Bad Decision

[denverpatsfan]

Howdy,

I agree with the premise of this thread. The play call should have been to get the 1st down in that situation. That's what I was thinking as the play took place. This has been happening frequently in the last several games. I don't know if it's just aggressive play calling or the drive to get Moss the ball in order to set the records.

 

[patsox23]

Howdy,

I agree with the premise of this thread. The play call should have been to get the 1st down in that situation. That's what I was thinking as the play took place. This has been happening frequently in the last several games. I don't know if it's just aggressive play calling or the drive to get Moss the ball in order to set the records.

I think it's that when Randy Moss is being covered by a LINEBACKER with late safety help, YOU THROW HIM THE BALL.

 

[Lampshade]

I think it's that when Randy Moss is being covered by a LINEBACKER with late safety help, YOU THROW HIM THE BALL.

I agree. Anytime an offense stops taking their shots downfield on 3rd down, and instead concentrates solely on picking up just enough for a first down, they become a very predictable offense.

 

[RhodyPatriot]

not only did we WIN, but brady GOT THE RECORDS! what the hell are you complaining about? yeah so he tried to force it to get the records. whats the matter with that if he succeeds? WRONG REASONS? get your head out of your hole and appreciate what brady did instead of *****in about how he did it.

If you'll notice the original comments were made at HALFTIME after Brady, who should know better, kills a drive deep in Giant territory late in the 1st half because he tried to force the ball to a double covered Moss instead of looking underneath for a 1st down, keeping the ball in Pats possession and keeping the clock moving to halftime. Instead the drive is killed, we settle for 3, give the Giants the ball back with 2 + minutes and they march downfield and score a TD. It was bad game management by Brady pure and simple and it was motivated by pursuit of these damn passing records. Don't think it was an accident that McDaniels had Maroney running the ball for 2 redzone TD's in the second half. Think he was afraid of Brady forcing the ball to Moss and blowing more scoring chances as he'd done earlier that game and the prior week against the Dolphins. Love Brady, he's the best in the game but he's been forcing things with Moss which have hurt the team at times. Fortunately not enough to lose them a game but making poor decisions nonetheless. With these records done with I'm hoping Brady will stop forcing things and simply look for the open receiver. Gods knows we have enough of them.

 

[bbabin]

All I can think of when I hear complaints about this are all the times that Moss was double or triple covered and was thrown the ball... And then proceeded to come down with the catch and score one of his 23 touchdowns.

Why aren't people complaining about that!? I know the answer to that question but it must be asked. When you have Randy F'n Moss you throw him the ball even when he's blanketed by single coverage. The percentages are in your favor. He usually comes up with it. Every play in the NFL is a risk, and any throw to any player can result in a drive-killing incompletion.

 

[Deus Irae]

All I can think of when I hear complaints about this are all the times that Moss was double or triple covered and was thrown the ball... And then proceeded to come down with the catch and score one of his 23 touchdowns.

Why aren't people complaining about that!? I know the answer to that question but it must be asked. When you have Randy F'n Moss you throw him the ball even when he's blanketed by single coverage. The percentages are in your favor. He usually comes up with it. Every play in the NFL is a risk, and any throw to any player can result in a drive-killing incompletion.

You have to understand what you're witnessing. This team is so good that any tiny flaw is looked at by some of the fans as a disaster of Vesuvian proportions. They don't understand that perfection is not actually attainable for human beings and so they cry the very moment something less than stellar happens to the Patriots. Heck, there were people complaining during the very first drive of the game last night.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

All I can think of when I hear complaints about this are all the times that Moss was double or triple covered and was thrown the ball... And then proceeded to come down with the catch and score one of his 23 touchdowns.

I'm just not making my point.

I think it's a poor decision to throw into the end zone even with a good percentage chance of making the play.

As for the comment a bit above about defenses t-ing off on you when you play for first downs and not downfield, I'm not sure what this has to do with the highly specialized situation I'm talking about.

All I'm saying is that the benefits of going for the first down, if it's available, are far greater than going for the TD. If it's 3d and 8, or your opponent is out of timeouts or something, it's a different calculus.

The possible benefits of going for a TD there: One chance at making seven points.

The downsides: You have to try the field goal (with attendant risk of missing or block) and you give your opponent the ball back with plenty of time to score.

The possible benefits of going for the first down: 3 more chances to score a TD if you convert, plus you wind down the clock more or make your opponent use time outs that hurt their drives. Or more chances to draw a penalty and get even more chances to score a TD.

The downsides: None. It's easier to convert a 3d and 4 than make an 18 yard touchdown on a short field. If you don't make it, you kick the same field goal. The major downsides really are if you MAKE the first down, you have added plays to make a turnover that takes 3 points off the board. But at least then you've taken time off the clock. There is also a chance of lengthening the field goal by taking, for example, a sack or holding penalty.

Even if you think the TD pass had a higher percentage chance of working than picking up 4 yards, I still think the higher percentage play for the overall goal is to go for the first down.

I posted this thread during the game merely to express this observation. Isn't that what message boards are for? It wasn't an overly pessimistic thread. It wasn't critical of players trying to get records. It was just trying to spin out the statistics of football decisionmaking during the game.

 

[PatsSteve1]

We had 3d and 4 on the 16. If we get the first down, we either score a TD or run down the clock. Brady throws into double coverage in the end zone, albeit a mismatch, and we kick the field goal and leave 2:00 on the clock.

I can't believe we don't have a play that can get 4 yards.

It's hard to really know what Brady see's on a play. Moss said on his TD bomb, the play was actually supposed to go to welker for the 1st down. But the Gints had it covered so well it's what helped get him open deep. I'm not saying it hasn't appeared he's tried to force balls to Moss at times, but watching on TV it's usually impossible to see what he may be seeing.