The whole game my mother was going : "Oh, we get it, you scored a TD." "What is that long red rope hanging from his jersey for? Doesn't he know it is a uniform and what uniform means?" "Oh stop it! We know you are mad!" I swear she has gotten 10x worse since Dad died three years ago. It is somewhat hilarious how cantankerous she has gotten.
The NFL has spent the last 5 or so years really trying to appeal to soccer moms and grannies for some reason. People that would literally puke and then break down in tears if they actually heard/saw what is really happening within a professional football team haha
Having slept on it: you dominated most of the game but find yourself in OT against Mahommes. It's 3rd and 5 down inside their 10 or whatever. I don't think taking a shot and kicking the field goal was the optimal move. I think you run it with the intention of going on 4th. Did anyone think they were in a good position to win up 3 in OT? I didn't. I think we all knew that the most likely outcome was KC scores a TD, and the second most likely was they tie it again. I think you have to play to win the game down there. I wouldn't say that if they were kicking the FG from the 20 or something.
Also, play the same D you had been. They were playing not to get beat deep (though they were blitzing). [uck fay] it, if they beat you on a big play so be it.
Assume now if when OT happens in playoffs coaches will kick. You can stop them and win. You can maybe get field position. Get a TO and win. And you can know what needs to be done so if it’s 3rd and 10 from your own 30 and you have to have points, you have 2 downs, whereas if you took the ball in same situation you have 1 down to get 10.
Ya, which is why they need to adjust to this reality and be more aggressive when they get it first. It is counterintuitive, but the odds have now changed and playing it "smart" is different than what it used to be. In general, the traditional wisdom on 3rd and 4th downs is wrong. we know that. It wasn't always wrong, but it is now with the way the defense can't head hunt.
After sleeping on it and thinking about it more this morning, I still want Alicia Keys to be my next wife.
The flip side here though is that if you go for it on 4th and don’t get it, Mahomes just needs about 40-45 yards to get in FG range for their guy who has been automatic all year. If you get the points, yes they only would need to go about the same distance for a FG but that’s for a tie and not to win it, and then you’re getting the ball with a change to get it in FG range and win the game. I do agree that it being Mahomes on the other side changes the equation.
I think the flip side has bad optics, but the reality was that the odds of stopping Mahomes from getting 3 points and extending the game or just winning it were very, very low. The odds of holding them to no points from a drive inside their own 5 are at least similar, if not better. You run on third and you call a play for the yards left. Then YOU have the initiative and YOU have the chances instead of them. That's just me. I get that even if I am correct (and maybe I am not), the optics risk getting fired if it doesn't work out. But I think your chances of winning are greater, by perhaps 10% or more. Especially against an elite QB.
I know it didn't work out very well this past year, but I LOVE the way Heupel attacks 4th downs. I think he's right and I think it will pay dividends again with a QB that can read the plays faster. If you are midfield or closer and it isn't a low time situation, you should be going for it on 4th and less than 5.
I remember people on social media whining about runs on 3rd and 7, just oblivious to the plan of going for it if you pick up some yards and usually 3rd and 7 you can get a few. Sometimes you get stuffed and end up having to punt but I agree with the strategy. It won’t work one time and “why tf we running on 3rd and 7” is screamed by many. I love a shotgun handoff to Sampson in that situation
Apparently a bunch of 49ers players had no idea about the new playoff OT rules, while the Chiefs were running playoff OT drills during preseason.
