Jim Harblows call to avoid shutout

[SeattleOspreys]

Here's a NFL football strategy that just took place. Your opinions? Conservative or ballzy approach?

Scenario:

1. A pretty decent running team on the road is winning the game 23 - 20.
2. There is 1:42 left in the game.
3. It's 4th down and 1 yd for the 1st down at the losing teams 21 yd line.
4. The losing team has no timeouts remaining.

What would you do?

Obviously, you know what I'd do because I play for the jugular and am not a conservative person.
I go for it on 4th and 1, stick it down their throats. Don't F around. You get the 1st down and the
game is over. 3 kneel downs and you fly back winners.

The conservative approach which I get from the responders ( different situation but parallels 9ers)
would kick the FG to go up by 6 and forcing the losing team to be down 26-20 and have
to drive the length of the field with no timeouts left.

The conservative person or coach would have fear that what if we don't make it and now we
leave them with only a 3 pt deficit and all they need is to kick a FG to tie and send it into OT.
Oh, no, I better kick the FG and play it safe.

What would you do?

Guess what happened?

 

[SeattleOspreys]

Ok, since I'm gone for awhile, I will give the result of what the coach decided to
do and the subsequent result.

This scenario happened this past Sunday in the Carolina at Buffalo game.

Coach Rivera and his wussy decision making kicked the field goal and in the final 1:40,
EJ Manuel engineered a drive with no timeouts and beat Carolina 27-26 with a TD pass.

Sorry I'm stealing Herm Edward's overused and tired rant but it's true. You play to win the game.

"""Ron Rivera did it again. After passing on an opportunity to convert a fourth-and-1 to beat the Falcons last year
a move that ended up turning a near-certain win into a loss, Rivera faced another tough situation Sunday and chose the most conservative option available despite the nature of his team......"""



Go Hawks... A lot to discuss next week with my favorite receiver in the draft. DeAndre Hopkins. As discussed, I wanted him big time then and for a rook, he's tough. I look forward to the matchup of Sherm or Browner on DeAndre. The game within the game.

 

[Uhsplit]

If I am playing a video game, I go for it on 4th and 1.

If I am playing for my career, my reputation, an ego maniacal billionaire owner, 53 players, a coaching staff, a million + fan base, ect I am kicking a FG and am going to force the opponent to score a TD to beat me. If I go for it and don't get the 1st down, my opponent only has to go 45 yards and kick a FG to force OT (instead of having to go about 80 and have to score a TD in 1 minute plus).
Yes, it is consevative but I am playing with a billion dollar toy and with all that is on the line I would be very careful.

 

[SeattleOspreys]

If I am playing a video game, I go for it on 4th and 1.

If I am playing for my career, my reputation, an ego maniacal billionaire owner, 53 players, a coaching staff, a million + fan base, ect I am kicking a FG and am going to force the opponent to score a TD to beat me. If I go for it and don't get the 1st down, my opponent only has to go 45 yards and kick a FG to force OT (instead of having to go about 80 and have to score a TD in 1 minute plus).
Yes, it is consevative but I am playing with a billion dollar toy and with all that is on the line I would be very careful.

Ron Rivera learned from his mistake in that Buffalo game by not going for it on 4th and 1 for the victory. Against TB, leading 14-6 and at the TB 27 facing 4th and 1, Rivera decided to go for it instead of kicking a 44 yd fg. Carolina made the 1st, rolled to a TD, a 21-6 lead and eventual Win.

You don't win in this NFL by kicking fg's but as mentioned, I go for it and don't play the safe route. It would've been safe to go up by 11 but it sends a message to your O and D for that matter, to go for the jugular.

In Sunday's 9er vs Panther game, I may be in the minority but I believe Harblow's conservative nature bit him in the @$$ again. I'm sure you'd have kicked the fg but not me.

Up 6-0 and facing a 4th and 1 at the Carolina 2, I'm going for the 1st down or touchdown to make a statement. Sure, 9-0 is a two score advantage but a 13-0 is a 2 TD advantage. Being built on the run, i go for it to take control of the game. You can still get a 1st down or the touchdown.

If you don't make it, you're only up by 6 but you have Carolina pinned deep in their territory. You may get a safety or a stop because of Carolina's conservative nature. You then get good field position or get a safety and the ball back.

Harblow was again a pussy and I was glad he kicked the fg. Just like I was glad he kicked the fg in Seattle. My intuition, once again, said SF is going to harBLOW this game.

Teams that continually settle for fg's will ultimately get beat. It happened to us against Indy. Kicking 3 fg's in the 3rd qtr just gave the eery feeling that we'd pay the piper. The Rams kicking 3 fg's was the same. Conservative fg kicking will get you beat.

Harblow proved that again on Sunday.