The decision to go for the FG - right or wrong?

[Your Brown Eye]

This may be the first thread in the history of internet fan team message board's where a thread is started asking if the head coach made the right decision that resulted in a last-second victory.

 

 

[Buffalo03]

16 hours ago, ChrisWatson#21 said:

It would have only left them with 1 play from midfield so it was the right choice.  With more time on the clock you punt.  For once McDermott made a good call managing the clock.

It wasn't even midfield. The Dolphins would have got the ball from their own 44 yard line since that's where the actual line of scrimmage was. They would have had 5 seconds to get at least 12 to 15 yards. I don't know if they do it

[GunnerBill]

5 minutes ago, Billsatlastin2018 said:

100%!

 

As the Fish were matriculating down the field, I messaged my Sis as follows… “What really worries me here is, if they score, they’re going for 2 for the Win”

 

If your Surname commences with ‘McD’, is your end of game brain reduced to being the village eedgit as HC?

 

McSuntan… dude you’re 2-5, with your season AND perhaps your JOB on the line! You have been almost skunked during the Josh Allen era except where you subjected the Bills to heat stroke and even that was because there was clock mismanagement by our McD… to not allow a winning FG try.

 

You cannot give #17 the ball and 1:38 and 2 TOs in a Tie game and roll the die he’s gonna screw it up!

 

You MUST play for the W there!

 

If the seasonal positions were reversed, I would have gone crazy if McClappy did the same.

 

 

Yea I thought Miami would go for 2 too. Surprised they didn't.

Just now, Buffalo03 said:

It wasn't even midfield. The Dolphins would have got the ball from their own 44 yard line since that's where the actual line of scrimmage was. They would have had 5 seconds to get at least 12 to 15 yards. I don't know if they do it

 

You get it from where it was kicked now.

[Buffalo03]

12 minutes ago, GunnerBill said:

 

Yea I thought Miami would go for 2 too. Surprised they didn't.

 

You get it from where it was kicked now.

That's stupid. You should get it from the line of scrimmage. That's how it was before

[muppy]

the proof is in the pudding.    The end result is what in this case matters.

 

we can woulda coulda shoulda this scenario and presume what wrong/bad woulda coulda should have happened.  Could it have been a bad decision to kick? Yes. So?

 

this questioning in this situation went in our favor. And the fish woulda could a shoulda produced in the worse case scenario

 

It's a wash. mental fodder.

 

reality is what matters. That and the scoreboard 🙂

[Logic]

It was the right decision.

For months (years?) people excoriated McDermott for being too conservative and playing not to lose rather than playing to win. Punting would've been a cowardly, "play not to lose" move. Attempting the field goal was the aggressive, "I believe in my players", play-to-win move. 

The question that should REALLY be asked is "should the Dolphins have gone for two instead of an extra point", and in my mind, yes, they should have.

Granted, assuming everything from there onwards goes the same, it wouldn't have mattered, but still.

I thought Mike McDaniel's decision was cowardly, and I thought Sean McDermott's decision was courageous and correct, and I fully supported it.

(but also, yes, I was terrified, I assumed Bass would badly shank it, and that the Phins would have a shot at a Hail Mary or quick of their own to win the game. Luckily for me and for Bills fans, Bass absolutely drilled it, creating the greatest moment of his career to date.)

Edited November 4 by Logic

[That's No Moon]

20 minutes ago, Buffalo03 said:

It wasn't even midfield. The Dolphins would have got the ball from their own 44 yard line since that's where the actual line of scrimmage was. They would have had 5 seconds to get at least 12 to 15 yards. I don't know if they do it

That's not how that works. It's from where the ball is kicked. In this case it was the Bills 49.

Edited November 4 by That's No Moon

[Matt_In_NH]

29 minutes ago, Your Brown Eye said:

This may be the first thread in the history of internet fan team message board's where a thread is started asking if the head coach made the right decision that resulted in a last-second victory.

 

 

It is easy to confuse people who cannot read

[Billsatlastin2018]

2 hours ago, Your Brown Eye said:

This may be the first thread in the history of internet fan team message board's where a thread is started asking if the head coach made the right decision that resulted in a last-second victory.

 

 

This HC made the correct decision- for THIS end of game decision.

 

The reason why this is more than academic,is because THIS HC has made some terrible FUBAR end of game decisions, resulting in losses, starting with 13 Seconds, through multiple clown Defenses on Hail Marys and finishing with the latest- 3 running plays @ Houston, resulting in plenty of time to lose.

 

That is why someone started the post. HC end of half/game Decision Making is a critical aspect of management and should constantly be scrutinized.

[JROC INTEL]

Im the poster’s defense, i think it ok to go back and reevaluate even when the outcome is favorable. 
 

That being said I think it was the right choice. Bass has a strong leg and he had nothing to lose there and everything to gain.

[ngbills]

Right decision. If they did not try that kick then they need to cut Bass immediately.

 

The few plays before could have been better to leave less time on the clock. Even doing a run play on 2nd, then a quick spike with only 3 secs on 3rd would have been better. 

[Sweats]

the juice is worth the squeeze.......ya dig?

[mjt328]

Honestly, I couldn't believe it when they brought the Field Goal unit onto the field.

I kept yelling "what is he doing?" over and over, at McDermott.

All I could picture is missing it, Miami completing a quick 7-yard out, and then making their own long FG to win the game.

[BillsShredder83]

21 hours ago, Matt_In_NH said:

He made the kick, amazing moment....but was it the right decision?  Be honest, how many of you were holding your palms up saying what is he doing?   If he misses that kick, I think he pitchforks are in McDermott more than they are now.  I used to play poker and the whole with with that game which has a luck factor is you have to evaluate your decision at the time you make the decision, the outcome or what might have come if the rabbit camera picked up your one outer is irrelevant.   

 

If he misses that kick, Miami has 5 seconds and a timeout from the Bills 49, which is a 66 yard kick, could they have gotten 5 yards and their own look at a 61 yarder?  I think they could have.  Curious what others thoughts are on this topic, I know a bunch will not want to engage because he made it.  The people who second guess every outcome that goes the wrong way seem to be silent on almost every decision that that has a positive outcome for the Bills.

Depends on the time frame youre looking at.

 

In the moment I HATED IT, AS DID LIKELY EVERYONE ELSE ON EARTH.

 

Had he missed it I dont know my train of thought ever gets here:  but on a longer timeframe, I get the logic in trying it.... he hit a 49 and 40 I believe, while missing 1, almost 2 PAT's..... so he was having a hot (for him) & cold game.  In the moment, youre thinking a hail mary is low %, lower than the low % that he hits it..... you might be thinking OT doesnt scare the hell outta me... and that even if he misses, its not his fault he missed from 61, so hes scapegoat proof on it.  I'd like to think this was a calculated risk at giving him low risk/high reward chance at confidence booster

 

LETS HOPE IT WORKS

[Matt_In_NH]

2 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

I HATED IT, AS DID LIKELY EVERYONE ELSE ON EARTH.

Honestly in the moment, I was shocked they were kicking it and didnt have time to process my real thoughts.   But I am someone who kind of trusts the team is better at making decisions than I am and so I was just watching it thinking, no way this goes through.  The funny thing about the bolded, is people in this thread are mostly saying it was the right thing....maybe they felt that way.  I suspect most say that just because it went through the uprights.  In many ways he had nothing to lose but he crushed that ball!  It was so awesome of a moment.

1 hour ago, ngbills said:

The few plays before could have been better to leave less time on the clock. Even doing a run play on 2nd, then a quick spike with only 3 secs on 3rd would have been better. 

That drive was an unmitigated disaster saved by 2 Dolphin penalties.

[Albany,n.y.]

19 hours ago, mikemac2001 said:

Well you don’t know the rules calling back to back timeouts is a penalty 

 

so I’m sure they won’t take your coaching tips going forward 

The Bills won a game that way on 12/2/2007:

2007 Bills at Washington Joe Gibbs called an illegal timeout that gave Rian Lindell a shorter field to kick the game-winner.

[BillsShredder83]

21 hours ago, billsbackto81 said:

The wrong choice was McDaniel not freezing the kicker with 2 timeouts left. It's a 61 yard kick! Make him try it twice! His leg woulda been a limp noodle by his 3rd attempt. 

 

Right choice to kick though. We all know he's got the leg, he's just inconsistent. 

I dont think you can go back to back timeouts.... anybody else know? Couldve sworn its a no

[GunnerBill]

2 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

I dont think you can go back to back timeouts.... anybody else know? Couldve sworn its a no

 

You can't. It is a penalty. 

[billsbackto81]

4 minutes ago, BillsShredder83 said:

I dont think you can go back to back timeouts.... anybody else know? Couldve sworn its a no

You can't. I've already been scolded for it. 🤣🤣🤣

[Turk71]

  I immediately thought it was the right idea. For some reason I was certain he was gonna make it. I told my nervous wife, "relax, he's definitely going to make this"... I knew that my harsh criticism earlier would motivate him.  As he approached the ball I was laser focused, imparting all of the psychic energy I could muster. At the very instant his foot impacted the ball I funneled all of my energy into it and yelled BOOM, startling people in the room.... I knew instantly it was good and was celebrating while it was still in the air...it might have been good from 70.

   What a kick!😁