hines Ward drops a touchdown. On the next play, he catches one. The Steelers need to run out the clock, Ben Roethlisberger completes a pass for a key first down.

When the Browns need a play, they throw an interception. Or they commit two penalties on the Steelers' touchdown drive. Or they let the Steelers keep the ball until 26 seconds are left in the game.

All that happened Sunday night.

Maybe that makes the decision about the field goal irrelevant. Because it just does not seem to matter.

But had the Browns done the right thing at the end of the first half, the second field goal would have made the score 10-9. At that point, the crowd is going nuts instead of grumbling about a decision that was easy to question. If it's 10-9, the Browns have momentum and all they need is a field goal to win.

But that's all based on ifs.

The reality is this: No matter what is done, where it's played or what the weather, the Steelers will beat the Browns."

link:
[url="http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/28386349.html"]http://www.ohio.com/sports/browns/28386349.html[/url]

too good..........now where's cockface when we need him???