The Dolphins Make Me Cry.com - Forums

What do you think?

Yes they did!

That was a Philbin-like decision on the goal-line there, though Collinsworth made a brilliant point that Eli should have taken the sack.

This is the kind of game that can ruin a season. 

Yes.  It was a completely horrible decision, much like the last offensive play for the Seahawks in February.

My jaw dropped as soon as Eli rolled out, then it dropped even further when he didn't take the sack.  He's too seasoned of a player to make that kind of boneheaded play.

Eli blew it by not just going down.  But it never should have come to that.  There is absolutely no way a passing play should have been called.  Even if Eli takes a sack, there is a chance of the ball being fumbled.  I know there is a chance of a fumble on a running play too, but the QB is a lot more likely to have the ball knocked out than the RB is.  As good as Romo is at the 2 minute drill, that was an absolutely inexcusable play call. 

I think we've discussed this type of play happening before.  When a pass play is called for it that type of situation I think it is incumbent upon the coaching staff to remind Eli to take a sack versus throwing it out of the end zone, so I blame the coaches.  You can say its a bonehead move by Eli because he's a veteran, but he's got twenty things running through his head, and the normal thing to do is get rid of the ball and not take a sack, except in a situation like this.

So after two failed runs, the best choice is another run?

I have no problem with the pass play call.  That is trying to win; another run would be trying not to lose.  Coughlin should have reminded Eli to go down if there was nothing there, though.

I think the play action pass call was the right call.  The Tight end was getting abused and couldn't make his break.  The failure was that, when Eli saw that his only target was occupied, he should have tucked the ball and ran for the goal line, and perhaps slide when guys get near.  Keep that clock running at all costs.

Problem is that QB's are instinctively trained to "live to play another down" in that situation.  However, as the QB, you have to know situational fundamental football and know what's the best play to make.  It was a brain fart by Eli, plain and simple.

Bad play call by Philbin that could've been saved by Eli was taking a sack. Two veterans who should know better. Shit happens sometimes, but that was a bad loss. Kind of thing that haunts you unless you rebound quickly the following week.

 ???

I understand your point about playing to win vs. playing "not to lose".   And as a general rule, I agree with this.  Especially on the road.  There is an old adage that on the road you play for the win and at home you play for the tie.  However.....in this case, under these specific circumstances (amount of time on the clock, no timeouts remaining for Dallas, etc.), yes, I would say after two failed runs, the best choice is another run.  Even if you don't make it, you still kick a field goal and instead of giving Dallas the ball back with 1:30 on the game clock, you give it to them with around 45 seconds.  With someone as good as Romo at the 2 minute drill, there is a big difference between 1:30 and 45 seconds.  

You don't have to run... Eli could have just fallen down instead of throwing it out the back of the end zone.

Developing story:

The Giants didn't know how many timeouts Dallas had, and Jennings was specifically instructed not to score (http://www.nj.com/giants/index.ssf/2015/09/what_happened_why_eli_manning_was_never_told_to_ta.html) on first or second down.

Keep this in mind when someone tries to tell you that rings mean you are good or smart.

Absolutely stupid decision.

I'm guessing this was just force of habit...?

The definition of a Freudian slip.

Haha, sorry. Absolute force of habit.

Against Manning or Brady, yes I can understand passing.

But you have to take the sack definitely

I don't get why Eli would tell somebody not to score.  In that situation it makes it a two score game.

I thought the scoreboard at the stadium shows how many timeouts each team has left.  Am I mistaken?

Mike Holmgren once lost track of what down it was in the Super Bowl