McD end of game strategy

[Da webster guy]

It would have helped tremendously when we had 1st down on the KC 27 yard line for our OC and Head coach to tell Josh, listen man, we DONT want a touchdown right now, we want the next first down. We're already in FG range but our kicker has been erratic and we need to keep Mahomes on the bench, so just move the chains, we'll use the timeouts if we need to but this possession ends with us kicking a last second FG from the 10 yard line or getting a TD in the final seconds to win it.

 

I'm not saying McD didn't say that to Josh, but knowing him and the way he freezes up at the end of halves/games it never got said. Brady is an interim OC and probably is just thinking, how do we score asap? and Josh is the same way, he goes balls out.

 

These are the moments where a strategy can win you the game. Look for the underneath stuff Josh, it's a higher percentage play and we don't want the kill shot now anyway because KC has timeouts and we can't seem to stop Mahomes today.

 

If that gets said, he looks for Diggs wide open underneath instead of Shakir in the end zone, we move the chains, reduce the length of the kick by a lot and then play small ball until the clock winds down and then we take our shots to win it. Worst case it's a chip shot and we go to OT.   In other words, even if he hits Shakir for that touchdown I still think we lose that game, Mahomes with 2 minutes and multiple timeouts.   

 

Its something that your QB isn't going to think about, he's listening for the next play and trying to process the field stuff, you need strategy from your HC to feed him game management along the way.  That was a situation that called for small ball, high percentage, control the clock and kill time, but instead we're calling plays for endzone shots like there's only 20 seconds left

 

We need someone to manage our team during the games that sits next to our OC and can talk to Josh.  McD is a team leader/motivator not a strategic thinker, the OC has a tactical call the next play role, where is the strategist?  We lost because we didn't have one.

[JohnBonhamRocks]

Not disagreeing, but I just want to point out that McDermott got a lot of flak for the whole “scoring too fast” thing throughout the season.

[Real McClappy]

I texted my buddies the exact same thing above OP during the break. 

 

Then we do the complete opposite. 

[Drew21PA]

Am I the only one that feels with the shot to shake bring there - take it?

[VaMilBill]

I was actually thinking about this today. You need to cage your players brains on what strategy to execute. I completely agree with this assessment and really believed we would have won the game on a TD if he threw to Diggs, gets the first at that point. 

[Drew21PA]

I didn’t like 1st Down call though 

 

nor third down 

 

 

[Aussie Joe]

Do they ever prepare for scenarios like this all the hours they are together during the week?

[Matt_In_NH]

The game is not Madden, your goal is to score there, if the TD is there you have to take it especially against a top 2 defense in the league.  A TD puts you up by 4.  Sure if you can run the clock out and score on the last play you end the game but planning to do that would make your chances of scoring the TD much less.  The goal is the TD, you would not settle for the FG unless you get to fourth down.  I could not imagine any coach having the conversation in the first paragraph with any quarterback.

[Wraith]

3 minutes ago, Da webster guy said:

If that gets said, he looks for Diggs wide open underneath instead of Shakir in the end zone, we move the chains, reduce the length of the kick by a lot and then play small ball until the clock winds down and then we take our shots to win it. 

 

There was no way Diggs was getting the first down on that play. Assuming the pass is accurate with the blow from Dawkins, and assuming Diggs actually catches it, that option was getting 4 or 5 yards max. They would still be facing a 3rd and medium while trying to preserve a FG attempt.

[Warcodered]

7 minutes ago, Da webster guy said:

It would have helped tremendously when we had 1st down on the KC 27 yard line for our OC and Head coach to tell Josh, listen man, we DONT want a touchdown right now, we want the next first down. We're already in FG range but our kicker has been erratic and we need to keep Mahomes on the bench, so just move the chains, we'll use the timeouts if we need to but this possession ends with us kicking a last second FG from the 10 yard line or getting a TD in the final seconds to win it.

Then what Josh would have gone "Coach are you a ***** idiot?"

 

Yeah maybe it works out that way but you take a TD when you can get it, you're in the redzone against one of the best defenses in the NFL you'd have to be high not to.

Edited January 22 by Warcodered

[CapeBreton]

With how bad Bass has been, that should have changed the strategy. You can't just try three times (first run was just a wasted play too), not get it, and then have confidence in Bass there, wtf were they thinking? Awful strategy, thanks coach!

[msw2112]

Those 4 or 5 yards make it 3rd and manageable, as you correctly stated, which keeps the Chiefs' defense guessing and opens up the playbook more for the Bills.  Plus, a 41 yard FG becomes a 36 yarder.

 

I absolutely agree with the OP about the strategy there.  Not that you don't want a TD, but given the game situation, with time on the clock, the Chiefs having timeouts left, and Mahomes, Kelce, Reid, etc. on the other side, there's a damn good chance they score on the next drive.  Thus, yes, the objective should have been a) getting the first down; b) running the clock down; c) taking a few shots at the end zone from closer in; and d) settling for a shorter FG, with no time left, if that's what the situation called for.  Attempting a long throw into the end zone with a minute and half left and HOFers on the other team's offense, was not a winning strategy.  

Edited January 22 by msw2112

[Wraith]

 

[DrDawkinstein]

lol. McD and in-game situational strategy. Never gonna happen.

 

McD doesnt even know what to do in those situations. Let alone be able to convince the entire team of it. Let alone be ready for that situation with a set of plays they have practiced and packaged EXACTLY for this situation.

 

That would take someone who is a true student of the game and true Head Coach. We have a Defensive Coordinator getting paid as a HC who fills in as HC on game day.

[NoSaint]

I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand burning time down to 2 mins without even lining up to see if we could get an advantageous look- presumably because our goal was yo have the ball last 

 

and then come out of the 2 min warning with two fast shots ensuring that KC would have no worries with time and we would almost certainly be screwed if they scored. 
 

it seemed very jumbled philosophically.

[DrDawkinstein]

Just now, NoSaint said:

I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand burning time down to 2 mins without even lining up to see if we could get an advantageous look- presumably because our goal was yo have the ball last 

 

and then come out of the 2 min warning with two fast shots ensuring that KC would have no worries with time and we would almost certainly be screwed if they scored. 
 

it seemed very jumbled philosophically.

 

Because there was no plan. McD himself didnt know whether he wanted to score a TD, get a 1st down, or what. So he did the typical soft, loser thing and played for a tie.

[cgg716]

Why is this take everywhere? Also did anyone actually see Diggs and Shakir 

[NoSaint]

Just now, DrDawkinstein said:

 

Because there was no plan. McD himself didnt know whether he wanted to score a TD, get a 1st down, or what. So he did the typical soft, loser thing and played for a tie.

It was just so odd - either take your shots fast so you can get the ball back for the last possession or keep grinding the clock. The way we did it made it the worst case scenario. We score and kc has time and the ability to leave us without another touch. If we miss we need a perfect 3 and out to get another shot and zero room for error. Finishing that drive between say 60 to 120 seconds on the clock (bar napkin math there)and without kc burning timeouts is the literal worst case scenario for 0, 3 or 7 points scored 

[HomeskillitMoorman]

3 minutes ago, NoSaint said:

I’ll be honest, I didn’t understand burning time down to 2 mins without even lining up to see if we could get an advantageous look- presumably because our goal was yo have the ball last 

 

and then come out of the 2 min warning with two fast shots ensuring that KC would have no worries with time and we would almost certainly be screwed if they scored. 
 

it seemed very jumbled philosophically.

 

Right, we gave up a precious extra play to burn clock when that wasn't even the end game "strategy". I have no problem with taking the shots because you have to get into the end zone, that's the first priority there to me. But then don't waste that play on 1st down. 

 

But this is part of the big problem here. McD has no real end game strategy. We have far and away the worst head coach in the NFL who consistently gets bailed out...but it's not going to happen against these elite teams as we've seen over and over again during his era. 

 

We absolutely can not win big with him here. i don't see how so many fans or Terry just don't see that. 

[TheBrownBear]

15 minutes ago, Real McClappy said:

I texted my buddies the exact same thing above OP during the break. 

 

Then we do the complete opposite. 

Yep.  Said to my Dad, "we need one more first down here, even if it takes us going for a fourth and short."  What we saw was the downside of being down only 3 points and being in reasonable field goal range.  And, of course, we ended up with the worst possible outcome in that situation (other than a turnover).