Bill O'Brien and Clock Management

[MagicMarker]

Bill O'Brien and Clock Management

Bill O'Brien apologized for poor clock management. He should have called time out at 12 seconds rather than letting the clock run down to 3 seconds.

He's right...Does he not understand that wasn't the only time he screwed up??? He wasted a time out on a challenge that if he had won the Patriots would have punted from their own 46 yard line instead of the Houston 38.

If Houston had two timeouts at 23 seconds, the game might looked a lot different. PLUS, they were losing 28-27 at the time. That was a wasted timeout.

 

[PatsWSB47]

Yep. Was scratching my head when he challenged. What was he trying to accomplish?

 

[Ring 6]

Bill O'Brien apologized for poor clock management. He should have called time out at 12 seconds rather than letting the clock run down to 3 seconds.

He's right...Does he not understand that wasn't the only time he screwed up??? He wasted a time out on a challenge that if he had won the Patriots would have punted from their own 46 yard line instead of the Houston 38.

If Houston had two timeouts at 23 seconds, the game might looked a lot different. PLUS, they were losing 28-27 at the time. That was a wasted timeout.

He probably figured the patriots would kick a FG or go for it. He has to take those possibilities into consideration.
He doesn't get to make the decision in hindsight.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

Spelled Andy Reid wrong


But yeah I was sitting there going...the ****

 

[RobertWeathers]

Bill O'Brien and Clock Management

Bill O'Brien apologized for poor clock management. He should have called time out at 12 seconds rather than letting the clock run down to 3 seconds.

He's right...Does he not understand that wasn't the only time he screwed up??? He wasted a time out on a challenge that if he had won the Patriots would have punted from their own 46 yard line instead of the Houston 38.

If Houston had two timeouts at 23 seconds, the game might looked a lot different. PLUS, they were losing 28-27 at the time. That was a wasted timeout.

Yeah he messed up.

 

[Joey007]

The play by play guys blamed it on Watson, but honestly what was BOB thinking as the clock was running?

 

[ScottishPatriots]

Bill O'Brien isn't a good coach he's far too quick to give up on a quarterback and his clock management is brutal, the fact he started Tom Savage in week 1 and let him take number one snaps all during camp and pre season only to pull him after a half shows he was wasting time getting Watson ready and he has no idea what he's doing.

The fact he needed a yard on the road to beat the Patriots and didn't go for it and let Brady have the ball also showed he has no stones.

 

[Nehalem]

Bill O'Brien isn't a good coach he's far too quick to give up on a quarterback and his clock management is brutal, the fact he started Tom Savage in week 1 and let him take number one snaps all during camp and pre season only to pull him after a half shows he was wasting time getting Watson ready and he has no idea what he's doing.

The fact he needed a yard on the road to beat the Patriots and didn't go for it and let Brady have the ball also showed he has no stones.

He pulled the same week 1 QB switcheroo with Mallet and Hoyer too.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Bill O'Brien and Clock Management

Bill O'Brien apologized for poor clock management. He should have called time out at 12 seconds rather than letting the clock run down to 3 seconds.

He's right...Does he not understand that wasn't the only time he screwed up??? He wasted a time out on a challenge that if he had won the Patriots would have punted from their own 46 yard line instead of the Houston 38.

If Houston had two timeouts at 23 seconds, the game might looked a lot different. PLUS, they were losing 28-27 at the time. That was a wasted timeout.

He got what in golf is called the 'yips'.

 

[EddardSnow67]

I agree on all points, but the failure to call timeout at the end of the game is the least defensible. The other decisions could at least be explained to some extent - context plays a part, of course - but with about 12-15 seconds left after the first down and only another 15 yards or so left to get into field goal range, how can you let the clock run down to three seconds with a timeout left?

The only explanation I can think of is that he forgot he had a timeout remaining. Otherwise, there's just no logical way to justify not using it. With 15 seconds left or so, you have at least one more play before or either taking a shot at the end zone or line up for a field goal. With 3 seconds left, you obviously just have to try a Hail Mary.

 

[marian]

Yep. Was scratching my head when he challenged. What was he trying to accomplish?

He thought we trust Ghost enough to attempt a fielg goal there. Obviously not even this fan base expects Ghost to make such kicks anymore

 

[DarrylS]

As Pats Fans we are conditioned to great clock management, one of the details this franchise pays attention to, that when we see another team completely f.. it up, we immediately notice it.

We have seen other teams look lost in the last seconds of a game.. Houston was just the latest example.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

I thought the bigger mistake was not going for it on 4th and 1.

I get why he did it. He's a ****ing coward.

But you want to turn the ball back over to the GOAT in his house with all his timeouts and plenty of time on the clock late in the 4th quarter? Be my guest.

As Herm would say:

 

[Triumph]

Houston began the final drive @ 23 seconds. You can run 4 plays and definitely 3 plays in that time frame. The Texans used 20 seconds on 1 play!!! All they had to do was get in FG range to send it in OT.

NFL Play By Play - Texans v Patriots | NBCSports

 

[FreeTedWilliams]

I thought the bigger mistake was not going for it on 4th and 1.

I get why he did it. He's a ****ing coward.

But you want to turn the ball back over to the GOAT in his house with all his timeouts and plenty of time on the clock late in the 4th quarter? Be my guest.

As Herm would say:

I have to "respectfully" disagree here. The score was 30-28 at the time, you kick a Field Goal, you go up by 5 with 2:28 left. Sure a TD salts the game away, but they have a great defense, the FG there put them up by more than a FG. That's a no brainer call for BOB there.

Love the Herm reference.

 

[Kontradiction]

The worst mistake they made was taking the field goal instead of going for the win. I immediately said in the game thread that the Pats just won the game. The defense had their hands on their hips and looked whipped. I don't think they were capable of another stop on 4th and 1. As it stands? They took the field goal and the GOAT did what the GOAT does best: win the game.

 

[BlacknGold77]

He probably figured the patriots would kick a FG or go for it. He has to take those possibilities into consideration.
He doesn't get to make the decision in hindsight.

also, to be fair that's a huge difference in field position and punt type at that point in the game.

From the 38 the Pats can pooch punt and guarantee their coverage is there before the ball and pin Houston deep.

From their own 46 they need to hit a full punt giving Houston a better chance at a touchback or having a long return.

 

[Love The Drake]

I was dreading a QB sneak or a Foreman run up the middle.

The worst mistake they made was taking the field goal instead of going for the win. I immediately said in the game thread that the Pats just won the game. The defense had their hands on their hips and looked whipped. I don't think they were capable of another stop on 4th and 1. As it stands? They took the field goal and the GOAT did what the GOAT does best: win the game.

 

[PatsDeb]

Bill O'Brien and Clock Management

Bill O'Brien apologized for poor clock management. He should have called time out at 12 seconds rather than letting the clock run down to 3 seconds.

He's right...Does he not understand that wasn't the only time he screwed up??? He wasted a time out on a challenge that if he had won the Patriots would have punted from their own 46 yard line instead of the Houston 38.

If Houston had two timeouts at 23 seconds, the game might looked a lot different. PLUS, they were losing 28-27 at the time. That was a wasted timeout.

Totally agree. We were laughing at the stadium when they did that challenge. WTF? To change the spot of a sure 4th down punt in a close game? And frankly, it was better to leave the ball where it was, as it was so short a punt, you were more likely to have it bounce into the end zone for a touchback from the 38 (which is exactly what happened when they lost the challenge). It was clear on the replay too that Brady's hip was not on the ground when he threw it to Gronk. We said thanks for giving us your TO at the time. And, he did not miss calling a time out at 12 seconds. There were 19 seconds on the clock when he made that bone-headed move (letting the clock run down to 2 seconds - the refs gave him one second back). Thanks for reverting to form B OB (as so many coaches do) when the game is on the line and coaches' decisions matter just as much as players'.

 

[Two Eight]

That challenge was ridiculous. Not sure how the clock ran down so far at the end, you could clearly see Watson signaling for a time out at 8 seconds, maybe even before that, that's just what you could see on TV.