Questionable Strategy

[WIDE LEFT]

I have long complained about how coaches, including McD, when in a situation very late in the half, deep in their own territory, 1 or zero timeouts, run the half out by handing off to a running back. They can’t reasonably expect a long run in that situation, especially against a prevent defense. A fumble is far more likely than a long run putting the team in field goal position. Yet you see it over and over - hand offs to a running back to run out the clock. WHY NOT TAKE A KNEE.
And this is precisely what happened to Chargers yesterday. Very late in first half, deep in their territory they hand off to RB, fumble resulting in Tampa TD and completely changed course of the game.

And so the Bills yesterday- 1:36 left in game - Raiders have only one time out, and the choice is to hand off to Singletary 3 times, rather than take a knee. Ridiculous and dangerous. In fact, on the first down play, Allen almost tripped going back, resulting in a very awkward handoff. Could have been a disaster. TAKE a KNEE!!

 

 

[Ramza86]

I hope it was because they needed to take a couple of extra seconds off the clock in order to go into victory formation on 3rd down.

 

I personally didnt like the run, but if there was a play that needed to happen whether it be a run/punt/time killing throwaway. I would take the run.

[Kwai San]

Valid point

[Mango]

1 minute ago, WIDE LEFT said:

I have long complained about how coaches, including McD, when in a situation very late in the half, deep in their own territory, 1 or zero timeouts, run the half out by handing off to a running back. They can’t reasonably expect a long run in that situation, especially against a prevent defense. A fumble is far more likely than a long run putting the team in field goal position. Yet you see it over and over - hand offs to a running back to run out the clock. WHY NOT TAKE A KNEE.
And this is precisely what happened to Chargers yesterday. Very late in first half, deep in their territory they hand off to RB, fumble resulting in Tampa TD and completely changed course of the game.

And so the Bills yesterday- 1:36 left in game - Raiders have only one time out, and the choice is to hand off to Singletary 3 times, rather than take a knee. Ridiculous and dangerous. In fact, on the first down play, Allen almost tripped going back, resulting in a very awkward handoff. Could have been a disaster. TAKE a KNEE!!

 

 

Allen had just come out of the locker room after coming off the field with a shoulder injury. I am pretty confident in saying that Josh's shoulder was a HUGE reason why they didn't try there. 

[YattaOkasan]

2 minutes ago, WIDE LEFT said:

I have long complained about how coaches, including McD, when in a situation very late in the half, deep in their own territory, 1 or zero timeouts, run the half out by handing off to a running back. They can’t reasonably expect a long run in that situation, especially against a prevent defense. A fumble is far more likely than a long run putting the team in field goal position. Yet you see it over and over - hand offs to a running back to run out the clock. WHY NOT TAKE A KNEE.
And this is precisely what happened to Chargers yesterday. Very late in first half, deep in their territory they hand off to RB, fumble resulting in Tampa TD and completely changed course of the game.

And so the Bills yesterday- 1:36 left in game - Raiders have only one time out, and the choice is to hand off to Singletary 3 times, rather than take a knee. Ridiculous and dangerous. In fact, on the first down play, Allen almost tripped going back, resulting in a very awkward handoff. Could have been a disaster. TAKE a KNEE!!

 

 

My only guess is time?  I was also surprised by the kneel on the same set of downs that we were running the ball.  I think motors run for 11 took enough time off that we didnt need to do anything more.

Just now, Mango said:

Allen had just come out of the locker room after coming off the field with a shoulder injury. I am pretty confident in saying that Josh's shoulder was a HUGE reason why they didn't try there. 

Hes talking about end of the game.  Before half i agree that was the logic.

[DrDawkinstein]

It's simple math, they couldnt take a knee with the Raiders having 1 TO. Had to run plays to milk to clock.

 

1st and 10 - 1:36

Take a knee, Raiders call TO

2nd and 11 - 1:34

Take a knee, let 39 sec run

3rd and 12 - 0:55

Take a knee, let 39 sec run

 

Now you are snapping the ball on 4th down and punting, with 16 sec left.

 

 

Instead, they ran plays and Singletary ate some clock on his runs. Juuuust enough to allow us to kneel it down for the last play and get out.

 

 

Edited October 5, 2020 by DrDawkinstein

[Doc]

That I understood. What I didn’t understand was continuing to pass after the Raiders were stopped on their side of the field and Josh got them to a first and 10 at the 20 yard line. A holding penalty and then the sack push them out of field-goal range.

[Mango]

7 minutes ago, YattaOkasan said:

My only guess is time?  I was also surprised by the kneel on the same set of downs that we were running the ball.  I think motors run for 11 took enough time off that we didnt need to do anything more.

Hes talking about end of the game.  Before half i agree that was the logic.

I think they were just on the outside of taking a knee at the end of the game. They needed a first down to ensure taking would get them to the end of the game. After the timeout there was 1:34 on the clock. You can't run the clock out on 4th down because it is change of possession. 

Once they got the first down, they took a knee. 

Edited October 5, 2020 by Mango

[YattaOkasan]

Just now, Mango said:

I think they were just on the outside of taking a knee at the end of the game. They needed a first down to ensure taking would get them to the end of the game. After the timeout there was 1:34 on the clock. You can't run the clock out on 4th down because it is change of possession. 

Once they got the first down, they took a knee. 

I think youre right it was time, but they didnt actually get a first down.  I have 1:24 after the time out (pro football reference), and 84 seconds is just beyond the 2x 40 second play clocks.

[Just Joshin']

11 minutes ago, Ramza86 said:

I hope it was because they needed to take a couple of extra seconds off the clock in order to go into victory formation on 3rd down.

 

I personally didnt like the run, but if there was a play that needed to happen whether it be a run/punt/time killing throwaway. I would take the run.

Winner.  Kneeling would potentially force a punt with a few seconds left.  A punt return while low risk, is a higher risk then Motor with 2 arms on the ball.  The run used a few seconds, then the kneel.

[Jerome007]

The biggest strategic blunder were the Raiders NOT taking their timeouts while the Bills were milking the clock. Thank you very much. They had less than 4 minutes when they got the ball back and had to score twice.