Official Winners and Losers Week 4

[Deputy Nutz]

Bubba has had a fine season so far but he really didn't do anything spectacular, didn't catch a td pass, and the one tough play he had to make he couldn't hold on to the ball.

[Little Whiskey]

you have to run it and the most seasoned back you have is still recovering from injury. I even question having Grant in there and not Wynn.

hell, it would have made more sense to give the ball to Ryan. second longest run of the day and he took a pounding not only from the vike defenders but from his own guys as well!

[Partial]

snip

I don't buy into the huey about more likely to have a turnover. I don't think I would play the odds of that if I am a coach because I want to show confidence in my team and put that other team away.

Worst case scenario is the Vikes score and tie. We can either give them a chance to for sure w/ 30 seconds left, or we can try to develop some confidence and suck the life out of them. I go for the kill every time.

I would be curious to hear what Ras thinks about this. I agree w/ his opinions on the preseason stuff and it seems our attitudes would be the same on this issue.

I'm not saying its right or wrong. Just saying what I would do as a coach. But maybe that is why I am not an NFL coach

[Deputy Nutz]

Here is the deal, it is not that big of a deal whether or not they decided to hand the ball off or take a knee, the point is, is why give the ball to a guy that has less than 10 carries in the NFL?

[Partial]

Here is the deal, it is not that big of a deal whether or not they decided to hand the ball off or take a knee, the point is, is why give the ball to a guy that has less than 10 carries in the NFL?

Now that I agree with. Stupid move. Morency is your guy there. Injured or not, you have to go with the vet.

[HarveyWallbangers]

Here is the deal, it is not that big of a deal whether or not they decided to hand the ball off or take a knee, the point is, is why give the ball to a guy that has less than 10 carries in the NFL?

I'm down with that position also, but that's not what I disagreed with. I disagreed with this:

Why McCarthy called a running play with a one minute and forty five seconds left in the game, when the Vikings didn't have a time out is beyond me

Butler had a comment about this. He said the Packers are searching to find roles for each of their RBs, and they may think Grant can fill that role. Maybe Grant is sure-handed in practice.

[Deputy Nutz]

I wish I would have done a better job at stating my true feelings and intentions in the article, I guess I am just a hack.

[HarveyWallbangers]

I wish I would have done a better job at stating my true feelings and intentions in the article, I guess I am just a hack.

Yeah, but you are our hack.

[MJZiggy]

[Patler]

There was a reason to hand off rather than take a knee.

Watch the clock sometime at the end of a game when teams take a knee three times. You will be surprised how little time is run off the clock. Assuming you run the play clock to 0 each time, the additional game time used in the interval between when the ball is snapped on one play to when the play clock is re-set for the next play is very short when the QB takes a knee. If you hand off and run an actual play, much more time is used up for the play itself. The clock time used between the snap on first down to when the play clock is reset for 2nd down is much longer. Multiplied by three such intervals before you punt, it can use a lot more play clock.

I'm sure McCarthy was trying to reduce the number plays they could run after receiving the punt. If you can limit it to 1 or 2, that is certainly preferable to letting them run 4 even if they don't get a first down.

If you can take a knee, punt and limit them to 1 or 2 plays, do it. But if by taking a knee you will give them time for 4 plays, you hand off and run a real play at least a couple times.

[Tarlam!]

I wish I would have done a better job at stating my true feelings and intentions in the article, I guess I am just a hack.

I love all the beat writers work. You guys/gals are really entertaining and better than a lot of those "experts".

I miss the name A.J. Hawk, Nutz. Is he a perpetual loser, because he's not on the winners list each week?

Is he sophomore slumping?

Am I an idiot to even ask?

[The Leaper]

I'm sure McCarthy was trying to reduce the number plays they could run after receiving the punt. If you can limit it to 1 or 2, that is certainly preferable to letting them run 4 even if they don't get a first down.

If you can take a knee, punt and limit them to 1 or 2 plays, do it. But if by taking a knee you will give them time for 4 plays, you hand off and run a real play at least a couple times.

I can see the logic in that...but I still think it is impossible to discount the increased probability for error by running vs. knee.

1:50 left...second down. If you take a knee, no less than 35 seconds is run off the clock by the time the play clock gets back down to zero again. So, at worst, we would be punting with 40 seconds remaining in the game around midfield to a team with no time outs.

At that point, I don't think the Vikings chances are statistically any better if there are 40 seconds left or 30 seconds left. Either way, they are extremely unlikely to score the tying TD.

However, by increasing the chance of a turnover, you open up the potential to give the Vikings the ball back with PLENTY of time to score...which is precisely what we saw. Suddenly, the Vikings have a 10-20% chance of scoring that TD. You MUST eliminate that potential at all costs.

Personally, I would always take a knee in those situations. I've seen too many screwups on running plays, and rarely have seen a screwup on taking a knee.

However, if you want to argue that you should still handoff, I still think you would be second guessing that considering our current situation at RB with no strong reliable veteran to turn to. Morency fumbled late in the game trying to pick up extra yards that weren't necessary!

Don't take the ball out of Favre's hands...even if you are running out the clock.

[HarveyWallbangers]

You might pick up a first down. I know getting 10 yards on 3 carries seems tough for our run offense, but it could happen. Ryan Grant did break off a 15 yard run earlier in the 4th quarter.

[The Leaper]

You might pick up a first down. I know getting 10 yards on 3 carries seems tough for our run offense, but it could happen. Ryan Grant did break off a 15 yard run earlier in the 4th quarter.

You might make a first down PASSING the ball too. So why not continue to play as you normally do to win the game?

The point of the matter is that running up the gut to run out the clock is no less "scared" from that vantage point than taking a knee. You are trying to win the game by micromanaging and doing something other than you normally would.

To me, eliminating a potential game changing turnover is far more important at that point in the game than gaining a first down in that instance. You should rely on your strong legged punter and defense rather than a running game that is clearly the weakness of the entire team.

[Deputy Nutz]

I wish I would have done a better job at stating my true feelings and intentions in the article, I guess I am just a hack.

I love all the beat writers work. You guys/gals are really entertaining and better than a lot of those "experts".

I miss the name A.J. Hawk, Nutz. Is he a perpetual loser, because he's not on the winners list each week?

Is he sophomore slumping?

Am I an idiot to even ask?

Hawk hasn't really played well for 4 straight games. I really don't know what the difference is between Hawk the last four games last year, and the first four this year. Even in Pre-season he was making plays all over the place.

I am guessing he could have a nagging injury that nobody wants to bring to attention.

Maybe he is thinking too much out there instead of relying on his instincts.

He is making tackles, but sort of like how Barnett made tackles, way to far down field at this point.