Can someone please explain why?

[Mr.wizard]

No it's not.

The Steelers are averaging 1 yd/att rushing on 3rd >4 yds to go this season. That's not putting the game into the hands of your best playmakers by calling a draw play of all things.

Playmakers? Its about clock management, defense should be able to keep them out of the endzone.

[Ernie]

Absolutely Wiz... where did you play your college football at?

[AxnJxn]

That is nuts you are going to drop back and pass from your own end zone when the other team has no timeouts? The fact that you think the defense can get a stop on a team from scoring a td, from midfield, with no timeouts, lets you know exactly where the blame should be placed. If Haley would thrown the ball there and stopped the clock with 1:30 you would be screaming your head off.

No, I wouldn't be "screaming my head off." And this isn't that complicated. We can speculate all we want about what may have happened had they try to pass for the first down there. They did what you wanted them to do. What happened? They lost.

I want a team that plays to win, and puts themselves in the best position to do that at all times. The defense was terrible in the second half. You have more talent on offense, more starters playing, etc., and the offense was playing well in the second half. Heath was having a huge game, so was AB, so was Ben. That's the unit I want to win the game.

I don't like playing not to lose. I prefer an aggressive team that plays to win.

[Mr.wizard]

Absolutely Wiz... where did you play your college football at?

I played high school ball and currently coach.

[Ernie]

Good call Axn.. playing "Not to lose" will get you just that... most of the time.

[Ernie]

Congrats... I played in College and coached HS ball for about 10 years.

[Mr.wizard]

No, I wouldn't be "screaming my head off." And this isn't that complicated. We can speculate all we want about what may have happened had they try to pass for the first down there. They did what you wanted them to do. What happened? They lost.

I want a team that plays to win, and puts themselves in the best position to do that at all times. The defense was terrible in the second half. You have more talent on offense, more starters playing, etc., and the offense was playing well in the second half. Heath was having a huge game, so was AB, so was Ben. That's the unit I want to win the game.

I don't like playing not to lose. I prefer an aggressive team that plays to win.

It doesn't matter who was doing what, you used their timeouts and put them at mid field with no timeouts, all the D had to do was not give up a deep ball.

[Iron City Inc.]

Tampa had 43 pass attempts. We had 1 sack. That inability to get off blocks and get to the qb throughout the game is one major weakness we have to get better at.

[Mr.wizard]

Tampa had 43 pass attempts. We had 1 sack. That inability to get off blocks and get to the qb throughout the game is one major weakness we have to get better at.

Yep and cortez allen might be the worst corner on the planet.

[AxnJxn]

It doesn't matter who was doing what, you used their timeouts and put them at mid field with no timeouts, all the D had to do was not give up a deep ball.

Good call Axn.. playing "Not to lose" will get you just that... most of the time.

We're simply not going to agree on this. TB got the ball at our 46 with 0:40 left, and there were still 0:07 left when they scored. That 0:40 is an eternity in the NFL, even without timeouts. I think you're also not taking to account how different the rules are in the NFL now, and how much of an advantage a passing team has - there are simply more options to get a first down by throwing the ball than running it. At least 3 of your best players are on the offensive side of the ball - Ben, AB, and Le'Veon, and you also have a vet in Lance Moore on that side.

Let's put it this way - do you have more faith in Ben/AB/Le'Veon/Heath or Cortez Allen/Sean Spence/William Gay/Troy to make a play? I know what my choice is. You need one play to win the game. Who do you trust the most? I'm going with Ben.

[Ernie]

Hey... I'm with you Axn.. lol

[AxnJxn]

Hey... I'm with you Axn.. lol

Yeah, sorry - accidentally combined two posts. Heh.

[Mr.wizard]

We're simply not going to agree on this. TB got the ball at our 46 with 0:40 left, and there were still 0:07 left when they scored. That 0:40 is an eternity in the NFL, even without timeouts. I think you're also not taking to account how different the rules are in the NFL now, and how much of an advantage a passing team has - there are simply more options to get a first down by throwing the ball than running it. At least 3 of your best players are on the offensive side of the ball - Ben, AB, and Le'Veon, and you also have a vet in Lance Moore on that side.

Let's put it this way - do you have more faith in Ben/AB/Le'Veon/Heath or Cortez Allen/Sean Spence/William Gay/Troy to make a play? I know what my choice is. You need one play to win the game. Who do you trust the most? I'm going with Ben.

No when you have a team that has to pass down the field in that spot with no timeouts the defense has the advantage. it doesn't matter if your best playmakers are on offense, the risk of stopping the clock with a pass and leaving them with 1:30 is too great, versus leaving them at mid field with no timeouts and 40 seconds. if you can trust your defense to get a stop in that spot it doesnt really matter who your coordinator is, your not winning to many games.

[Ernie]

If you trust your defense to make a stop... you trust them with a timeout and 1:30 left on the clock... or with zero timeouts and :40 on clock...

they've got to man up and make some stops in either scenario.

[Mr.wizard]

If you trust your defense to make a stop... you trust them with a timeout and 1:30 left on the clock... or with zero timeouts and :40 on clock...

they've got to man up and make some stops in either scenario.

which is exactly why they are to blame for that ending. Blaming the offense for the loss for not passing in that spot is ridiculous, an nfl defense should make that stop 9.9 times out of 10.