spacecrime
Veteran Starter w/Big Long Term Deal
- Joined
- Sep 13, 2004
- Messages
- 8,325
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In all the talk about the how's and why's the Chargers blew a game they were supposed to win, why is McCree's major blunder being ignored?
It was fourth down. Waiting for the snap, every SD player on the field should be aware that they get the ball if the Pats don't convert.
Had McCree knocked the ball down, SD gets the ball at the LOS with an 11 point lead and four minutes to play.
He caught the ball (bad) and tried to run with it (worse). Even had he made the blunder of catching the ball, had he dropped to the ground, it would the SD's ball. McCree would get "credit" for an INT at the expense of costing his team yards (because they would get the ball where he intercepted not at the original LOS).
But yardage wasn't the problem. The Chargers had the lead. Possession was important.
I'm sure people will say that it is instinctive to intercept a ball, and try to score with it, even when situaltional football says knock it down is the way to go.
Sure, every player wants stats. Sure it's instinctive.
But smart players do the smart thing (knock down the ball to guarantee possession) and team players do not try to advance the ball when the team is better served falling on it.
I think the Patriots owe McCree a big thank you, though I suppose that would be classless. I do wonder why no analyst mentions McCree's blunder.
It was fourth down. Waiting for the snap, every SD player on the field should be aware that they get the ball if the Pats don't convert.
Had McCree knocked the ball down, SD gets the ball at the LOS with an 11 point lead and four minutes to play.
He caught the ball (bad) and tried to run with it (worse). Even had he made the blunder of catching the ball, had he dropped to the ground, it would the SD's ball. McCree would get "credit" for an INT at the expense of costing his team yards (because they would get the ball where he intercepted not at the original LOS).
But yardage wasn't the problem. The Chargers had the lead. Possession was important.
I'm sure people will say that it is instinctive to intercept a ball, and try to score with it, even when situaltional football says knock it down is the way to go.
Sure, every player wants stats. Sure it's instinctive.
But smart players do the smart thing (knock down the ball to guarantee possession) and team players do not try to advance the ball when the team is better served falling on it.
I think the Patriots owe McCree a big thank you, though I suppose that would be classless. I do wonder why no analyst mentions McCree's blunder.