WHY no time-outs near the end ?

[boogiewithstu2007]

We could a saved time on the clock and even if they scored given us a chance… WHY not use any time-outs ? OMG give me a heart-attack ….

 

[Wolverine830872]

I was thinking the exact same thing. Couldn't believe that.

 

[Banned 10x]

I just think Pete decided the defense was going to have to win the game, there is no way this offense was going to go down and score.

 

[DonyellFreak]

Probably better that Stacy didn't more time to try and get right on the sideline kid was running all over us tonight.

 

[Mr. Tacoma]

It was the right call.

Our offense had a greater chance of fumbling than scoring they way they looked tonight.

 

[MrS]

The defense had to win this game and they did. no timeout was going to save us if we gave up a TD right there.

 

[Cloud]

It was the right call.

Our offense had a greater chance of fumbling than scoring they way they looked tonight.

Had the Rams gotten a TD there, I think majority of the people would argued that Pete should've used the timeouts to preserve time on the clock. You have to consider the risk of a big return on kickoff or that Wilson magic in the 4th quarter to get into FG range.

However, I do agree as I went over this a lot and I thought it was the correct call... Carroll played the defensive card and it worked, especially with the way the offense played the entire night!

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I gotta disagree… You stop the clock there on a couple play's you could a had a minute left on the clock even if they scored .. ALL we needed was a field goal to tie the game… You can't just say OH we played like crap no way could we do it… man you play the strategy card and give yourself the best shot… THEY had to score regardless so they were going for it period… SAVE a little time if you can… YOU never know…

 

[Cloud]

I gotta disagree… You stop the clock there on a couple play's you could a had a minute left on the clock even if they scored .. ALL we needed was a field goal to tie the game… You can't just say OH we played like crap no way could we do it… BS man you play the strategy card and give yourself the best shot… THEY had to score regardless so they were going for it period… SAVE a little time if you can… YOU never know…

Well... what Carroll did there was that he pretty much limit the team's options down to 1 and 1 thing only. A defensive stance. Had he stopped the clock and the Rams eventually score to go 2 or 3 point lead with more time on the clock, you have wider options.

I mentioned this on the main board. A good example would be the Falcons playoff game last year. We went up by 1 with 30+ seconds left and the Falcons kicked a FG to win the game. Had the Falcons selected to clock manage the way we did tonight, we would've won.

Oh well, it's a tough game sometimes.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

Well... what Carroll did there was that he pretty much limit the team's options down to 1 and 1 thing only. A defensive stance. Had he stopped the clock and the Rams eventually score to go 2 or 3 point lead with more time on the clock, you have wider options.

I mentioned this on the main board. A good example would be the Falcons playoff game last year. We went up by 1 with 30+ seconds left and the Falcons kicked a FG to win the game. Had the Falcons selected to clock manage the way we did tonight, we would've won.

Oh well, it's a tough game sometimes.

Good point…

 

[dude82]

I think that if Carroll had any confidence in his offensive line giving Wilson enough time to make enough plays to kick the field goal to win (or tie if the Rams go for two and get it), he'd have used his timeouts on defense to give the offense time to get into range. The fact that he decided to roll the dice with his defense, a defense that had been gashed by the run all night, should tell you how much confidence he had in his offensive line. We know he has all the confidence in the world in Wilson and wouldn't have hesitated to put it in the offense's hands if Wilson was getting any time to throw, so confidence in Wilson wasn't the issue. He had more trust in his defense to make the stops they needed to make than he did in the offensive line's ability to not get Wilson killed.

Let's be realistic... even if the Hawks call a timeout immediately after the stuff of Richardson on third down, leaving them with 2 timeouts, and the Rams score to go ahead by one, two or three, St. Louis probably would have then kicked the ball deep, daring the Seahawks to try to either produce a great kick return or start a last drive on offense deep in their own territory with two timeouts. Ordinarily, two timeouts for Russell Wilson with only about 50 or fewer yards to get into field goal range would be enough to get the job done, but not with the offensive line practically laying a welcome mat at his feet for the defense. They would have had limited options. They couldn't run the ball because they weren't getting anything on the ground all night and because you want to try to preserve your timeouts for completed passes where the receiver can't get out of bounds. If they threw short, it's the same thing. If they tried to throw it long, they risked Wilson getting sacked again and having to use a timeout for that. Sure, they could very well have been able to march down the field and get into field goal range, but given what had already taken place earlier in the game, it was an unlikely scenario.

Carroll did the only thing he had any confidence in doing... he let the defense win it for him.

 

[Smart]

I was talking about this with people at the game yesterday. I think it was a ploy to say that he trusted the defense and get them riled up. The fact that he believed they could get the stop after 2nd and Goal on the 2 had to be a huge confidence boost. And when a coach puts that much faith in you, you don't want to let him down.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I was talking about this with people at the game yesterday. I think it was a ploy to say that he trusted the defense and get them riled up. The fact that he believed they could get the stop after 2nd and Goal on the 2 had to be a huge confidence boost. And when a coach puts that much faith in you, you don't want to let him down.

I hear ya with the confidence thing and showing you trust your defense… Just looking at the pure strategy thing though I would think having a little time is a good thing if they should score with only a field goal needed to tie… I would a been calling time-outs because in the NFL you just never know what can happen with a little time… Remember that Bears game last year with next to no time Bears had a couple big play's and sent the game into overtime… You just never know…

 

[gohusk]

I thought it was the wrong call when it was going on but it was the rigth thing to do. Our kick returns have been pretty awful and everything was pretty much out of the back of the endzone anyway So we'd be looking at 50 yards with a minute left, no timeouts and a pumped Rams defense that knew they could get to Wilson no problem. I'll take Carroll pumping up the defense that despite giving up a lot of yards was playing pretty well.

 

[Cobiemonster]

I'm more surprised the Rams didn't use any of their timeouts near the end of the game - not often in a close game like that you have two teams that still have their timeouts

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

I thought it was the wrong call when it was going on but it was the rigth thing to do. Our kick returns have been pretty awful and everything was pretty much out of the back of the endzone anyway So we'd be looking at 50 yards with a minute left, no timeouts and a pumped Rams defense that knew they could get to Wilson no problem. I'll take Carroll pumping up the defense that despite giving up a lot of yards was playing pretty well.

Yeah but you take that chance… You never know only needing a field goal and having Wilson out there.. The odds are more in your favor calling the time-outs… Again look at the Atlanta playoff game last year … We shut them down the entire second half until the last 25 seconds…. Never say never… The phycological aspect is the only defense because overall strategy it's not the best move…

 

[SonnyCID]

I gotta disagree… You stop the clock there on a couple play's you could a had a minute left on the clock even if they scored .. ALL we needed was a field goal to tie the game… You can't just say OH we played like crap no way could we do it… man you play the strategy card and give yourself the best shot… THEY had to score regardless so they were going for it period… SAVE a little time if you can… YOU never know…

You stop the clock there and you give stl more time on the sideline to draw up plays and gather composure.

 

[boogiewithstu2007]

You stop the clock there and you give stl more time on the sideline to draw up plays and gather composure.

Sometimes stopping the flow is good… Get's teams off there role …. They were rolling down the field..

 

[dude82]

Boogie, serious question here.... Did you honestly think that the Seahawks could have moved the ball roughly 50 yards with either one timeout or none in less than a minute the way they were playing last night? The offensive line had been practically inviting Rams defenders to sack Wilson all night and if they weren't sacking him, they at least weren't giving him time to throw anything down field on all but one pass. Getting the ball down the field with one timeout or no timeouts in less than a minute requires time for your QB to get the ball down the field. He hadn't been getting that time all night. Maybe the offensive line sacks up and gives him the time and the Seahawks pull out the win there anyway, but based on what we'd all seen leading up to that point, how likely was that scenario? Maybe the offense won't be as dysfunctional again and Carroll will decide to let them win it in a similar scenario in another game, but in this particular game, his best bet to win was letting the defense handle it.

 

[blstoker]

Our offense last night:

2 drive over 25 yards; 26 (TD) and 80 (TD)
9 punts in 11 possessions
6 3 and outs (2 more 4 and outs)
On those 8 three and four and out drive the Seahawks managed a total of 12 yards.
7 sacks for 48 yards lost.
13 total yards of offense in the 4th quarter.