Horrible choice, 56 yd FG?!

[blood85]

I still don't think he should have spiked the ball, there was plenty of time left and that was an extra down that we could have used to possibly get the 1st down we need. It's elementary now, we lost and now we're 0-2.

[ramsplaya16]

Of course it does, with age leg strength declines even Wilkins would admit it. Have you not noticed his kickoffs getting shorter over the season's? BTW I'm not blaming Wilkins he is a terrific kicker and the game should have been well won by that stage of the game..

well it is a factor, but not at wilkins age, kickers can go a few years past 40 if they can condition their bodies right, alot of the time, when a kicker is 34-35 years they are in their prime

[rammiser]

If Bruce caught the ball and instead of running right out of bounds went up the field he may have gotten enough yds for a first the defender wasnt that close to him. If Bruce gets a half of a yd extra that fg was good. If Linehan went for it the caption on this thread would be "Why didnt we kick the FG".

[Nick]

I don't see a problem with spiking the ball. You've got a makeshift line in front of you and no time outs. Do we really want to rush to the line and try to get a play off with the clock ticking? Spiking the ball there is standard two-minute drill tactics. You stop the clock and get yourself ready for the next down. Unfortunately we blew the next down as well, but I think running down there and trying to get a play off is asking for trouble there.

[Varg6]

I just have one question to all of you, especially those who liked the FG attempt.

What is more likely to succeed, a 56 yard FG or a 4th and 2?

I don't even think the percentages are close.

Agreed, how can you ask Wilkins of such a task? But others have made this point, if we didn't get the 4th and 2, we wonder why we didn't ask for Wilkins. And obviously we're asking the vice versa. In my opinion, we should've went for it on 4th and 2. There is no reason why we couldn't have converted for the first down. It is vomit inducing to see Holt dropping a potential TD pass for touchback, and it also disturbs me that Jackson hasn't been able to get many touches. I also noticed that Bulger isn't really throwing to him that much either. I remember last year, Bulger's clutch go to man was in fact Jackson, and I didn't see the whole game but I only saw one reception by Jackson and it was an excellent catch. I just don't see why we're not giving him the ball. What is wrong with this team? It is really scary that we can't get much done offensively or defensively.

[Guam rammer]

Pleeez!!! we shoulda gone for it . 4th and 2 still about 4-5 yrds out of range. Just goes to show that the coaches have no creative thinking. This is football, not ballet.

[jkramsfan]

I agree. After Wilkins pulled out a 53-yarder, I don't think you can ask him to do it again. You've got to get closer. We were willing to try a 4th & 7 earlier, but not a 4th a& 3? I don't like that decision at all, and now Linehan's given the media and the fans something else to chew on for a week.

Turnovers and red zone inefficiency were huge in this game, but even with all that we were still in this game until that attempt. You just have to get him closer, IMO...

I agree Nick, to ask him to hit that field goal was silly, he may have made one longer but it was 3 YEARS AGO.,red zone hurt us again.

[r8rh8rmike]

I just have one question to all of you, especially those who liked the FG attempt.

What is more likely to succeed, a 56 yard FG or a 4th and 2?

I don't even think the percentages are close.

This is what it all boils down to for me. Making the 4th and 2 was the better option based on percentages. Who knows though, maybe Wilkens told Linehan he could make the kick.

I don't see a problem with spiking the ball. You've got a makeshift line in front of you and no time outs. Do we really want to rush to the line and try to get a play off with the clock ticking? Spiking the ball there is standard two-minute drill tactics. You stop the clock and get yourself ready for the next down. Unfortunately we blew the next down as well, but I think running down there and trying to get a play off is asking for trouble there.

I agree completely. Spiking the ball was most likely done to calm everybody down and allow the play to be initiated without the chaos of trying to frantically get set.

[jkramsfan]

your dammed if you do and your dammed if you dont with fans, its as simple as that.

so Dez after saying that what would you have done ?

[keith m. klink]

total lack of courage by the coachs . as i wrote before , this team NEEDED to prove something to themselves and everyone else . the sacks the drops , the fumbles . this team isn't focused at all . but to not put the ball in JACKSONS hands for a run or pass to get 3- yards . this is just another way these guy's will feel like middle of the road . when you expect less from your team , you will usually get it . a gauntlet should have been thrown at the front line and jackson , and say PROVE IT. show how much you want it . 3-yards , 1-first down , 1-minute . what is the team made of . we don't know. we know the coachs mettle though .

[general counsel]

Big game hit the nail on the head. its a question of the probabilities. The odds of making the field goal from that distance were less than the odds of making the first down.

Furthermore, i dont think bulger should have spiked the ball and given up the down, we had plenty of time to get into wilkins range and with all the pass protection problems we had, giving up the down was a bad move. quick snap with a chance to catch them out of position would have been a better bet.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

[ramsanddodgers]

The game was lost much earlier. If even only one of the FG's had been for a TD instead. If only Holt had not fumbled for a touch back. If Hall had not muffed the punt.

If, if, if....

I don't remember anyone saying we'd go undefeated, or at best without 5 or 6 losses. We can still win this if we don't give up!

[jkramsfan]

Big game hit the nail on the head. its a question of the probabilities. The odds of making the field goal from that distance were less than the odds of making the first down.

Furthermore, i dont think bulger should have spiked the ball and given up the down, we had plenty of time to get into wilkins range and with all the pass protection problems we had, giving up the down was a bad move. quick snap with a chance to catch them out of position would have been a better bet.

ramming speed to all

general counsel

exactly GC, don't give up a down,1 play with a small gain could have made the difference.

[RamsInfiniti]

Pleeez!!! we shoulda gone for it . 4th and 2 still about 4-5 yrds out of range. Just goes to show that the coaches have no creative thinking. This is football, not ballet.

I find it interesting that we were apparently 4-5 yards out of range according to this post, yet Wilkins easily made a 53-yd FG earlier in the game. His first attempt likely would have cleared from 56 yds ...

[LaRamsFanLongTime]

Wilkins hasn't made a 56 yard field goal in the regular season since 1998. I simply don't see any reason to ask him to do it here when your high-powered offense is moving the ball well and only needs a handful of yards. It's not hindsight, as most of us were questioning this decision prior to the kick in the chat.

It looked like the 1st kick would have ben good from 58 -60. He missed by a foot. I did not like the call that much but at the same time I see why they did it. What I really would have liked was if they tried something in the middle of the field on 3rd and seventeen or maybe a deeper route. The receivers especially Bruce made the secondary look bad all day. It also looked to me like Bruce could have least tried to turn it up field and get the first. Anyways it sucked Im moving on. Lets go kill some pirates.