SF Players Didn't Know The Overtime Rules. WOW!

[Clonamery]

Does anyone really believe the 9'ers players did not know the OT rules??
Fred Warner has played in 100+ games for that team, he didn't know??
If not Kyle Shanahan and his crew deserve all the criticism they get..
This whole "did not know the rules" is spin and BS...

They've changed the OT rules a lot lately. I can see a player going to what he knows based on rules last played under. POE are something Coach & staff need to supply. The NFL changed the rule specifically because the Chiefs beat the Bills in OT in the playoffs in 13 seconds and the Bills never got the ball. This is on the 49ers coaching staff.

 

[XLIX]

The 49ers players not knowing the OT rules is specifically on the coaching staff. Not just Shanahan, but the ENTIRE staff.

FWIW, some KC players admitted they didn't know the rules either. Right after the game, Hardman admitted he didn't know the game was over when he caught his TD.

 

[DarrylS]

They've changed the OT rules a lot lately. I can see a player going to what he knows based on rules last played under. POE are something Coach & staff need to supply. The NFL changed the rule specifically because the Chiefs beat the Bills in OT in the playoffs in 13 seconds and the Bills never got the ball. This is on the 49ers coaching staff.

Doesn't a team captain, Warner in this case, usually confer with the HC about what to do if they win the toss?? Or if they lose it what end they want first...
Saying they did not know the rules is a lame excuse..

 

[Clonamery]

Doesn't a team captain, Warner in this case, usually confer with the HC about what to do if they win the toss?? Or if they lose it what end they want first...
Saying they did not know the rules is a lame excuse..

You're spoiled.

 

[oldrover]

Bottom line IMHO: Kyle chose to give Mahomes 4 downs. He should have given his OWN QB four downs.

 

[jdlboot14]

Ya, the bottom line was that SF defense had run out of steam, and SF couldn't score the TD.

 

[upstater1]

It’s “damned if you do, damned if you don’t” with this situation.

Had SF decided to start on D and KC marched down the field, scored a TD and then SF failed; Shanahan would have been crucified for making that decision.

The SB losing HC always gets second-guessed and criticized…that comes with the territory of losing the big game.

Not understanding the reasoning.

Why would he get crucified for that?

 

[jmt57]

Doesn't a team captain, Warner in this case, usually confer with the HC about what to do if they win the toss?? Or if they lose it what end they want first...
Saying they did not know the rules is a lame excuse..

Yeah, I agree. Even if the players did not know the OT rules, the head coach surely (hopefully) does. At minimum somebody explains it to the HC. The coin toss is just made-for-tv ceremonial theater. The decision to defer or receive is always made by the HC; he tells one of the captains, and that captain makes the call to the ref.

On the other hand, in a tight game such as this one, players should have been reminded of the OT rule at some point. HC tells the coordinators, who tell either the position coaches or all the players on that side of the ball. SF not doing that compulsary communication to the players in-game - whether they went over it in August or not - is on the HC.

We can debate whether the best decision is to receive or to kick off all day, but in reality that is just second guessing with the benefit of hindsight. Shanahan's lack of communication to the players is another story.

 

[Nehalem]

Clearly KC has a great advantage when they got the ball. All series were 4 down territory. They KNEW that getting a field goal was a fall-back strategy while they focused on getting the TD/

But if you give KC the ball. If they score TD/FG and then you match them they get the ball for the 3rd possession and only need a FG to win.
If you go first then if you score a TD you guarantee worst case scenario of needing only a FG for 3rd possession. Also, it gives your defense a chance to rest before facing Mahomes making it more likely you can stop them or force them to make a mistake.

I would rather bank on 2nd possession FG win then outscoring Mahomes on the 1st possession.

Really though at the end of the day SF lost because KC executed better in overtime. Optimal possession strategy is a lot less important than that.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

It's a big advantage knowing what you have to do and knowing when using all 4 downs is justified or even required, so that speaks to kicking off to start OT. You NEVER chose to receive at the beginning of OT in college, for that reason.

But... since it's not like college and in the NFL it becomes sudden death if teams match their scores in their opening drives of OT, I see the appeal of owning the first sudden-death possession, which you'd get by choosing to kick off.

A computer ought to be able to crunch the numbers to determine which advantage is greater, but it is not entirely obvious, one way or the other.

 

[venecol]

It's a big advantage knowing what you have to do and knowing when using all 4 downs is justified or even required, so that speaks to kicking off to start OT. You NEVER chose to receive at the beginning of OT in college, for that reason.

But... since it's not like college and in the NFL it becomes sudden death if teams match their scores in their opening drives of OT, I see the appeal of owning the first sudden-death possession, which you'd get by choosing to kick off.

A computer ought to be able to crunch the numbers to determine which advantage is greater, but it is not entirely obvious, one way or the other.

Agree, it's not obvious. It depends on the particular circumstances surrounding the game. At that time, 9ers had held KC to the following drives:

Punt
Punt
Fumble
Punt
FG
Halftime
INT
Punt
FG
Punt ---> TO by 9ers inside 16 yd.
TD
FG
FG
End Regulation time

Based on the above, you absolutely want to take the ball first counting on holding them to a FG, like you did for the entire game (barring the TO at your own 16). You can then win it in the 3rd possession if you didn't score a TD in your 1st, by kicking a fg.

Of course, everyone is a genius after the game.

 

[XLIX]

A computer ought to be able to crunch the numbers to determine which advantage is greater, but it is not entirely obvious, one way or the other.

If you left it up to a computer then I 100% guarantee you the advantage is to take the ball first and the reason why is because the team that takes the ball first is always going to have at least as many possessions* as the team who gets it 2nd. The team who gets it second will never have more possessions than the team who took it first.

*for the sake of the above, a "possession" is defined the way the NFL defines it as being a chance to possess the ball.

 

[A Defiant Goose]

Lol, this is a big nothingburger. The Ref explains the rules before OT starts. You don't need a PhD to understand them. The only decision that matters is to receive or differ, if you're lucky enough to win the coin toss (50/50). Then just play ball.

Thank you. Complete overreaction and meaningless point. The only ones who needed to know about the OT rules are the coaching staff, to decide to kick or receive. Besides that, the players just play

 

[palialka]

Not understanding the reasoning.

Why would he get crucified for that?

Meaning the media would have complained regardless of the decision Shanahan made….take the ball first in OT or choose to play D first.

He lost so consequently the losing coach always gets critiqued and criticized.

 

[venecol]

 

[BTTA]

yup, that's the SF plan. Coaches make the decisions and the players follow them; no need to understand the situation and to make smarter decisions on the field.

Of course. I'm just having trouble imagining what decisions on the field would be in this case.

 

[brdmaverick]

I think this story line is overplayed. Should the 49ers have known the OT rules.....of course....but while it's not 'a good look' I don't think it would have changed anything.

Today everyone is saying "49ers should have deffered" saying it's not strategic to take the ball first.

They are overlooking the one big benefit of going first.........if both teams match in points on their opening drives (whether it be zero's, field goals, or TDs) the team that had the ball first will ALSO HAVE THE BALL FIRST in a "NEXT TO SCORE WINS" situation.

But for fun let's play out what we think would have happened if the Niners deferred.

1.) Niners D was gassed and I still think the Chiefs score a TD on their opening drive.
2.) While the NIners now have all 4 downs to try to match, keep in mind IT'S JUST TO MATCH! Let's give them the benefit of the doubt and say they now score being able to use all four downs.
3.) Now the Chiefs have the ball in a 'next score wins' scenario. They would have the advantage to win.

 

[brdmaverick]

It's tricky cause if the 49ers chose to deffer the Chiefs could've scored a TD and then if the 49ers matched it the Chiefs would've had first possession sudden death. The 49ers defense was gassed at that point too

Instead of writing my post above, I should have just 'liked' your post, haha. My sentiments exactly

 

[Patsfanin Philly]

One other drawback to defering in overtime is if both teams score the same amount, now you are now giving the ball to the other team in sudden death as opposed to getting it yourself.

 

[Sect140]

Both deferring and not deferring has its advantages, if you receive then if there is a third possession and you score you win. If you defer and the receiving team scores a touchdown on its first possession then at least you know you have four downs to pick up each first down.

Kyle said in his post game press conference that analytics says receive.