Game on the Line: Offense or Defense

[brdmaverick]

First, my apologies if this (or something similar) has already been discussed at length.

So let's rewind to Sunday Night. The Bills with 2:17 left in the fourth quarter and three time outs are lining up for a potential game tying field goal.

My wife says "oh man, PLEEEEAAAASEEE miss it!"

To which I then to say the my group "this might sound crazy, but I actually want him to make this."

Was I rooting against the Past and for the Bills? Absolutely not! Here was my thought process.

If he misses this FG, sure the Pats get the ball back WITH THE LEAD. But they would be in a PROTECT/PLAY IT SAFE mode and likely punt after three runs. Between the timeouts and two minute warning the Bills would get the ball with probably just under 2 minutes. They likely would have the last possession to tie or even win the game.

BUT if he makes it.....well, the game is still only TIED but now the Pats have the ball in the final two minutes and looking for a game winning field goal.....and it palyed out perfectly in the manner.

Watching the NFL these days it just alwasy seems like the last team with the ball (and reasonable amount of time, like 40+ seconds) tends to win the game.

And while i have no statistical support to back this up, I just feel like in a NEED TO SCORE TO WIN scenario where the offense knows they have all four downs to work with, I just feel that offenses have a greater advantage to be successful than the defenses.

Do you guys feel this way to. Would you rather the Pats be up by 1 playing defense at the end of the game or down by 1 with the ball?

To be fair, I honestly felt this way in the Miami game as well in which I WAS DISAPPOINTED when Achane was rule out of bounds on his "touchdown run". With him scoring, I thought that gave us enough time for the Pats to get our own winning field goal. In that case the defense did come up huge and close it out.

 

[n1997y]

Depends on details that weren’t given, most importantly time remaining, followed by field position and game situation. There’s a big difference between defending for the last 25 seconds when the opponent is down by four and has the ball first and ten on their own ten, compared to having your offense in that situation. Or compared to having your offense first and ten on their own forty with two minutes left and a FG to win.

I think Vrabel’s clock management at the end of the first half in Buffalo showed his view of playing defense in closing seconds. He let the clock run down so far it hurt our offense in his effort to make sure there was as little as possible remaining for the Bills. He’s clearly wanting the ball in our hands.

 

[sb1]

Reminds me of the Pats potentially letting Joseph Addai score in that Colts AFCCG and having 75 seconds (?) to drive for a game winning TD. I think they should have done it.

I would think it really depends on your offense and who you're playing. I'm sure someone has to have some analytics out there on it.

 

[mgteich]

TRUST THE DEFENSE
We have one of the best in the NFL, especially in our corners.

 

[Pape]

Tough question

Gotta say Offense. The way one flag on the defense can change the game, its the way to go.

and think about it, if you are in OT, you want the ball don't you?

 

[PatsFanInVa]

Resistable force or Moveable object?

Seriously, both units are very much improved, and I think there's not just a step up in personnel, there's a step up in coaching and culture. But let's not start that. I was going down that path to get to "where we are."

Right now, we've got two good units, but we can't count on either the way we could count on those teams of old. So yeah, good question. But I am excited too in a way.

We can't quite count on them yet... but both are starting to look like groups that we might look back on as deserving of that automatic stamp of approval... it will be interesting if one or the other becomes the hands-down winnner.

This also made me thing. I've seen some Drake and we all just saw the Dreak-out game against the Bills. Because Drake and break-out. But we haven't seen him do that amazing Brady comeback thing, and certainly not the insanely regular Brady comeback thing... like, the other team is winning by 25 and thinking "We're doomed... remember the Falcons..." That will only come with time, but man, if we start seeing that with regularity...

Okay, I've been giddy all week. Damn it feels good to have hope!

This must be why JEST fans believe things like "Mark Sanchez is the messiah."

 

[TheRainMaker]

If it comes down to a TD, I'll take the defense. I still don't trust the offense every time the take the field. They are very erratic. During the Brady days, scoring was automatic.

 

[Ring 6]

I’m not sure I agree with wanting them to make the FG and tie he game, but given the option with 2 minutes left to be up 1 and on defense or down 1 with the ball, I’ll take the ball.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Depends on who they are playing and what the situation is.

 

[BUSTAMOVE]

We are seeing some life out of the Offense
But there are still too many moving parts that need time and might falter when the big play is needed
The Defense is a lot more cohesive with playmakers that I feel will make a big play more consistently

 

[State]

TRUST THE DEFENSE
We have one of the best in the NFL, especially in our corners.

Too many missed tackles though. Got to tackle better. Buffalo was an improvement on that score.

 

[maust]

Gotta say it's great to once again have the type of offense that can even make this a valid question.
It's good to be us... again

 

[Uptown]

Give me Maye. We’ve seen him do it multiple times already in his young career. Remember against Tennessee??

 

[mgteich]

Too many missed tackles though. Got to tackle better. Buffalo was an improvement on that score.

Yup. Those LB have to get much better in tackling those RB's.

 

[brdmaverick]

Isn't it crazy that just like maybe a week or two ago a trendy discussion was how the stats showed last year's team to be on par with this year's team (with maybe last year's team having a slight edge)....which then spurred discussion of "is Vrabel really better than Mayo and is Drake Maye advancing

It seems the past two weeks have ended that sports radio talking point.

 

[NFL Mystique]

Resistable force or Moveable object?

Seriously, both units are very much improved, and I think there's not just a step up in personnel, there's a step up in coaching and culture. But let's not start that. I was going down that path to get to "where we are."

Right now, we've got two good units, but we can't count on either the way we could count on those teams of old. So yeah, good question. But I am excited too in a way.

We can't quite count on them yet... but both are starting to look like groups that we might look back on as deserving of that automatic stamp of approval... it will be interesting if one or the other becomes the hands-down winnner.

This also made me thing. I've seen some Drake and we all just saw the Dreak-out game against the Bills. Because Drake and break-out. But we haven't seen him do that amazing Brady comeback thing, and certainly not the insanely regular Brady comeback thing... like, the other team is winning by 25 and thinking "We're doomed... remember the Falcons..." That will only come with time, but man, if we start seeing that with regularity...

Okay, I've been giddy all week. Damn it feels good to have hope!

This must be why JEST fans believe things like "Mark Sanchez is the messiah."

This is his next challenge.

Having the ball and absolutely needing a TD.

Down by 17 points in the first half. Can he stay composed and play his game. Or, will he get picked trying to throw it all over the yard?

You don't want him to be the next Herbert. Meaning, you look at the stat sheet and say "Great game!!". Then, you watch replays and see him forcing the ball and making mistakes (sacks etc) when trailing and needing to score.

The elite QB's are never out of it. I take Mahomes/Allen over Lamar because of what they do when trailing. They aren't front runners.

 

[n1997y]

The elite QB's are never out of it. I take Mahomes/Allen over Lamar because of what they do when trailing. They aren't front runners.

There are guys who don’t know how to be front runners. Like the baseball relief pitcher that’s a fireman, when put in a game with a comfortable lead he can’t hold it because he only knows how to bear down when pressure is on. That’s not really good either.

It’s okay to be a front runner. Get a lead, build the lead, hold the lead, cruise home. It would be perfectly fine for every game to go like the Carolina game.

 

[NFL Mystique]

There are guys who don’t know how to be front runners. Like the baseball relief pitcher that’s a fireman, when put in a game with a comfortable lead he can’t hold it because he only knows how to bear down when pressure is on. That’s not really good either.

It’s okay to be a front runner. Get a lead, build the lead, hold the lead, cruise home. It would be perfectly fine for every game to go like the Carolina game.

I just meant to be a truly great QB, you need to come from behind. Brady did it countless times.

 

[stinkypete]

I’m not going to question any decision making from the Bills game because we won.

Overall, I’d rather give Maye the chance to prove himself and gut out a game winning drive than trust the defense to stop Josh Allen.