Boneheaded Fake Field Goal

[Northern_Blitz]

Now we got the Bears next; our schedule as of late is the best thing going for us. Playing these banged up teams is really fortunate. I’ll take it.

If we can win the next two (Bears, Lions; bot at home), then we'll be in a much better position to try to get into the playoffs...and maybe even compete for the division if we can do well in our 4 remaining division games.

[feltdizz]

No, it is like hitting on 19 against a 5. Even if you hit a 2 it was a stupid call that just happened to work out. That was a bad time to call that play.

while I agree it was a bad call I think Boz getting injured is what makes it truly bad.

a fake FG before halftime of a 3-3 game isn’t the worst call ever. Especially with the way our D was playing.

it reminds me of the times we had a #1 defense and kept going for it at the GL on 4th down.

[Steel Maniac]

If we can win the next two (Bears, Lions; bot at home), then we'll be in a much better position to try to get into the playoffs...and maybe even compete for the division if we can do well in our 4 remaining division games.

I think we can position ourselves well with wins over the bears and lions. Then the games with the Bengals and Ravens will be the deciding factors.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

while I agree it was a bad call I think Boz getting injured is what makes it truly bad.

a fake FG before halftime of a 3-3 game isn’t the worst call ever. Especially with the way our D was playing.

it reminds me of the times we had a #1 defense and kept going for it at the GL on 4th down.

Yes, the injury made it much worse, especially if it is a long term injury. But without the benefit of hindsight I still would have not made that call.

You have a low scoring game in which points are precious. You got outplayed in the first Q, and outplayed the opponent in the second. You have the opportunity to give your team the lead going into halftime. You take it. Is there a time to reach into your bag of tricks and run that fake? Absolutely, but that was not the time.

[Moonie]

Yes, the injury made it much worse, especially if it is a long term injury. But without the benefit of hindsight I still would have not made that call.

You have a low scoring game in which points are precious. You got outplayed in the first Q, and outplayed the opponent in the second. You have the opportunity to give your team the lead going into halftime. You take it. Is there a time to reach into your bag of tricks and run that fake? Absolutely, but that was not the time.

When is the time to fake a field goal? I'm seriously asking. It sounds like you are saying it should only be tried (1) when you are ahead and (2) in the second half.

Other posters, like the OP, seem to have absolutely no idea when a field goal should be tried, rendering their opinions on yesterday's fake field goal unsupportable and frivolous even if correct (stopped clock phenomena).

[Northern_Blitz]

No, it is like hitting on 19 against a 5. Even if you hit a 2 it was a stupid call that just happened to work out. That was a bad time to call that play.

This is how I look at it too.

I get that some coaching decisions are about gut feel, but sometimes the math is just bad.

I think fake punts are probably a much better gamble than fake FGs (provided you aren't backed up too far in your own end). Because then the baseline option isn't "high change of getting points".

[Northern_Blitz]

I think we can position ourselves well with wins over the bears and lions. Then the games with the Bengals and Ravens will be the deciding factors.

Yep.

Our current win streak makes it so the next 4 games are really important.

Hopefully we can keep playing well on D and the O can get better (hopefully much better) at scoring.

Right now we're 7th last in scoring @ 18.9 ppg.

It's a big jump, but if we could be around middle of the league @ something like 24 ppg for the rest of the year, we could become a pretty good team.

[Oviedo]

I think we can position ourselves well with wins over the bears and lions. Then the games with the Bengals and Ravens will be the deciding factors.

If we can take 3 out of the next 4 then we will be positioning ourselves well. We'll be 7-4 with six games left. If we split the last six we have 10 wins and likely in the play offs

[feltdizz]

If we can take 3 out of the next 4 then we will be positioning ourselves well. We'll be 7-4 with six games left. If we split the last six we have 10 wins and likely in the play offs

I need 11 wins for $1,000.

I have a good friend who is well off, pessimistic and is far more critical of Ben than I am.

He felt real confident when we were 1-3 and threw it out there for no reason. Haven’t heard a word from him these last 3 games in our game threads.

[steeler_fan_in_t.o.]

When is the time to fake a field goal? I'm seriously asking. It sounds like you are saying it should only be tried (1) when you are ahead and (2) in the second half.

Other posters, like the OP, seem to have absolutely no idea when a field goal should be tried, rendering their opinions on yesterday's fake field goal unsupportable and frivolous even if correct (stopped clock phenomena).

I don't know that I can pinpoint the right time to call it, but I can pinpoint the wrong time. This was the wrong time.

In a game like this one where points were so close to come by, take them when you can.

[Eich]

When is the time to fake a field goal? I'm seriously asking. It sounds like you are saying it should only be tried (1) when you are ahead and (2) in the second half.

Other posters, like the OP, seem to have absolutely no idea when a field goal should be tried, rendering their opinions on yesterday's fake field goal unsupportable and frivolous even if correct (stopped clock phenomena).

How about when it's not 4th and 9 near the goalline?!! That seems like the most difficult time to try it, when you pretty much have to score a TD or nothing. That's a situation that tough for a veteran QB. For a kicker, you have to hope someone is left wide-open. And maybe Tomline and Company saw something on tape that lead them to believe that someone would be wide open. But again, 4th and 9 near the goallline seems like the most difficult possible situation to try it in.

How about when the game looks like it's going to be a score-fest and you can't afford to score only 3 on a particular drive?

4th and 3 from the 40 seems like a lot more do-able situation. And again, why do it in a close and so far, low-scoring game?

[feltdizz]

How about when it's not 4th and 9 near the goalline?!! That seems like the most difficult time to try it, when you pretty much have to score a TD or nothing. That's a situation that tough for a veteran QB. For a kicker, you have to hope someone is left wide-open. And maybe Tomline and Company saw something on tape that lead them to believe that someone would be wide open. But again, 4th and 9 near the goallline seems like the most difficult possible situation to try it in.

How about when the game looks like it's going to be a score-fest and you can't afford to score only 3 on a particular drive?

4th and 3 from the 40 seems like a lot more do-able situation. And again, why do it in a close and so far, low-scoring game?

my theory is Tomlin thought because points are hard to come by it was a chance to get a trick 6.

Boz can hit FG’s from 50 yards and in and this was a shot at 7 points.

Ionno, I didnt like the call but it also sounds like people thought we may never get this close again for a FG try like Boz is only reliable at the 10 yard line.

so while I didnt like it, I think the theory is FG’s are much easier to come by than TD’s so lets take a shot.

[hawaiiansteel]

my theory is Tomlin thought because points are hard to come by it was a chance to get a trick 6.

Boz can hit FG’s from 50 yards and in and this was a shot at 7 points.

Ionno, I didnt like the call but it also sounds like people thought we may never get this close again for a FG try like Boz is only reliable at the 10 yard line.

so while I didnt like it, I think the theory is FG’s are much easier to come by than TD’s so lets take a shot.

it was a bad call, Tomlin admitted so himself.

however, I still believe had it worked we would have been reading about how it was gutsy.

[NorthCoast]

How about when it's not 4th and 9 near the goalline?!! That seems like the most difficult time to try it, when you pretty much have to score a TD or nothing. That's a situation that tough for a veteran QB. For a kicker, you have to hope someone is left wide-open. And maybe Tomline and Company saw something on tape that lead them to believe that someone would be wide open. But again, 4th and 9 near the goallline seems like the most difficult possible situation to try it in.

How about when the game looks like it's going to be a score-fest and you can't afford to score only 3 on a particular drive?

4th and 3 from the 40 seems like a lot more do-able situation. And again, why do it in a close and so far, low-scoring game?

Rewind; 2018 game against DEN. Steelers behind 10-3 just before half time on the 2 yd line. Bos fakes the FG and throws a TD to AV to tie the game.

[feltdizz]

Rewind; 2018 game against DEN. Steelers behind 10-3 just before half time on the 2 yd line. Bos fakes the FG and throws a TD to AV to tie the game.

honestly, the only time to do it is when it works.

any other time is the wrong time because you should “take the points”