Goal Line Playcalling

[BallHawk]

Not to beat a dead horse with MM's playcalling, but once again I find myself puzzled. Your QB is playing arguably the best game of his career. He's driven you down the field twice with his arm. He took a huge hit from Peppers that gives the team a first down. And what does Mike do? He calls 3 straight run plays. He takes the ball out of the hands of the best player on that field today. I just don't get it.

[gbgary]

yup. mm got caught trying to make a point rather than trying to win the game. his head needs to roll.

[red]

just ugly

a FB draw into a wall of white

WE ARE NOT A POWER FOOTBALL TEAM, we do not have the beef for it

[Patler]

I have to admit, it looked like MM wanted to prove they were a tough, physical team that could pound it into the end zone. Only problem is, they aren't that.

It would seem that moving Rodgers outside with a pass/run option of some sort would have been a good call. He always has the opportunity to throw it out of the end zone if nothing opens up. It was a funny time to try and out-physical a physical team.

[retailguy]

I didn't like the playcalling either, but you have to remember, that Peppers had just rung Rodgers bell. Hard.

I understand the first running play for sure, the second one was questionable (but I'll give the benefit of the doubt), and the 3rd one was stupid. Just plain stupid.

[DonHutson]

The mistake was calling plays under the assumption that this pathetic joke of a defense, and this sieve of a kick coverage unit, could actually prevent a TD with less than two minutes left.

[denverYooper]

He sucks at staying with the guy that's "on fire". I don't quite get it...

[Fosco33]

Very questionable. It's been that way all year long.

To tie the game with a TD in 3Q (at 21), we did a rollout. Had a fullhouse backfield on 2nd and 3 from the 5 - playaction to Lee. For 2pt conversion, they went shotgun, 2 TE and hit GJ easily.

On the last series, you give it to Jackson and he makes a few cuts to get to the one.
2nd and goal - 3 TEs, Jackson gets hit in the backfield and loses yardage.
3rd and goal - goalline, 3 TEs again, fullback attempt. Clifton blew his assignment and caused the massive pileup.

:oops:

[PA Pack Fan]

The mistake was calling plays under the assumption that this pathetic joke of a defense, and this sieve of a kick coverage unit, could actually prevent a TD with less than two minutes left.

Yep. How many of us knew we were going to lose by 4?

[bobblehead]

The mistake was calling plays under the assumption that this pathetic joke of a defense, and this sieve of a kick coverage unit, could actually prevent a TD with less than two minutes left.

in actuallity they gave one up in under 30 seconds.

[channtheman]

I think MM needs to go. He's cost us 2 games that we should have won because he lost his balls and couldn't call the aggressive plays when it counted the most. MM, just like our defense, can't do what it has to do when it matters the most.

[denverYooper]

The mistake was calling plays under the assumption that this pathetic joke of a defense, and this sieve of a kick coverage unit, could actually prevent a TD with less than two minutes left.

I thought the same thing last week when we punted from our 48. What's the point?

[pbmax]

He WAS being conservative, but not about run vs. pass. He was trying to take as much time off the clock as he could, or force the use of timeouts. It was all for naught, but M3 might believe the last person left in the state that believes in his defense.

[MJZiggy]

Probably not any more...

[wist43]

The formations are what was moronic... no room to operate. You could tell b/4 the ball was snapped that it was just going to be a clogged up mess in there. Should have spread it out more, two TE's balanced, and gone into an I...

They had both backs crowded in there, and the TE in the back field... there was a 22 man mass of humanity within 6 inches of the ball on both 2nd and 3rd down. No room for anything to develop.

Both of those plays were dead b/4 the ball was ever snapped.

[LL2]

I didn't like the playcalling either, but you have to remember, that Peppers had just rung Rodgers bell. Hard.

I understand the first running play for sure, the second one was questionable (but I'll give the benefit of the doubt), and the 3rd one was stupid. Just plain stupid.

I couldn't agree more...I'm sure every arm chair QB watching the game knew what was going to happen. This is what cost the Pack the game.

[pbmax]

The formations are what was moronic... no room to operate. You could tell b/4 the ball was snapped that it was just going to be a clogged up mess in there. Should have spread it out more, two TE's balanced, and gone into an I...

They had both backs crowded in there, and the TE in the back field... there was a 22 man mass of humanity within 6 inches of the ball on both 2nd and 3rd down. No room for anything to develop.

Both of those plays were dead b/4 the ball was ever snapped.
Yet early in the season before they remembered the fullback, everyone was screaming about long developing zone runs that had no chance. There is no magic formation that will open a run at the goal line. Every defense checks run first. I would have been fine with play action at least once, but he obviously wanted to burn clock.

Spitz and Sitton got movement, but someone got beat big inside to the left. Not sure if it was Colledge or Clifton, but there was a hole that collapsed right as he hit it. At least that is what I saw on replay, they didn't show it from an endzone angle. So I could have been imagining movement.

[Fosco33]

The formations are what was moronic... no room to operate. You could tell b/4 the ball was snapped that it was just going to be a clogged up mess in there. Should have spread it out more, two TE's balanced, and gone into an I...

They had both backs crowded in there, and the TE in the back field... there was a 22 man mass of humanity within 6 inches of the ball on both 2nd and 3rd down. No room for anything to develop.

Both of those plays were dead b/4 the ball was ever snapped.
Yet early in the season before they remembered the fullback, everyone was screaming about long developing zone runs that had no chance. There is no magic formation that will open a run at the goal line. Every defense checks run first. I would have been fine with play action at least once, but he obviously wanted to burn clock.

Spitz and Sitton got movement, but someone got beat big inside to the left. Not sure if it was Colledge or Clifton, but there was a hole that collapsed right as he hit it. At least that is what I saw on replay, they didn't show it from an endzone angle. So I could have been imagining movement.

Clifton.

[Fritz]

What's funny is that on the earlier touchdown to Jennings and the conversion to Lee, I was thinking, well, MM has just decided that this team can pass the ball, so he's going to just do that and use the run sparingly.

Then he gets down close and tries to jam it in the middle?

I'm okay with running on first down. But why worry more about running clock than about getting the ball into the end zone? Where was the play action on second down?

Still,think about it. Let's say MM calls a pass the the Packer score a touchdown...the lame-0 defense is still going to give up a touchdown to tie it up.


I am angry about this defense and special teams. The defense seems to offer no resistance at all on many drives - no passion, no fight.

[Patler]

He WAS being conservative, but not about run vs. pass. He was trying to take as much time off the clock as he could, or force the use of timeouts. It was all for naught, but M3 might believe the last person left in the state that believes in his defense.

On first down from the 7 or 8, sure, but he was intending to use up the clock on second and third downs from the 1 or 2 yard line only if he didn't think he would score with the plays he called on those downs After running on first, running on second uses more clock only if you don't score; and after running on second, running on third uses more clock only if you don't score. From the one or two yard line on 2nd or 3rd down in a tie game, scoring a TD was the most important thing, not trying to use clock.

[PA Pack Fan]

Absolutely. Knowing how your D played last week, and somewhat today, you gotta put up 7 and hope for no overtime. They should've gone for it on 4th down if thats what it takes.......if you dont make it at least they have to go 99 yards instead of 50.

[Fritz]

Well, no, you don't go for it on fourth. That'd be foolish. But you do call at least one play action, on second down, I think would've been best.

[The Leaper]

He WAS being conservative, but not about run vs. pass. He was trying to take as much time off the clock as he could, or force the use of timeouts.

Then I disagree with the strategy...the point isn't to eat up clock, but to score SEVEN points so the other team needs a TD to tie. Bottom line, Carolina was going to have enough time to put something together regardless, so McCarthy's strategy was all for naught...wasn't it?

If we had a dominant defense, I could see McCarthy's strategy. However, given the FACTS of what we are working with, putzing around with the clock should be the LAST of McCarthy's concern.

SCORE POINTS, DAMN IT!

[pbmax]

He WAS being conservative, but not about run vs. pass. He was trying to take as much time off the clock as he could, or force the use of timeouts.

Then I disagree with the strategy...the point isn't to eat up clock, but to score SEVEN points so the other team needs a TD to tie. Bottom line, Carolina was going to have enough time to put something together regardless, so McCarthy's strategy was all for naught...wasn't it?

If we had a dominant defense, I could see McCarthy's strategy. However, given the FACTS of what we are working with, putzing around with the clock should be the LAST of McCarthy's concern.

SCORE POINTS, DAMN IT!
I can take time of the clock with three runs and as long as there is not a fumble or penalty, its guaranteed. If I pass, its no guarantee of a TD and I have left more time on the clock.

[Fritz]

Although, PB, as Patler has pointed out, a run from the one yard line only takes time off the clock only if you don't score a touchdown.

You run from the one and score a t.d., the play takes maybe three seconds or something. You pass from the one and score, the play takes maybe three seconds or so.

So if your primary goal is simply to take time off the clock, you'd have to run the ball - and not score.

Scoring on a running play doesn't take any more time off the clock than scoring off a passing play.

[sheepshead]

What's funny is that on the earlier touchdown to Jennings and the conversion to Lee, I was thinking, well, MM has just decided that this team can pass the ball, so he's going to just do that and use the run sparingly.

Then he gets down close and tries to jam it in the middle?

I'm okay with running on first down. But why worry more about running clock than about getting the ball into the end zone? Where was the play action on second down?

Still,think about it. Let's say MM calls a pass the the Packer score a touchdown...the lame-0 defense is still going to give up a touchdown to tie it up.


I am angry about this defense and special teams. The defense seems to offer no resistance at all on many drives - no passion, no fight.

This sums it up for me too. I was applauding that touchdown. Cursing the other.

[cpk1994]

He WAS being conservative, but not about run vs. pass. He was trying to take as much time off the clock as he could, or force the use of timeouts. It was all for naught, but M3 might believe the last person left in the state that believes in his defense.But by taking as much time as he could off the clock, Doesn't that really say he DOESN'T trust it becuase he doens't want to much time left?

[prsnfoto]

Rushing with 11 guys in the box says it all MM is a BIG FAT FUCKING BOOB. I thought the Vikings had the worst coach in the division I was wrong.

[Deputy Nutz]

I didn't have a problem running the football down inside the ten yard line. My main problem, similar to what Wist said was the formations on 2nd and 3rd down were all wrong for two runs inside. On second down Jackson should be patted on the back for only losing a half yard. Then the play call on 3rd down was moronic. I honestly was sitting there saying, "Don't give it to the fullback, don't give it to the fullback." I believe it was last week when McCarthy went with the fullback dive for the TD and I was thinking he was going to get tricky with it again. Damn ego. Maybe on second down, or when you had other options in a different point in the game you give it to the fullback, but that situation right there was do or die. McCarthy died. I thought maybe that would have been the perfect time for the inverted bone formation with the two FBs in the backfield. They could run either direction, or play action, both FBs can catch the ball.