SO why didn't we kick the field goal?

[cptx]

I would have kicked the field goal. Why?

1) We would need a stop anyway to get the ball back to win it

2) I would not want to rely on a 2-point conversion, which we may or may not have gotten

3) We had plenty of time on the clock for a defensive stop with the 2-minute warning and 3 timeouts

4) The last possession, with a stop, would have been for the win, not a tie

I realize had we kicked it and lost by 5, everyone would be mad that Fox went conservative. But, that's hindsight for you. Yeah, the defense was horrible today, but they still would need a stop for us to get the ball back to have a chance. That's a risk that needed to be taken.

^^^^

this

[raleigh-panther]

I don't think it mattered.

Our defense and special teams are just too porous.

The game was not lost on that drive anyway. Poor clock management in the 4th quarter.

Its been my bitch with the Panthers for a long time.

They walked around, down by 15, like they had all the time in the world.

If ever there was a time for the no huddle, that next to last drive, and the last one too, were the places for it.

Defense can't stop anyone, any way, and Fox decided to go for it.

I can't down him for that and my opinion, Smitty allowed the route to be cut off.

..and if, if ands and buts, were candy and nuts.....

[neverlosethefeeling]

It is so easy to make coaching decisions in hindsight. Fox absolutely made the right decision.

I like our chances, with our 2 backs, of picking up the 2-point conversion rather than taking a field goal, and having to rely on the defense to get a stop. Even when we knew that Atl was going to run the ball, they were able to pick up a first down and we couldn't stop them. Come on people.

Fox made the right call.

[outlaw4]

I would had gone for it:

Why?

1) Defense was playing like crap all day long. I certainly had little faith they were going to make a stop (they technically didn't as they converted one 1st down) before we got the ball back.

2) Relying on a 2-point conversion to tie was something I had more faith on. Run it up the gut, that's our bread and butter.

3) Momentum.

4) With a field goal, you still need another possession. Get the 8 points on that drive, you can hold them and go into overtime.

[Zod]

It is so easy to make coaching decisions in hindsight. Fox absolutely made the right decision.

Nope.

I was yelling kick the fieldgoal before it happened. No hindsight here.

The right call is kick the field goal. You would need a defensive stop anyways not to lose. You have timeouts, you have time. Right call is to kick he field goal.

[Baschski]

Nope.

I was yelling kick the fieldgoal before it happened. No hindsight here.

The right call is kick the field goal. You would need a defensive stop anyways not to lose. You have timeouts, you have time. Right call is to kick he field goal.

No, you have to get the touchdown regardless. You take your shot on 4th down. If you don't get the two-point conversion, you stop them on defense and then drive for a field goal. Driving for a field goal takes less time and requires you to go less distance than a TD. Why kick the field goal when you're that close, only to have to drive that far again?

[Kurb]

Not to mention the clock mismanagement on that last drive before halftime.

Bigger issue IMO.

we WASTED 20 seconds before the half playing grab ass

At the end of the Game Foxy's thinking was to score and go for two. Tie the game up and either OT or FG at the end to win it.

Honestly shouldn't be in that situation to start with.

[Zod]

No, you have to get the touchdown regardless. You take your shot on 4th down. If you don't get the two-point conversion, you stop them on defense and then drive for a field goal. Driving for a field goal takes less time and requires you to go less distance than a TD. Why kick the field goal when you're that close, only to have to drive that far again?

Because you are at 4th and 10 and the field goal would have been an easy score. Trust your defense to make a stop, get the ball back and a TD wins it without the need for a tpc. Most coaches make the right call in that case, they take the assured points.

[Kurb]

Because you are at 4th and 10 and the field goal would have been an easy score. Trust your defense to make a stop, get the ball back and a TD wins it without the need for a tpc. Most coaches make the right call in that case, they take the assured points.

Fair argument

[Pantherpike]

This thread sucks. Either way, you're still looking at a touchdown deficit. And with the way our defense was looking up until that point, Fox absolutely made the right decision to go for it.

Actually, I think this call had more to do with

4th and 10 touchdown miracle plus 2pt conversion or no points

vrs.

3 points, 2 timeouts and 2 minute warning touchdown or no points.

In other words, the fact that it was 4th and TEN as opposed to 4th and 2 or 3 made the odds better to get 3 now and then hope to get another TD later and not have to worry about the conversion. Of course, we'll never know, but 4th and 10 in a very short field is asking alot.

Of course, one thing no one has really been talking about much is the fact that Atlanta's defense is really not all that great. They lost alot of awesome players from last year and the knock on their team was never the offense. With Matt and then getting Gonzales in the off-season, that was pretty much a lock. Their 'd' was what was always suspect and perhaps Fox had that in his decision...

We'll never know though.

[outlaw4]

Had we made the field goal but we never got the ball back, then everyone would be bitching that Fox was too conservative and should had gone for it on 4th down and gone for the tie instead of relying on a defense that hadn't stopped Matt Montana all day long to make a stop.

[Jangler]

Seriously. Timeouts left. Almost 3:00 the clock. Down 8. 4th and 10?

Easy decision, kick the field goal.

f**king stupid coaching.

I said it in chat, and was told that would be admitting defeat.

[George Shinnsplints]

I said it in chat, and was told that would be admitting defeat.

I think if we simulated this game 1,000 times having kicked the FG, 1,000 times going for it, we'd win the game more times going for it. Something like 80 times to 70. Can we set something up on Madden to test this theory out?

I think going for it was the right decision, but obv it was a pretty close decision. I mean, we had them back on their own 7 with 3 time outs left and the 2:00 warning, only being down a score. And that's what happened because we DIDN'T score on the 4th down try.

[DSSB v2.0]

I

What is stupid is that week after week this site runs incredibly slow and no one does anything about it even with pared down functions on game day.

Amen brother! Then you get a $12 deduction from your PayPal account:crazy:

A field goal wouldn't have won or tied the game. I was suprised Fox had the balls to try and tie the game. Our special teams, coverage, and DeAngelo's fumble were strikes 1,2, and 3.