11-06-2023, 11:59 AM
(11-06-2023, 10:57 AM)WeezyBengal Wrote: Anyone else find the inconsistency on 4th downs maddening lol?
4th and 2 on the Buf 48 when the offense can't be stopped (and Joe is out there begging to go for it) - PUNT
4th and 5 on the Buf 37 - TURNOVER ON DOWNS
4th and goal on the 2 up 17-10 - FIELD GOAL (I dont know how this even really helps you)
I just don't see any logic or consistency behind these decisions? I feel like it's been this way most of the year.
ZT has been UBER conservative this year on 4th downs, but how do you punt in the first quater on 4th and 2 when your offense is humming, and then go for it on 4th and 5 when your offense is struggling? Also, you go for it on 4th and 5 on the 37 but kick the FG on 4th and goal from the 2?
Just seems like we are shaking the magic 8 ball sometimes - just follow the analytics sheet, man.
First off: you have the third one wrong. We did not kick a FG up 17-10. If we did, that fact that you cannot see how going up 10 instead of 7 helps a team speaks volumes. Anyway, the final score was 24-18, unless you think we got two safeties, we didn't kick a FG up 17-10. Which WOULD have helped and certainly would have been the right call to go up two scores. What we DID do was kick a FG up 21-10. Which puts you up 14, which means they need 2 TDs to catch you instead of 1 FG + 1 TD + 1 2PT. It helps. Plus, we went and failed the time before.
On the first one, I would have gone, but we got an INT after punt..That we melted down afterwards is another discussion, costing us at least 3. But the punt, pin, pick sequence was Taylor made. Exactly what a coach wants from a punt. And hard to argue against in retrospect.
On the second one, I would have went. A TD on that drive would have put us up 3 scores. It was a long FG. We just did not convert.
Lastly, you left out the one to Chase from the Buff 36 where we went on to score a TD.
Look, I think Taylor's biggest weaknesses are strategic in-game stuff (not defering the KO) and some weird play-calling at times (too pass happy, too finese) AND yes, his go/no-gos on 4th.
But this game he was pretty good from my perspective. Even the ones I disagreed with worked out (taking the ball first, not giving it to Mixon earlier on 1st/2nd & goal from the 3, and the 1st 4th down punt got us a pick). He managed the clock pretty well around the 2 minute warning in the first half. The call to Boyd on the last drive was huge.
Yes, abondoning the north/south running game and not being under center more IS frustrating. As are the toss plays and behind the line passes. But, we just won 4 in a row, the last 3 vs Seattle (5-3), SF 5-3), and Buffalo (5-4). All PO teams last year and likely this as well. The TEs went off for 10 catches, 101 yds, and 2 TDs. Nick Scott made a play on D. It just seems you are searching for something to b!tch about.
