Football Strategy Question to settle a debate (1 Viewer)

[Deamon]

I'm fully aware this seems extremely irrelevant, but got into a debate with another football fan about the last play of the Saints/Panthers game and looking for more insight.   2 Parts:

1.  Why did Carolina not call their final to get the ball back with 35 seconds left, down 10 points?

2.  Had they called the timeout and stopped the clock, what would New Orleans have done?   You're up 10, 35 seconds left and a dead clock, 4th down on the opposing teams 27 yard line.  What would most NFL teams do there?

 

 

[Cowboysfan8]

I think id hand it off 

 

[Insein]

I'm fully aware this seems extremely irrelevant, but got into a debate with another football fan about the last play of the Saints/Panthers game and looking for more insight.   2 Parts:

1.  Why did Carolina not call their final to get the ball back with 35 seconds left, down 10 points?

2.  Had they called the timeout and stopped the clock, what would New Orleans have done?   You're up 10, 35 seconds left and a dead clock, 4th down on the opposing teams 27 yard line.  What would most NFL teams do there?

 

1. Ron Rivera is a moron. 

2. Payton would have kicked a FG cause he's a moron.

 

[-OZ-]

I'm fully aware this seems extremely irrelevant, but got into a debate with another football fan about the last play of the Saints/Panthers game and looking for more insight.   2 Parts:

1.  Why did Carolina not call their final to get the ball back with 35 seconds left, down 10 points?

2.  Had they called the timeout and stopped the clock, what would New Orleans have done?   You're up 10, 35 seconds left and a dead clock, 4th down on the opposing teams 27 yard line.  What would most NFL teams do there?

 

If I'm the coach of the saints I toss s screen to Kamara or hand off to ingram. Probably hand off but I'd need to assess.

If I have a mobile QB, say Tennessee or Seattle, I run an option. Or just let them eat clock until a receiver is wide open.

 

[Deamon]

1. Ron Rivera is a moron. 

2. Payton would have kicked a FG cause he's a moron.

haha so they're both morons? 

So he should have called the timeout, and then Payton should have just kneeled and handed the ball back to Carolina down 10 with 35 seconds left?

 

[Insein]

haha so they're both morons? 

So he should have called the timeout, and then Payton should have just kneeled and handed the ball back to Carolina down 10 with 35 seconds left?

Not kneeled. Just handoff and try to get the first. Either way make the clock run.

 

[Deamon]

If I'm the coach of the saints I toss s screen to Kamara or hand off to ingram. Probably hand off but I'd need to assess.

If I have a mobile QB, say Tennessee or Seattle, I run an option. Or just let them eat clock until a receiver is wide open.

How come no FG and then boot it through endzone for a touchback?  Same spot Carolina gets the ball, but now they're down 13 instead of 10.  Again, I know it would be extremely rare for the 10 or 13 point lead to matter, but why not do it?

 

[Deamon]

Not kneeled. Just handoff and try to get the first. Either way make the clock run.

Clock wouldn't run though if they didn't get the first down.  Would only waste about 3 seconds.

 

[-OZ-]

How come no FG and then boot it through endzone for a touchback?  Same spot Carolina gets the ball, but now they're down 13 instead of 10.  Again, I know it would be extremely rare for the 10 or 13 point lead to matter, but why not do it?

Partly because I trust my QB or the saints backs to get the first. Partly because the fg feels unnecessary. 

 

[mbuehner]

Field goal getting blocked and run back is one of the few scenarios Carolina has any plausible path to getting back. No reason to kick FG there for sure. Make Panthers need the entire field.

 

[renesauz]

Handoff or high percentage (screen) pass play is the call.

 

[CaptainJT]

CAR should have called a time out.  (We have all seen crazier thing happen).

Here's and idea. I send 1 WR out on a go route.  I leave everyone else in max-protection (TE's and RB's).  Have my qb (Brees) drop back... even drop very deep and wait several seconds and then launch the ball high out the back of the endzone as far as he can.  The play should take 3-5 seconds in qb's hand and another 4-6 in flight.   Could easily eat up 10 seconds of game time and give the ball back to CAR with only 25 seconds left.

 

[[scooter]]

Of course you call a timeout in that situation. Anytime you're not mathematically eliminated (i.e., within 16 points with ~10+ seconds to play), you call the timeout.

As for New Orleans, I think I'd opt for a safe swing/screen pass in that specific situation. An incomplete pass is no worse than a run for 0 yards, because the clock stops either way.

If they didn't need as much yardage, I'd run the ball.

If New Orleans was closer to the goal line, I might consider going for a field goal. But I'm not sure if (13 point lead)+(Carolina gets kickoff return) is better than (10 point lead)+(Carolina gets ball at ~5 yard line).

 

[ZWK]

It was 4th and 14 from the CAR 32. I would punt, aiming to pin them down inside the 10.

(But I would've run the ball on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd down, instead of kneeling, which might have changed the situation enough to go for it.)

 

[Joe Summer]

No way I punt from that position. How often does your punter practice 27-yard punts? The probability of a touchback or a lengthy punt return is just too high.

 

[mbuehner]

You shouldnt risk putting the ball in the other teams hands in a way that there is any possibility of them getting it into the endzone on that play. That rules out kicking, punting, or throwing (MAYBE a super safe swing pass type play). You run the ball, with your most reliable ball handler- have him run around a bit if possible to burn a few seconds. The most important priority is not to allow the other team to have a live ball with your defense on the sideline.

 

[Deamon]

Lots of differing answers here, thanks for the input.  Still find it odd that Carolina didn't stop the clock at 35 seconds by taking their final timeout.