When is it worth burning a timeout to avoid a delay of game penalty?

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Just a general question here. I think teams do it too much, and it often comes back to bite them in the end. Five yards might be worth it once in a while, but not very often.

 

[n1997y]

Most times you’re not punting. Especially if you’re about to kick a long FGA.

 

[Sicilian]

I think it depends on how many timeouts you have, how much time is left in the half, and how you generally feel about your passing offense on that particular day. In a game where the further you have to throw the ball, the more the wind can play havoc, those 5 yards can be really big. It wasn't a delay of game, but think how much different the 3rd/4th down plays at the end of the game felt when they were 14 yards to go (after the false start) rather than 9.

 

[VectorPrime]

Never in the second half unless it’s a convert or lose play, it’s one of the things I find so incredibly annoying about how the game is coached. How many freaking times do you see a QB or coach blow a timeout to avoid the five yard penalty in some 3rd quarter drive that ends up in a punt anyway.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Never in the second half unless it’s a convert or lose play, it’s one of the things I find so incredibly annoying about how the game is coached. How many freaking times do you see a QB or coach blow a timeout to avoid the five yard penalty in some 3rd quarter drive that ends up in a punt anyway.

I remember Arians blew one on a punt. Like, he wasn't going to get a punt off in time, from around midfield, so he used a TO. Lol