Pet Peeve

[hipster.doofus7]

Situation: A team is behind by 2 scores. Less than 90 seconds remaining in the game, and no timeouts. They need to drive the full length of the field for a score, do an onside kick, then score again. Hope is slim.

In this situation, why is it that 99.9% of teams will go on a 2-minute offense? They start throwing passes 20 or 25 yards down the field, working the sidelines, and a lot of BS, when they clearly don't have time to spend more than 3 plays per drive.

In that situation, the only thing that makes sense is a continuous barrage of hail mary passes. Throw it down the field 50 yards. If it's not intercepted, try it again. And again. And again. Hope a WR comes down with a jumpball, or maybe a pass interference. Coaches shouldn't be worrying about turnovers at that point.

Logistically, that is the only possible way you can score twice in 90 seconds without any time outs. But I rarely see teams do that. Why are teams still running 2-minute offenses when they clearly can't afford to waste more than 40 seconds per score?

[kehlis]

Complete 2 twenty five yard passes and a 15 yard pass and you are in FG range in 3 plays for the first score.

It's the smart play, throwing hail mary's is giving up and hoping upon hope.

And as difficult as it would be, the scenario I give is more likely to produce a successful comeback then just bombing it downfield and praying not to throw a pick.

[fugazi]

madden much?

[z Revis]

Quote: Originally Posted by hipster.doofus7

Situation: A team is behind by 2 scores. Less than 90 seconds remaining in the game, and no timeouts. They need to drive the full length of the field for a score, do an onside kick, then score again. Hope is slim. In this situation, why is it that 99.9% of teams will go on a 2-minute offense? They start throwing passes 20 or 25 yards down the field, working the sidelines, and a lot of BS, when they clearly don't have time to spend more than 3 plays per drive. In that situation, the only thing that makes sense is a continuous barrage of hail mary passes. Throw it down the field 50 yards. If it's not intercepted, try it again. And again. And again. Hope a WR comes down with a jumpball, or maybe a pass interference. Coaches shouldn't be worrying about turnovers at that point. Logistically, that is the only possible way you can score twice in 90 seconds without any time outs. But I rarely see teams do that. Why are teams still running 2-minute offenses when they clearly can't afford to waste more than 40 seconds per score?

It's the best way to go about it. Working the sidelines and getting down field. Throwing hail mary's doesn't work. It rarely ever works. The majority of hail mary's get picked off or batted down. A hail mary is a pure desperation play. You only throw them when you're down a TD with 5 seconds to play. Not when there's still 90 seconds of the game left.

You have a better chance of being successful throwing 20-25 yard passes and working the sidelines to get down field than you do throwing hail mary's, in that particular situation.

[hipster.doofus7]

Quote: Originally Posted by kehlis

Complete 2 twenty five yard passes and a 15 yard pass and you are in FG range in 3 plays for the first score.

Uh.... according to your playcalling, you would have

• Spent about 3 successful plays just to get within striking distance. (without scoring yet)
• How many more plays to actually score a TD once you get in striking distance?
• How much time wasted on incompleted passes or spiked balls?

If you spend 12 seconds per long pass play you would've wasted 60-65 seconds total. That's on a best case scenario with absolutely no tackles inbounds, and only 1 missed pass in the entire drive. An onside kick drains another 10 seconds off the clock.

That leaves you with about 15 seconds for a game winning drive? Not good at all.

Quote: Originally Posted by kehlis

And as difficult as it would be, the scenario I give is more likely to produce a successful comeback then just bombing it downfield and praying not to throw a pick.

Heck, no. Your scenario has a higher chance of scoring once, but less time for scoring twice.

It's more realistic to throw a jump ball 50 yards down the field. If your guy comes down with it --- or if you get a pass interference --- then immediately kick a field goal. A successful on-side kick will leave you with a short field, and more than a minute to drive for the winning TD. The chances are much better that way.

If you have time, you have a chance. If you don't have any time, then you don't have any chance at all. In these types of situations, a 2-minute drill leaves you with no time at all.

[Sandman42]

Would you rather throwing 4 straight incomplete Hail Mary's and turning it over on downs? There's a reason teams don't run them and that's because they are very unlikely of being completed.

Throwing 20 yard out routes will at least get you into scoring range. Throwing hail mary's won't get you anywhere.

[kehlis]

Quote: Originally Posted by hipster.doofus7

.

You missed my point.

3 plays to get in FG range. Kick the FG. Get the onside kick. Then score a touchdown.

Highly unlikely but still more likely then completing a long bomb hail mary for a TD.

You can count a single hand the number of hail mary's that have been successful in the last half dozen years. Do you really think using that as your primary offense all of a sudden becomes viable?

[Piderman]

Quote: Originally Posted by kehlis

You missed my point. 3 plays to get in FG range. Kick the FG. Get the onside kick. Then score a touchdown. Highly unlikely but still more likely then completing a long bomb hail mary for a TD. You can count a single hand the number of hail mary's that have been successful in the last half dozen years. Do you really think using that as your primary offense all of a sudden becomes viable?

Yeah I co-sign with the broncos fan here, I mean the chances of pulling off a Doug Flutie type of play is just...no, it can't.