Comments on: Hard to get a read on how good Redskins really are http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/ The National Sports Blog Sun, 22 Nov 2009 05:51:07 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: John Paulsen http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-233146 John Paulsen Mon, 20 Oct 2008 16:22:39 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-233146 It's not often that a team scores from the 4 or the 5 yard-line (on a fourth down). A run really isn't that big of a threat and the field is so compressed that it's difficult to throw the ball. You're much better off taking the field goal there and worrying about the TD later on. Chances are you'll have a number of opportunities to get a score, and with pass interference penalties the way they are, there's a pretty good chance of eventually getting the ball back at the one-yard line looking for the game-tying TD. The downside of going for it is that the game is pretty much over if you fail to score the TD. To me, it's a no-brainer, but Crennel apparently has his own theory about it. It’s not often that a team scores from the 4 or the 5 yard-line (on a fourth down). A run really isn’t that big of a threat and the field is so compressed that it’s difficult to throw the ball. You’re much better off taking the field goal there and worrying about the TD later on. Chances are you’ll have a number of opportunities to get a score, and with pass interference penalties the way they are, there’s a pretty good chance of eventually getting the ball back at the one-yard line looking for the game-tying TD. The downside of going for it is that the game is pretty much over if you fail to score the TD.

To me, it’s a no-brainer, but Crennel apparently has his own theory about it.

]]> By: Anthony Stalter http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-233080 Anthony Stalter Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:24:38 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-233080 I agree with Jamey - the FG is the smarter play, especially after the Redskins had just stoned you three straight times from the goal line. Like G said, no decision was necessarily wrong and this was Crennel-light compared to his other clueless calls throughout his coaching career, but he again looked over matched for the situation. I agree with Jamey – the FG is the smarter play, especially after the Redskins had just stoned you three straight times from the goal line.

Like G said, no decision was necessarily wrong and this was Crennel-light compared to his other clueless calls throughout his coaching career, but he again looked over matched for the situation.

]]> By: Jamey Codding http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-233078 Jamey Codding Mon, 20 Oct 2008 14:19:47 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-233078 "A TD gives you a great chance to win - a field goal makes it tough." But a failed attempt on fourth down pretty much ends the game. A field goal gives you a chance. Either way, you need a TD, two point conversion and a FG. (Or two TDs, obviously.) You take the points when you can get them and make it a one-possession game. If Eric Wright hadn't made the big play on Portis to force the fumble, the game was over after they failed to score on 4th-and-goal. If they kick the field goal there, they've got two timeouts, the two-minute warning and 2:50 (roughly) on the clock to get the ball back and go for the tying TD (and conversion). I'm all for being aggressive, but the math says you have to kick the field goal there and give yourself a shot in a one-possession game. I agree that there have been times throughout his tenure when Crennel has kicked a field goal at a time when he had to go for the TD. This wasn't one of those times. To me, this looked like a case of Crennel feeling the heat for all the times he elected to kick when it made no sense, so this time he said, "Screw it, I'm going for it." But this time, it was the wrong call, and Eric Wright bailed him out. “A TD gives you a great chance to win – a field goal makes it tough.”

But a failed attempt on fourth down pretty much ends the game. A field goal gives you a chance.

Either way, you need a TD, two point conversion and a FG. (Or two TDs, obviously.) You take the points when you can get them and make it a one-possession game. If Eric Wright hadn’t made the big play on Portis to force the fumble, the game was over after they failed to score on 4th-and-goal. If they kick the field goal there, they’ve got two timeouts, the two-minute warning and 2:50 (roughly) on the clock to get the ball back and go for the tying TD (and conversion). I’m all for being aggressive, but the math says you have to kick the field goal there and give yourself a shot in a one-possession game.

I agree that there have been times throughout his tenure when Crennel has kicked a field goal at a time when he had to go for the TD. This wasn’t one of those times. To me, this looked like a case of Crennel feeling the heat for all the times he elected to kick when it made no sense, so this time he said, “Screw it, I’m going for it.” But this time, it was the wrong call, and Eric Wright bailed him out.

]]> By: Gerardo Orlando http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-232739 Gerardo Orlando Mon, 20 Oct 2008 06:09:34 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-232739 If you kick the field goal, you still need to scores a TD and then also get the 2 point conversion. I doubt the scoring percentage is much worse from the 4 as opposed to the 2 (most teams pass in that situation). A TD gives you a great chance to win - a field goal makes it tough. Either way makes sense, but this isn't like earlier times in the season where Crennel was stupid for kicking a field goal late in the game. If you kick the field goal, you still need to scores a TD and then also get the 2 point conversion. I doubt the scoring percentage is much worse from the 4 as opposed to the 2 (most teams pass in that situation). A TD gives you a great chance to win – a field goal makes it tough.

Either way makes sense, but this isn’t like earlier times in the season where Crennel was stupid for kicking a field goal late in the game.

]]> By: John Paulsen http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-232688 John Paulsen Mon, 20 Oct 2008 04:37:24 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-232688 Maaaaaaaaaybe you go for it on a 4th and 1, but it was a 4th and goal from the 4. The chances of scoring there were low, much lower than kicking the field goal and hoping for a stop. It seemed like a decision made out of frustration. Maaaaaaaaaybe you go for it on a 4th and 1, but it was a 4th and goal from the 4. The chances of scoring there were low, much lower than kicking the field goal and hoping for a stop. It seemed like a decision made out of frustration.

]]> By: Gerardo Orlando http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-232525 Gerardo Orlando Mon, 20 Oct 2008 01:20:21 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-232525 I think Crennel is terrible, but I was OK with him going for it. I think this one was a judgement call. That said, the calls were terrible. With Jamal Lewis you need to line it up 4 times and ram it in the endzone. I think Crennel is terrible, but I was OK with him going for it. I think this one was a judgement call. That said, the calls were terrible. With Jamal Lewis you need to line it up 4 times and ram it in the endzone.

]]> By: Jamey Codding http://www.scoresreport.com/2008/10/19/hard-to-get-a-read-on-how-good-redskins-really-are/#comment-232487 Jamey Codding Mon, 20 Oct 2008 00:32:58 +0000 http://www.scoresreport.com/?p=7838#comment-232487 Crennel should be fired. That was one of the absolute worst calls I've ever seen a head coach make. Like you said -- he's clueless. He makes at least one terrible decision a game, and his team is poorly coached. They just gave Crennel an extension but I don't care -- the guy is awful, and he needs to be fired now. Also, until now I've been one of the few preaching patience with Derek Anderson, especially on the heels on the Giants game. No more -- he needs to be benched. They kept waiting for DA to get going this week but instead he kept making one poor throw after another. The Browns could have won this game with a more accurate quarterback. I don't necessarily think Brady Quinn is going to save the season, but DA was flat awful today. Shake up the entire thing. Crennel should be fired. That was one of the absolute worst calls I’ve ever seen a head coach make. Like you said — he’s clueless. He makes at least one terrible decision a game, and his team is poorly coached. They just gave Crennel an extension but I don’t care — the guy is awful, and he needs to be fired now.

Also, until now I’ve been one of the few preaching patience with Derek Anderson, especially on the heels on the Giants game. No more — he needs to be benched. They kept waiting for DA to get going this week but instead he kept making one poor throw after another. The Browns could have won this game with a more accurate quarterback. I don’t necessarily think Brady Quinn is going to save the season, but DA was flat awful today.

Shake up the entire thing.

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