One thing cost us that game

[Millhouse]

(10-15-2018, 10:25 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: You really, truly believe that? Here is a nugget: 


Three times on the go-ahead drive they snapped the ball with the game clock running — each time with at least 16 seconds remaining on the play clock.

Here is a look at each:

• On third and 4 from their own 31, they snapped it with 22 seconds left on the play clock and got a first down on a 5-yard pass from Dalton to Uzomah.
• On first and 10 from their own 36, they snapped it with 16 seconds on the play clock and got a pass interference penalty on Pittsburgh.
• On first and 10 from the Pittsburgh 11, they snapped it with 17 seconds on the play clock and got a 7-yard completion from Dalton to Green.
  

Had they taken the play clock under 10 seconds in each instance, Pittsburgh would have had 44 seconds to work with rather than 1:12.

The thing is there was a real fine line between running the clock down verse getting the TD. It isnt like they needed a field goal which makes it a lot easier to run the clock down but needed a TD which is harder to do.

But this situation the Bengals aka Marvin didn't do a good enough job in finding that fine line, period, by leaving time on the play clock on those plays mentioned. Pitt would have only needed a field goal to win, this isn't Ben's first rodeo, Pitt had all 3 timeouts left, and the Bengals D was simply not good enough to be relied upon yesterday with no pass rush at all.

Now should they have keeled, or tried to run plays to stay in bounds to milk the clock? Absolutely not. You have to score above all else.

But in the attempt to score, shave off as many seconds as possible when your team still has two timeouts left and the chance % of scoring isn't being diminished in doing so. This is where they didn't maximize their chance for a win.