Passing on 3rd and 1

[Kelly the Dog]

Answer: b ) what. Because passing on third and one is not a bad call. Every good and great team in the history of modern football passes on 3rd and 1 at times. As SDS reminded me at the game, the very best time is at the goalline. If you watch football at all, you will see dozens and dozens of 3rd and 1 passes from the goalline throughout the year.

 

If you want to play the blame game, and say that all calls that work are good calls and all calls that don't work are bad calls, that is fine. But please do not cross over to the other equation that a 3rd and 1 pass is a terrible call because of the Killdrive Syndrome of always passing on 3rd and 1 or 2 or 3 because that's just wrong. Always running on 3rd and 1 is just as stupid as always passing on 3rd and 1. So if you're arguing that the play-call on 3rd and 1 which Drew got the sack was just bad play-calling because you never do that, you're as clueless as Killdrive.

 

The only argument that is fair is that in this particular case we should have run up the gut four straight plays and pounded it in. That is a very fair argument, and may be true, but it is a judgment argument, and a strategy argument, and there is no right or wrong answer to it. It may not have worked either, as Jax has perhaps the best short run defense in the league. One of them for sure.

 

When you're a running team, which we displayed throughout the game, and had successfully run on 3rd and short earlier, play-action on 3rd and 1 is a solid and often an excellent call. We were 50% on 3rd down pick-ups throughout the game. This time it just didn't work.

[Bledsoe1]

I have to admit the first thing I thought was, "oh no not again" not another Gilbride...

[Rico]

Answer: b ) what. Because passing on third and one is not a bad call. Every good and great team in the history of modern football passes on 3rd and 1 at times. As SDS reminded me at the game, the very best time is at the goalline. If you watch football at all, you will see dozens and dozens of 3rd and 1 passes from the goalline throughout the year.

 

If you want to play the blame game, and say that all calls that work are good calls and all calls that don't work are bad calls, that is fine. But please do not cross over to the other equation that a 3rd and 1 pass is a terrible call because of the Killdrive Syndrome of always passing on 3rd and 1 or 2 or 3 because that's just wrong. Always running on 3rd and 1 is just as stupid as always passing on 3rd and 1. So if you're arguing that the play-call on 3rd and 1 which Drew got the sack was just bad play-calling because you never do that, you're as clueless as Killdrive.

 

The only argument that is air is that in this particular case we should have run up the gut four straight plays and pounded it in. That is a very fair argument, and may be true, but it is a judgment argument, and a strategy argument, and there is no right or wrong answer to it. It may not have worked either, as Jax has perhaps the best short run defense in the league. One of them for sure.

 

When you're a running team, which we displayed throughout the game, and had successfully run on 3rd and short earlier, play-action on 3rd and 1 is a solid and often an excellent call. We were 50% on 3rd down pick-ups throughout the game. This time it just didn't work.

32054[/snapback]

I think the bad call was having TH in there running instead of Willis.

Not sure why that was, but if it was to avoid hurting TH's feelings,

that's really messed up.

[Mike in Syracuse]

Don't listen to SDS, he's crazier than a shithouse rat.

[LabattBlue]

Answer: b ) what. Because passing on third and one is not a bad call. Every good and great team in the history of modern football passes on 3rd and 1 at times. As SDS reminded me at the game, the very best time is at the goalline. If you watch football at all, you will see dozens and dozens of 3rd and 1 passes from the goalline throughout the year.

 

If you want to play the blame game, and say that all calls that work are good calls and all calls that don't work are bad calls, that is fine. But please do not cross over to the other equation that a 3rd and 1 pass is a terrible call because of the Killdrive Syndrome of always passing on 3rd and 1 or 2 or 3 because that's just wrong. Always running on 3rd and 1 is just as stupid as always passing on 3rd and 1. So if you're arguing that the play-call on 3rd and 1 which Drew got the sack was just bad play-calling because you never do that, you're as clueless as Killdrive.

 

The only argument that is air is that in this particular case we should have run up the gut four straight plays and pounded it in. That is a very fair argument, and may be true, but it is a judgment argument, and a strategy argument, and there is no right or wrong answer to it. It may not have worked either, as Jax has perhaps the best short run defense in the league. One of them for sure.

 

When you're a running team, which we displayed throughout the game, and had successfully run on 3rd and short earlier, play-action on 3rd and 1 is a solid and often an excellent call. We were 50% on 3rd down pick-ups throughout the game. This time it just didn't work.

32054[/snapback]

 

 

Kelly I agree completely. Too many fans in the off-season have got caught up in this run, run & run some more mentality. Much like last year, it's not so much whether a run or pass has been called. It's the execution of the play that matters!!!!

[Realist]

I think the bad call was having TH in there running instead of Willis.

Not sure why that was, but if it was to avoid hurting TH's feelings,

that's really messed up.

32064[/snapback]

 

My feelings exactly, Rico. Willis showed a knack for getting in the endzone from inside the 5 during the preseason. They should have tried him at least once maybe even twice if they went for it if it was 4th and 1.

[34-78-83]

I think the bad call was having TH in there running instead of Willis.

Not sure why that was, but if it was to avoid hurting TH's feelings,

that's really messed up.

32064[/snapback]

 

TH was in there because he has proven to have just as good instincts for the endzone as McGahee has shown in the ever meaningful Preseason

[Kelly the Dog]

I think the bad call was having TH in there running instead of Willis.

Not sure why that was, but if it was to avoid hurting TH's feelings,

that's really messed up.

32064[/snapback]

 

Last year Travis had three short rushing touchdowns against Jax. In the last two years, Travis has scored more touchdowns than all but about 4 backs in the entire league. And did it on a pass-happy team with terrible line blocking and play calling. Willis seems to have a nose for the goalline, I agree, but Travis does, too. IMO, that was not a bad decision, and certainly wasn't made to keep Travis happy or because the coaches are scared of making him sulk.

[Rico]

TH was in there because he has proven to have just as good instincts for the endzone as McGahee has shown in the ever meaningful Preseason  

32079[/snapback]

I'm not slamming TH here,

TH has good goalline instincts, but I think Willis' are much better.

 

On another note...

(didn't see any replays to check BUT) IF Mike Williams was lined up

against Paul F'n Spicer on the goal line, that is a huge mismatch ON PAPER...

If it was Erik Williams in his prime, easy TD over RT.

[34-78-83]

I'm not slamming TH here,

TH has good goalline instincts, but I think Willis' are much better.

 

On another note...

(didn't see any replays to check BUT) IF Mike Williams was lined up

against Paul F'n Spicer on the goal line, that is a huge mismatch ON PAPER...

If it was Erik Williams in his prime, easy TD over RT.

32098[/snapback]

 

I agree with you on the running to the right. I was curious why there wasn't more of that in short yardage situations too. Were our TE's getting blown up into the backfield when we ran that way? Or was Stroud blowing up Chris V? I'm not sure, but I do remember alot of penetration from the inside by the JAX DT's ....

[KD in CA]

Answer: b ) what. Because passing on third and one is not a bad call. Every good and great team in the history of modern football passes on 3rd and 1 at times.

 

Every crappy team in history passes on 3d and 1 'at times' as well.

 

The time to pass on the goal line is first or second down, if you must. CLEARLY, it is preferable to run the ball into the endzone.....this is what great teams do. No need to risk INT or sack or holding penalty when you can pound it in with either of two capable RBs.

 

I won't say it was a bad call just because it didn't work, but I'd feel more confident in the team if they had a smashmouth attitude on the goalline.

[Hollywood Donahoe]

If you ever find yourself annoyed at you OC for calling a pass on 3rd and very short, just be thankful that there's a back in the backfield.

 

Last Thursday, Charlie Weis called for an empty backfield set THREE times on 3rd and 2. Why he decided to make the Colts' job way easier by completely taking away the threat of a run is beyond me, but he did it.

[Kelly the Dog]

If you ever find yourself annoyed at you OC for calling a pass on 3rd and very short, just be thankful that there's a back in the backfield.

 

Last Thursday, Charlie Weis called for an empty backfield set THREE times on 3rd and 2.  Why he decided to make the Colts' job way easier by completely taking away the threat of a run is beyond me, but he did it.

32113[/snapback]

Agreed. Much more than the actual play-calling, that is what used to piss me off the most about Killdrive, too. he wouldn't have any backs in the backfield, or he would shift and put Sam Gash out wide as a WR, or he wouldn't fake the run with play-action. That was the unconscionable part.

[zow2]

What's interesting is that this offensive staff (Clements, Mularkey),,,was know for their trickery in Pittsburgh. They might be trying to become smashmouth in Buffalo but you can't expect these guys to completely abandon their persona. Sometimes they like to pass or use trick plays in obvious running situations.

[HarkinBanks]

Personally, I do think this was a horrible call. They should have run right at them again and then again on 4th down if necessary. A) They most likely would have gotten in and B) Jacksonville would have been on their one foot line if we didn't get in and our defense was playing great. I think this would have set the tone for the season that we are committed to the run AND have total faith in our defense.

 

Call it hindisight if you want, but everyone I was sitting with at the game said the same thing BEFORE the 3rd down pass play.

[JStranger76]

Every once in a while you gotta try a pass in that situation. As long as we run it on about 8 out of 10 times on 3rd and 1 I have nothing to complain about. It's that 55 out of 55 3rd and 1's where a pass is called that bothers me.

[ch19079]

passing on 3rd and goal when the last 2 times you ran you were stuffed. that is NOT a bad call. (i would have done a toss play.. but thats me..)

 

i saw a few times when it was 3rd and short, and we ran for a first down. a few times we had a screen pass, but thats good too.

[Rubes]

I haven't chimed in on this before, but I will say this.

 

Passing on 3rd and goal at the 1, following two running plays, was not a great call. In fact, I was hoping beyond hope that they would not pass on 3rd down, after calling two running plays on 1st and 2nd down.

 

Why?

 

Passing on 3rd and 1 is not a bad idea, as you point out. But, it's a bad idea when the defense is looking for it. When are they looking for it? On 3rd and goal at the 1, after two straight running plays that didn't get it in.

 

The time to pass is on 1st (or even 2nd) down. When it's 1st and goal at the 2 (or 3, wherever it was), that's a great time to pass it.

 

This, of course, is not set in stone by any means. But I (and many others) have always felt that a pass on 3rd and goal at the 1 is not the greatest idea when you've just run it twice without success.

[BuffalOhio]

Last year Travis had three short rushing touchdowns against Jax. In the last two years, Travis has scored more touchdowns than all but about 4 backs in the entire league. And did it on a pass-happy team with terrible line blocking and play calling. Willis seems to have a nose for the goalline, I agree, but Travis does, too. IMO, that was not a bad decision, and certainly wasn't made to keep Travis happy or because the coaches are scared of making him sulk.

32089[/snapback]

 

The should've tried a pitch right then, because I remember Travis scoring 2 TD's that way against them last year. Up the gut played right into their strength.

[Rubes]

The should've tried a pitch right then, because I remember Travis scoring 2 TD's that way against them last year.  Up the gut played right into their strength.

32225[/snapback]

 

This was another problem I had, now that you mention it. The Jags are well known to be strong up the middle, with their two excellent tackles. Why try punching it in up the middle twice? Why not at least give it a try around end? A pitch would've been a nice call, IMO.