Niners timeout on their last drive... wrong call?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

The play clock was running down and the Niners avoided a delay of game penalty by calling a timeout. As soon as they called it, I thought immediately that they had just reduced their chances of winning the game.

Had they taken the delay of game penalty, it's 2nd and goal from the 10 yard line. Many players say that there's some advantage to the 10 vs. the 5 because there is more space (especially in this case, since the Niners didn't run the ball.) Just the same, I'm sure statistically it's better to be at the 5 than the 10, but the question is: was that advantage outweighed by the disadvantage of being KO'd if they didn't score? My knee jerk feeling was that it was the wrong call based on the flow of the game.

The TO cost them any chance of getting a realistic chance to win the game in case they didn't score a touchdown. Doing the math, at best they would get the ball back for a hail mary. Had they kept their timeout, they likely would have gotten the ball back with 45-50 seconds. The Ravens wouldn't have taken the safety, so they would have punted in deep territory...good chance the Niners get the ball back in Ravens territory, or at least mid-field, down by 5.

Let me add that I think LOTS of coaches make mistakes by using timeouts in the second half to avoid a delay of game penalty. At the end of these games, 5 yards becomes nothing, while the ability to stop the clock is as important as oxygen.

What do you think?

 

[patriotsdynasty12189]

I think they messed up more without calling the timeout before the 4th down play. Balt was obviously bringing the house they should have lined up, saw what was coming and called a Timeout to call a different play

 

[chris_in_sunnyvale]

Calling the timeout was the right thing. Three straight passes with no Pistol mis-direction is what did them in.

Throughout the game, it seemed to me that the 49ers were very poor in getting their play calls/audibles off in a timely manner. The play clock ran down to 1 or 0 on several snaps and it wasn't intentional. Often they were frantically trying to beat the play clock.

On the 2pt conversion and the 4th down play, Baltimore was showing all-out blitz both times. I'm surprised the 49ers didn't have a WR screen in their playbook for something like that. Pats would have eaten that up.

Regards,
Chris

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Calling the timeout was the right thing. Three straight passes with no Pistol mis-direction is what did them in.

Throughout the game, it seemed to me that the 49ers were very poor in getting their play calls/audibles off in a timely manner. The play clock ran down to 1 or 0 on several snaps and it wasn't intentional. Often they were frantically trying to beat the play clock.

On the 2pt conversion and the 4th down play, Baltimore was showing all-out blitz both times. I'm surprised the 49ers didn't have a WR screen in their playbook for something like that. Pats would have eaten that up.

Regards,
Chris

Perhaps that's the inexperience of a guy making his 10th career start versus a first-ballot HoF QB like Brady who has seen every defense 1000 times.

 

[aluminum seats]

Definitely should not have called the timeout. Timeouts are GOLD at the end of game, and generally undervalued.

 

[brdmaverick]

My knee jerk reaction was also that the timeout was a terrible move, BUT the Niners were already going 'all in' on that series of downs. After all, they let a ton of time tick away just to get to the two minute warning. Also, immediately following the time out they threw a short pass to Crabtree that he dropped. Had he caught it they would have wasted a lot of time there anyway.

It was clear they were playing for THAT possession, and the difference between the 5 yard line and the 10 yard line was huge (especially for the Niners who have multiple run threats).

 

[aluminum seats]

My knee jerk reaction was also that the timeout was a terrible move, BUT the Niners were already going 'all in' on that series of downs. After all, they let a ton of time tick away just to get to the two minute warning. Also, immediately following the time out they threw a short pass to Crabtree that he dropped. Had he caught it they would have wasted a lot of time there anyway.

It was clear they were playing for THAT possession, and the difference between the 5 yard line and the 10 yard line was huge (especially for the Niners who have multiple run threats).

That other stuff just compounded the mistake. A team that's trailing can't start screwing around with the time. They have to be smart enough to know that they might not score.

Of course, what they SHOULD have done is be crisper in their execution and no have to call a timeout in the first place.

 

[Triumph]

Take the delay of game and give yourself 5 more yards to operate in.

TOs are your last chance to get the ball back with a play or two.

 

[Triumph]

On the 2pt conversion and the 4th down play, Baltimore was showing all-out blitz both times. I'm surprised the 49ers didn't have a WR screen in their playbook for something like that. Pats would have eaten that up.

Regards,
Chris

IIRC, the 49ers spread the Ravens out empty backfield.

After the play blew up, I thought that the 49ers also spread their blockers out as well.

 

[dales804]

My initial reaction was that it was a mistake to call it. As has been said, using that timeout gave away another chance at winning should they not get the TD. If they took the penalty, they would have had two downs to get the 10 yards and two timeouts with BAL backed up. Probably would have got the ball back with around 40-45 seconds left.

 

[captain stone]

And to compound the questionable clock management, the play-calling on both 3rd & 4th down
were complete garbage. The bicep-kisser should've kept the ball both times, using the triple-threat
of keeper, pitchout and pass available.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

Yup. Terrible time out. Even if one doesn't agree that the extra space on the field helps, it was a bad call.

That time out was the difference between putting yourself in a must score situation and having two chances to win. Ravens punting from the 5 with 50 seconds left would not have been a terrible situation. I trade 5 yards for 2 chances to win.

The only problem with this analysis is that if you don't call the time out, you must pass. If you run, you undermine yourself by running down the clock anyway.

 

[ausbacker]

The Niners made a lot of bad calls on their last drive. You're telling me that nearly 1,500kgs of linemen couldn't push the ball 7 yards in 4 plays without Haloti Ngata needing to be blocked?

The 49ers deserved to lose that game.

 

[jbb9s]

Definitely should not have called the timeout. Timeouts are GOLD at the end of game, and generally undervalued.

My initial reaction was that it was a mistake to call it. As has been said, using that timeout gave away another chance at winning should they not get the TD. If they took the penalty, they would have had two downs to get the 10 yards and two timeouts with BAL backed up. Probably would have got the ball back with around 40-45 seconds left.

Clearly your positions have merit. However, consider this:

Which is better odds: need a TD and have the ball around your own 30 with 40 seconds left

OR

Call not only the 2nd but also third timeout (before the 4th down play) you have in a series with 1 minutes left to call your all time best plays to get into the endzone to win a super bowl from the 5 yardline. If you fail, you also forfeit your chance at option A above.


I'd go with #2. Give me the ball. A timeout. Call your best damn play. Get it done. Win. A lot easier than 60 yards with 40 seconds.

 

[WhiZa]

They actually snapped the ball before getting a DoG and no flags were thrown. It just so happened that the coached called a timeout just before the ball was snapped.

I do think it was a wrong call either way. There was no chance at a first down so you have to go for the end zone no matter what. I agree giving the WRs more room to run helps them get separation. That and they got the snap off anyway.