Quote:
Originally Posted by tanus
You'd rather rely solely on a banged up OL and a 2nd string rookie RB/FB hybrid over the likes of Marc Bulger, Torry Holt, Isaac Bruce, and Drew Bennett? |
You'd have to depend on the banged up OL to protect Bulger so he can make the pass, and even then who knows what happens with the ball in the air? Tip? INT? Misfire? I believe pounding the ball at that point gives you the best chance for success, but you have to actually be able to move guys on the line. Linehan showed confidence in his team that they could do it; they failed.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rammiser
I have to agree, on the first 4th and one I was thinking slant to Holt. Leanard was getting stuffed in the middle all game.
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Not prior to that first 4th down conversion. He had four runs for 15 yards. NFL's GameCenter says three of them were up the middle for 15 yards, the fourth was off left tackle for no gain. So he wasn't getting stuffed prior to that except on the one play.
Quote:
Originally Posted by rammiser
Then on the second 4th and 1 I was hoping slant to Holt.
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Really not sure about slants when you've got a defense crowding the line of scrimmage. That sounds to me like a recipe for a tipped pass at the time. If you want to pass there, a quick out seems to me like it would work better, but I still don't think that's a good passing situation.
Let's put it this way. If Linehan had called a fourth down pass with one yard to go and it didn't work, we'd be having this same finger-pointing discussion about him making a bad play call. In the end, the players have to make the plays, and I think a run there gives the team the best chance for success.