Pats Fans welcome

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by frankbmd

I know that a field goal can be kicked on any down. I just wondered if a first down field goal had ever been kicked with several minutes on the clock to change a one score game into a two score game in deference to trying to run time off the clock.

Sure you could, but no one would. At minimum, you'd down it 3 times (making sure center the ball), forcing them to use all timeouts (or bleed 2 min), then kick. That's as conservative as you would ever play it.

Just imagine the blow back if they kicked on first down, allowing the Pats to keep all 3 TO with over 4 min left, then lost? 4 min is still time enough to score twice, and with all timeouts you don't even need a successful onside. Imagine even worse if you kicked, missed and gave them the ball at the spot of the hold, with 4 min and all timeouts... That's just taking like taking a 7-8 yard sack on 4th down.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

Sure you could, but no one would. At minimum, you'd down it 3 times (making sure center the ball), forcing them to use all timeouts (or bleed 2 min), then kick. That's as conservative as you would ever play it.

Just imagine the blow back if they kicked on first down, allowing the Pats to keep all 3 TO with over 4 min left, then lost? 4 min is still time enough to score twice, and with all timeouts you don't even need a successful onside. Imagine even worse if you kicked, missed and gave them the ball at the spot of the hold, with 4 min and all timeouts... That's just taking like taking a 7-8 yard sack on 4th down.

Frank did not get the memo about clock management.

[HRBAKER]

Rigged? Then Kyle Shanahan must have been in on it too.
They were up 28-3 and got a bad case of tight ass.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by HRBAKER

Rigged? Then Kyle Shanahan must have been in on it too.
They were up 28-3 and got a bad case of tight ass.

I actually thought he attempted to play it pretty aggressively, going up top on 3rd and 1 (lead to sack fumble) in the 4th, and then throwing on 2nd and 11 from the 22 during the last drive, at which point a run, run, and FG would likely have sealed it. These ended up being their undoing, but lots of easy hindsight now. You always see people criticized for going the other way and playing it too safe, going 3 and out on no gain runs, and giving the ball right back. (Or kicking FGs on first down )

Apparently Ryan's primary target was wide open for a sure TD on that sack fumble too. Had Freeman been able to just chip and delay the rusher a split second, Ryan has time.

I will say as a Niner fan, I'm really looking forward to Shanahan next year. It'll be a few year process but am hoping our dipsh*t owner has learned his many lessons and will just let Shanahan and Lynch do their jobs.

[pokerplyr80]

I find the assumption that this game was rigged in favor of the Patriots ridiculous. You really think Goodell wanted to hand the Lombardi Trophy to Kraft, or the MVP trophy to Brady? He has been avoiding them for the last two years. If anything he would have wanted it rigged for the Falcons. And the call on the Falcons extra point was the worst call of the game. He was not lined up illegally and the refs blew that one. The league admitted as much. The holding calls on 3rd down were blatant. Blame the Falcons for those. And by the way the Pats didn't even score on that drive.

I am a Packers fan and don't have a dog in this fight. But the Patriots earned this one. Time for Falcons fans to quit complaining and move on. Unless you want to complain about your own play calling and situational awareness.

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by pokerplyr80

situational awareness.

As relates to situational awareness, Matt Ryan not using the full play clock when he had the chance was inexplicable. Think it was 2nd down on that last drive where they snapped it with 15-18 seconds left on the play clock. Wtf?!? The running clock is in your favor, milk it. That's not on coaches either, that's on Ryan. Think he bears some, even most of the burden for taking those late sacks. He's a very good QB and had a great game, but there were some serious late brain farts too.

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Frank did not get the memo about clock management.

Neither did the Falcons.

[Prof_Plum]

Got a rule question - and I thought I knew about all rules.
It was near the end of the 3rd quarter with Atl having to punt. They let the play clock run out, hoping to get a 5 yd penalty to get a better punting angle. This left 3-4 sec on the game clock after the 'delay of game'. Next there may have been a commercial break. When coming back to the game, it's now the 4thQ and I'm pretty sure the announcers said the refs started the game clock and Atl let it run out.

I've never heard of the game clock being restarted following a delay of game. Maybe it happens all the time and I've never noticed. But if the game clock restarts after a delay of game this suggests the penalized team really never has to run a play and could just let the game clock run out - which is ridiculous.

[steve B]

Originally Posted by Prof_Plum

Got a rule question - and I thought I knew about all rules.
It was near the end of the 3rd quarter with Atl having to punt. They let the play clock run out, hoping to get a 5 yd penalty to get a better punting angle. This left 3-4 sec on the game clock after the 'delay of game'. Next there may have been a commercial break. When coming back to the game, it's now the 4thQ and I'm pretty sure the announcers said the refs started the game clock and Atl let it run out.

I've never heard of the game clock being restarted following a delay of game. Maybe it happens all the time and I've never noticed. But if the game clock restarts after a delay of game this suggests the penalized team really never has to run a play and could just let the game clock run out - which is ridiculous.

That puzzled me too. I thought the situation was different, but the same sort of thing. something that would stop the game clock, but it was restarted when the play was set up.

Steve B

[frankbmd]

Originally Posted by Prof_Plum

Got a rule question - and I thought I knew about all rules.
It was near the end of the 3rd quarter with Atl having to punt. They let the play clock run out, hoping to get a 5 yd penalty to get a better punting angle. This left 3-4 sec on the game clock after the 'delay of game'. Next there may have been a commercial break. When coming back to the game, it's now the 4thQ and I'm pretty sure the announcers said the refs started the game clock and Atl let it run out.

I've never heard of the game clock being restarted following a delay of game. Maybe it happens all the time and I've never noticed. But if the game clock restarts after a delay of game this suggests the penalized team really never has to run a play and could just let the game clock run out - which is ridiculous.

After twenty successive delay of game penalties starting at the 50 yard line, the line of scrimmage would be inside the Falcon 1 inch line. The ball would have to be deflated severely to keep it in the field of play, but there was expertise on the field that might have been willing to try.

[steve B]

Couldn't resist. Hate away.

Steve B

[Peter_Spaeth]

I couldn't believe the pass on first and goal in light of what happened two years ago. First and goal, hand the damn ball to your biggest strongest back which was Blount.

[egri]

Originally Posted by Prof_Plum

Got a rule question - and I thought I knew about all rules.
It was near the end of the 3rd quarter with Atl having to punt. They let the play clock run out, hoping to get a 5 yd penalty to get a better punting angle. This left 3-4 sec on the game clock after the 'delay of game'. Next there may have been a commercial break. When coming back to the game, it's now the 4thQ and I'm pretty sure the announcers said the refs started the game clock and Atl let it run out.

I've never heard of the game clock being restarted following a delay of game. Maybe it happens all the time and I've never noticed. But if the game clock restarts after a delay of game this suggests the penalized team really never has to run a play and could just let the game clock run out - which is ridiculous.

Someone on Reddit had the same question:

(f) If the game clock is stopped after a down in which there was a foul by either team, following enforcement or declination of a penalty, the game clock will start as if the foul had not occurred, except that the clock will start on the snap if: (1) the foul occurs after the two-minute warning of the first half; (2) the foul occurs inside the last five minutes of the second half; or (3) a specific rule prescribes otherwise.

http://static.nfl.com/static/content...ame_Timing.pdf

The game clock stopped when the play ended with a penalty, and then restarted before the ball was snapped because it wasn't within the last 2 minutes of the first half, or the last 5 minutes of the second.

[Prof_Plum]

Thanks. I had a feeling something like that was occurring. So clearly once Atl was up 28-3, they should have simply taken delay of game penalties until there was 5 min left in the game.

I would guess there's another rule somewhere stating that the game clock will not re-start after 'x' number of penalties in a row.

[clydepepper]

As good as he is, Dan Quinn was still a first season head coach and hopefully he learned some valuable clock management lessons.

It seems like some coaches never learn to manage the game clock.

We will see if Quinn gets it next time.