Why Kick it Deep??!

[Flasteel]

I'm not a Tomlin hater, but I thought his decision to kick it deep inside two minutes showed a distinct lack of coaching acumen. You need a 3 and out no matter what, so who cares if it's kicked deep or if they get the ball at our 40 yard line. Even if we give up a FG after said 3 and out, we still have a chance to tie. There is no way we should have handed that ball back to them without giving ourselves a shot at the possession. Throw in how utterly unprepared this defense and team was and I put this loss squarely on the coaching staff. Just another astoundingly pathetic early season effort by the Black and Gold.

[Mr.wizard]

We had 3 timeouts and we need a td, you kick deep because you have to use your 3 timeouts so you want to shorten the field.

[Ernie]

you don't piss around in the red zone at the 4:30 mark... score right at the 2 minute warning... WTF

[feltdizz]

To have a chance to get a 3 and out and the ball at mid field

if we try an onside and don’t get it I doubt they kick a FG.

But it I don’t think an onside kick would’ve been a bad move either.

[Flasteel]

We had 3 timeouts and we need a td, you kick deep because you have to use your 3 timeouts so you want to shorten the field.

That's obvious and if it was on the other side of the 2-minute warning, then I can understand. But if you know you must have a 3 and out to have a legit shot, then it won't matter where on the field that occurs...even if you give them the ball in FG range. Give your offense a chance to get the ball back. Sorry, but I cannot agree with the decision and it makes no logical sense.

[Mr.wizard]

That's obvious and if it was on the other side of the 2-minute warning, then I can understand. But if you know you must have a 3 and out to have a legit shot, then it won't matter where on the field that occurs...even if you give them the ball in FG range. Give your offense a chance to get the ball back. Sorry, but I cannot agree with the decision and it makes no logical sense.

Sure it matters where you get the three and out, it matters where they punt from, the last thing you want is to use all your timeouts and then get pinned inside the 5 with only 1:30 left. Even the announcer said, "you have all 3 timeouts so you kick it deep"

[SidSmythe]

you don't piss around in the red zone at the 4:30 mark... score right at the 2 minute warning... WTF

This is the real issue at hand.
The real issue is the ball should have been kicked off on the other side of the 2 minute warning.

[feltdizz]

you don't piss around in the red zone at the 4:30 mark... score right at the 2 minute warning... WTF

Ben was high a lot in his endzone passes today

[Flasteel]

This is the real issue at hand.
The real issue is the ball should have been kicked off on the other side of the 2 minute warning.

I totally agree with this. However, buy the point the kickoff came around, it was rather moot.

[Flasteel]

You are still missing the point. I agree that being pinned down inside the 5 with no timeouts or even down 8 and getting the ball back via kickoff are not optimal scenarios. However, you are giving your offense a chance to get the ball back with just under 2 minutes left via the onsides kick. You are acting like a recovery is not possible.

What if we would have recovered that kick? If we do, then I say we win that game.

Even if we do not recover, then we must stop them 3 and out no matter what. I'd much rather have the chance for the onsides recovery and begin inside my own 10 or even give up 3 points after 3 downs. The chance at getting the ball back is well worth the risk of losing 30 yards of field position at that point.

What if we stop them on 3 downs after they recover the onsides kick and they wind up punting it into the end zone? What if they try for a long FG and miss? The chance to get the ball back supersedes all of those scenarios.

...and I don't care what the announcer said. WRONG CALL.

[feltdizz]

If we get a 3 and out and get the ball back with 1:20 I think we could’ve won the game too.

[Shoe]

Disagree. Onside is so low percentage these days, it just isn't worth it. I don't know statistics, but I bet there is a higher percentage of a 3 and out then there are recovered onsides (which I'm guessing are near 10%).

[Buzz]

Can't fault the decision to kick it deep at that point. Defense let us down all game long, and at the end, too.

[Steelhere10]

Disagree. Onside is so low percentage these days, it just isn't worth it. I don't know statistics, but I bet there is a higher percentage of a 3 and out then there are recovered onsides (which I'm guessing are near 10%).

So true, Last year was the bad call against Jacksonville. This year was correct. Blame that high-school defense.

[KYPITTFAN]

My thoughts also, coach T needs to go.