Do players really know when to be a "playmaker" (1 Viewer)

[Da Guru]

Anyone who watched the Lion-Cowboy yesterday saw a play that blew my mind at the time.

Late in the game under 2 minutes left, the Cowboys have no timeouts. Romo gets drilled from behind and fumbles forward, if a Lion defensive player falls on the ball..game over!

Instead a falling on the ball A Lion defensive player (with nobody around him) tries to pick it up to run, he kicks it back 10 yards right into a Cowboy O-linemans waiting arms.

A simple recovery ends the game with three kneeldowns.

Who do you blame here? The player..the DC? You would think when the Cowboys took over every defensive player should realize the Cowboys have no timeouts left. "Any" turnover at that point means a Lion victory.

It is the ESPN highlight factor?

 

[Ghost Rider]

I didn't see it, but if it happened that way, that player is an idiot. Sure, the ESPN factor is a part of it, as every defensive player wants to be on ESPN's highlight reel, but a lot of it is stupidity and not knowing how to adjust to what the game situation is at the time.

A similar thing happened in week 1 with the 49ers and Cardinals. Arizona was up 17-13. Arnaz Battle catches a pass and is hit at the 1, where he fumbles the ball into the end zone. An Arizona defensive player tries to dive on the ball and the ball slips away and SF recovers it and gets the ball at the 1 since only the player who fumbled it forward can recover it for a TD at that point in the game. They then scored a TD to win 20-17. The smart thing for that Arizona player to do would have been to bat the ball out of the end zone. No recovery by SF means the game is over, and the Cardinals win.

 

[Addai's Adidas]

Everyone lost that game for the Lions. Hanson missed a field goal, the offense couldn't get a first down when it counted, the defense couldn't stop them. Plenty of blame to go around.

 

[Lash]

the "ESPN" factor wouldve put that play on highlights anyways as showing how the Boys lost and praising the young man for playing smart by not trying to advance the ball

 

[-OZ-]

player is to blame, but perhaps the coaching needs to instill situational-awareness

 

[mad sweeney]

Anyone who watched the Lion-Cowboy yesterday saw a play that blew my mind at the time.Late in the game under 2 minutes left, the Cowboys have no timeouts. Romo gets drilled from behind and fumbles forward, if a Lion defensive player falls on the ball..game over!Instead a falling on the ball A Lion defensive player (with nobody around him) tries to pick it up to run, he kicks it back 10 yards right into a Cowboy O-linemans waiting arms.A simple recovery ends the game with three kneeldowns.Who do you blame here? The player..the DC? You would think when the Cowboys took over every defensive player should realize the Cowboys have no timeouts left. "Any" turnover at that point means a Lion victory.It is the ESPN highlight factor?

It was a really quick ball that came at him. The way it looked I don't think falling on it would've been very easy. It went right to his hands and he tried to catch it, it wasn't on the ground and it looked like the ball's momentum made it hit his knee and pop out. If he barely had time to get his hands there, I don't think flopping his whole body on it would be possible. I understand your point and think a lot of times a player misses and opp to recover because they're trying to get the big play, but I really don't think so in this case. I think it was just a lucky bounce for the Cowboys and the Lion shouldn't be faulted for not getting it.

 

[dgreen]

Usually, players are told to try to pick up a ball if nobody is around them and fall on it if someone is close. However, in that situation, the player should know to just fall on it. But, that's a quick decision. Ever notice how on a late-game INT the player will run for a while before he figures out he should just go down?

I think coaching these days has led to players not having to think too much. Most of the time, I think that's good. Sometimes, as in this case, it's not good.

 

[Da Guru]

Anyone who watched the Lion-Cowboy yesterday saw a play that blew my mind at the time.Late in the game under 2 minutes left, the Cowboys have no timeouts. Romo gets drilled from behind and fumbles forward, if a Lion defensive player falls on the ball..game over!Instead a falling on the ball A Lion defensive player (with nobody around him) tries to pick it up to run, he kicks it back 10 yards right into a Cowboy O-linemans waiting arms.A simple recovery ends the game with three kneeldowns.Who do you blame here? The player..the DC? You would think when the Cowboys took over every defensive player should realize the Cowboys have no timeouts left. "Any" turnover at that point means a Lion victory.It is the ESPN highlight factor?

It was a really quick ball that came at him. The way it looked I don't think falling on it would've been very easy. It went right to his hands and he tried to catch it, it wasn't on the ground and it looked like the ball's momentum made it hit his knee and pop out. If he barely had time to get his hands there, I don't think flopping his whole body on it would be possible. I understand your point and think a lot of times a player misses and opp to recover because they're trying to get the big play, but I really don't think so in this case. I think it was just a lucky bounce for the Cowboys and the Lion shouldn't be faulted for not getting it.

You think so? I TIVOed the game and watched it a couple of times. It appears he wanted to take it to the house instead of controlling the ball. Marinelli even mentioned that play after the game and players knowing the situation.

 

[FavreCo]

You think so? I TIVOed the game and watched it a couple of times. It appears he wanted to take it to the house instead of controlling the ball. Marinelli even mentioned that play after the game and players knowing the situation.

Saw it. No doubt about it and he cost them the win trying to take the glory.

 

[GroveDiesel]

This stuff happens all the time.

Take the Browns/Jets game for instance. At the end of the game, Jamal Lewis breaks free and runs for a 31 yard TD. However, the Jets only had one timeout at that point. If he kneels at the 1 yard line, the Browns would be able to kneel down and run out the clock. It was as close to a guaranteed victory as you could get. Instead, the Jets actually got the ball back with about a minute to play. It was extremely improbable that they could drive the field, get an onside kick then drive the field again for a FG, but by scoring the TD, Lewis actually gave the Jets a slightly better chance to win the game.

 

[Jeff Pasquino]

IIRC it was Paris Lenon.

 

[TxBuckeye]

You think so? I TIVOed the game and watched it a couple of times. It appears he wanted to take it to the house instead of controlling the ball. Marinelli even mentioned that play after the game and players knowing the situation.

Saw it. No doubt about it and he cost them the win trying to take the glory.

I concur. Was talking to someone about this today. Yes the ball came right at him, but he definitely was trying to pick it up and run. He and Hanson were both major goats in this one.

 

[mad sweeney]

Anyone who watched the Lion-Cowboy yesterday saw a play that blew my mind at the time.Late in the game under 2 minutes left, the Cowboys have no timeouts. Romo gets drilled from behind and fumbles forward, if a Lion defensive player falls on the ball..game over!Instead a falling on the ball A Lion defensive player (with nobody around him) tries to pick it up to run, he kicks it back 10 yards right into a Cowboy O-linemans waiting arms.A simple recovery ends the game with three kneeldowns.Who do you blame here? The player..the DC? You would think when the Cowboys took over every defensive player should realize the Cowboys have no timeouts left. "Any" turnover at that point means a Lion victory.It is the ESPN highlight factor?

It was a really quick ball that came at him. The way it looked I don't think falling on it would've been very easy. It went right to his hands and he tried to catch it, it wasn't on the ground and it looked like the ball's momentum made it hit his knee and pop out. If he barely had time to get his hands there, I don't think flopping his whole body on it would be possible. I understand your point and think a lot of times a player misses and opp to recover because they're trying to get the big play, but I really don't think so in this case. I think it was just a lucky bounce for the Cowboys and the Lion shouldn't be faulted for not getting it.

You think so? I TIVOed the game and watched it a couple of times. It appears he wanted to take it to the house instead of controlling the ball. Marinelli even mentioned that play after the game and players knowing the situation.

I only saw it on a small TV and a replay once or twice. It didn't look like the typical stupid player, ball's on the ground and all you have to do is fall on it type of play. The ball wasn't even on the ground, it was bouncing towards him. That was my intitial reaction when watching it and when I saw replays I felt the same way. It seemed like thebest way for him to get the ball was catching it and if his other leg had been coming forward he would've had it. But I could be wrong. It was certainly far from the worst example of not falling on the ball.

 

[mofo313]

There were several key chances we had to put that away--starting with the missed opp on the 1 yard line in the first half. We put up a TD there and we're in great shape heading to the half, put up 3 and all the sudden everyone's thinking "here we go again".

Same old Lions.

 

[Da Guru]

There were several key chances we had to put that away--starting with the missed opp on the 1 yard line in the first half. We put up a TD there and we're in great shape heading to the half, put up 3 and all the sudden everyone's thinking "here we go again".

Same old Lions.

My daughters are 15 and 16 and they say "Same old Lions already" In fact my 16 year old said that as soon as Hanson missed that chip short... "Same old Lions..Dad" We are going to lose. As soon as the Lions did not pick up the first down with 2:17 remaning I knew Dallas was going to win. We pick up one more first down. The game is over. Recover a fumble, game is over, make a short FG..game is over. SAME OLD LIONS!!!

 

[Captain Spaulding]

I blame Vegas or the Mob. Obvious gamefixing!

 

[GoBears84]

It was a really quick ball that came at him. The way it looked I don't think falling on it would've been very easy. It went right to his hands and he tried to catch it, it wasn't on the ground and it looked like the ball's momentum made it hit his knee and pop out. If he barely had time to get his hands there, I don't think flopping his whole body on it would be possible. I understand your point and think a lot of times a player misses and opp to recover because they're trying to get the big play, but I really don't think so in this case. I think it was just a lucky bounce for the Cowboys and the Lion shouldn't be faulted for not getting it.

It was a tough ball to handle. While I have seen many players blow an opportunity by trying to be a playmaker, this did not appear to be one of those times.

 

[mad sweeney]

I just saw the replay again and although I was wrong about the speed of the ball coming at him, I still don't think there's anything he could've done better. The ball was in the air, so falling on it wasn't really an option. To fall out on he would've had to grab it in the air first and he didn't get the grab in the first place. IMO, he did the best thing possible, just had butterfingers and the ball caught his feet and into a diving Cowboy. I just really don't see what he could've/should've done different, other than have better hands.

 

[certificate]

I don't know if you've played football at a high level or not, but you're not really thinking, you're just reacting. If he had it secured and then was trying to take it to the house and fumbled, sure thats dumb. But in the second or so that it's bouncing into his hands and he's securing it, he doesn't have time to think about the game situation.

 

[Lord Lucan]

This wouldn't be the first game this season where the Cowboys won because of opponents' inability to think quickly.

In week 5 against the Bills, Dallas faced a 3rd and 6 with no timeouts and only 7 seconds remaining on Buffalo's 43. That would have meant a 60-yard FG, so when Romo lined up the Bills should have known only two plays were possible - a Hail Mary or a quick, shallow throw to the sidelines to make the FG easier. Yet the Bills lined up with 3 LBs/DBs right in the middle of the field , almost within touching distance, ten yards back from the line of scrimmage. Any football instincts should have told them there was no way on God's earth the ball was going anywhere other than the sideline (or, possibly, the end zone on a Hail Mary). Yet Romo was allowed to complete an easy pass to Crayton for an 8-yard gain with 2 seconds left and the impossible 60-yard FG was suddenly a 53-yarder, which Folk nailed.

Of course, the Bills could have called a time out before the fateful 3rd down play and got their defense sorted out, but they saved it up to ice the kicker...

 

[Twilight]

Similar bonehead "WannabeonESPN" moments twice in the Raiders/Minnesota game a couple of weeks ago. Asumgha intercepted it in the End zone, and promptly trys to run it out instead of taking a knee. Tackled at the 1. Not too bad, but could have been worse.

The bad one was Greenway at the end of the game though. He intercepted the ball in the final couple of minutes, and essentially ended the game if he just drops. But he then tries to run it, gets it knocked out of his hands, and gives the Raiders one more chance to try to win.

 

[mad sweeney]

Similar bonehead "WannabeonESPN" moments twice in the Raiders/Minnesota game a couple of weeks ago. Asumgha intercepted it in the End zone, and promptly trys to run it out instead of taking a knee. Tackled at the 1. Not too bad, but could have been worse.The bad one was Greenway at the end of the game though. He intercepted the ball in the final couple of minutes, and essentially ended the game if he just drops. But he then tries to run it, gets it knocked out of his hands, and gives the Raiders one more chance to try to win.

Hi, my name is Marlon McCree and I play for the SD Chargers. I intercepted Tom Brady on NE's final drive and had I slid to the ground the Chargers wou'ld have hosted Indy next week. But I thought I could score, even though I didn't need to, and got the ball stripped. I'm going to stick up for this guy and repeat that this was not a boneheaded play. The ball was in the air, and if he had any kind of hands whatsoever he'd have snagged it. He didn't make any mental mistake, just didn't have the ball skills.

 

[GregR_2]

I didn't see it, but if it happened that way, that player is an idiot. Sure, the ESPN factor is a part of it, as every defensive player wants to be on ESPN's highlight reel, but a lot of it is stupidity and not knowing how to adjust to what the game situation is at the time.

A similar thing happened in week 1 with the 49ers and Cardinals. Arizona was up 17-13. Arnaz Battle catches a pass and is hit at the 1, where he fumbles the ball into the end zone. An Arizona defensive player tries to dive on the ball and the ball slips away and SF recovers it and gets the ball at the 1 since only the player who fumbled it forward can recover it for a TD at that point in the game. They then scored a TD to win 20-17. The smart thing for that Arizona player to do would have been to bat the ball out of the end zone. No recovery by SF means the game is over, and the Cardinals win.

If there is a loose ball in either end zone it cannot be batted in any direction (rule 12-1-8). If a defensive player had done so it would have been a 10 yard penalty assessed at the spot of the fumble, or in this case, half the distance to the goal from the spot of the fumble.So trying to recover the ball was the correct thing to do.