Decision to kick FG on 2nd down?

[Pappy13]

If he went for a TD there might have been and int. 

Well that's more along the lines of what I was thinking. Didn't like the odds of possibly throwing a pick or taking a sack and coming up with zero points there and wanted to take the 3, get to within a score and see what happens. That I can see, was just curious if that was the thinking or something else.

There, fixed it Hoodie.

[MyGodWearsAHoodie]

Well that's more along the lines of what I was thinking. Didn't like the odds of possibly throwing a pick or taking a sack and coming up with zero points there and wanted to take the 3, get to within a score and see what happens. That I can see, was just curious if that was the thinking or something else.

I was being faciscous. (sp?) I really doubt betting had anything to do with it. 

[Pappy13]

I was being faciscous. (sp?) I really doubt betting had anything to do with it. 

No, I know betting had nothing to do with the decision, but it does seem like he was concerned about not getting any points right there. To me that's the only thing you are risking at that point by trying to get it into the endzone is the FG try. Maybe Philbin just thinks you take the 3 easy points and save as much time as possible, but then why the 1 shot into the endzone on 1st down? It's not a big deal, I was just curious and wondering if anybody knew rather than us all just guessing.

[BigDaddyFin]

I think he went the road less traveled and kicked when he did mostly because we didn't have any timeouts. 

[badger6]

I was being faciscous. (sp?) I really doubt betting had anything to do with it. 

I don't. The Dolphins as a home dog was the money play. Backdoor cover anyone ?

[Dave Gray]

You can throw into the endzone twice and only take off maybe 10 seconds and if you manage to score, then you only need to get to around the 40 yard line to try a long FG to tie, you don't need to go 60 yards for a TD.

That's if you go directly to the endzone twice.  What happens if you check down or get sacked?  It essentially ends the game.  Also, dumps offs to the sideline don't even help you because even if you get out of bounds, you're still kicking a FG.  Also, someone else said, with a stopped clock, you don't have to move up/set the ball and spike.

[Pappy13]

That's if you go directly to the endzone twice.  What happens if you check down or get sacked?  It essentially ends the game.  Also, dumps offs to the sideline don't even help you because even if you get out of bounds, you're still kicking a FG.  Also, someone else said, with a stopped clock, you don't have to move up/set the ball and spike.

Well you don't check it down, if the receiver isn't open in the endzone you throw it out the back of the endzone. Basically the same thing on a sack, if the QB feels pressure he throws it away. Yes, of course things can and do go wrong, but basically you're asking your QB to be smart with the football there and if he is there's not a lot of risk really. I was just curious and I'm kinda shocked that no one has the answer. I figured that would have been one of the first questions that was put to Philbin and somebody would have heard his response, but it doesn't sound like it.

[tepop84]

It was a pretty terrible decision.  You can take two shots at the endzone instead of kicking.  10 points only gets them a tie.  I can see the decision being less terrible if they were only down 9 points.

[Spider-Dan]

A sack on 2nd down ends the game.  I imagine that's why he kicked it.

[tepop84]

lots of things end the game.  one of the downsides of being down multiple scores with under 1 minute left in the game.

[Pappy13]

A sack on 2nd down ends the game.  I imagine that's why he kicked it.

I don't know about that, you would still have time to spike the ball and kick the FG on 4th down. It sure hurts your chances of winning I will agree, but your chances of winning were already pretty small.

[MaineDolFan]

A sack on 2nd down ends the game.  I imagine that's why he kicked it.

I forget...was Miami out of timeouts at this point?

I agreed with taking the FG at this point.  As Badger said earlier, 10 points is 10 points.  Might as well get the 3 now.  I just can't remember if we had any TO left.

[Phishfan]

I forget...was Miami out of timeouts at this point?

Yes

[Pappy13]

I agreed with taking the FG at this point.  As Badger said earlier, 10 points is 10 points.  Might as well get the 3 now.  I just can't remember if we had any TO left.

I don't disagree, I'm just curious why they took 1 shot, but not 2. Miami did try to score on 1st down but the ball was incomplete. I was just curious why they decided to take only 1 shot and then kick the FG when it would seem you still have at least 1 more down to take a shot at it. I was in no way opposed to kicking the FG there, heck if they kicked the FG on first down I wouldn't have been opposed, I was just curious as to why they took the 1 shot on 1st down and then decided to take the FG on 2nd down.

[mecadonzilla]

I don't disagree, I'm just curious why they took 1 shot, but not 2. Miami did try to score on 1st down but the ball was incomplete. I was just curious why they decided to take only 1 shot and then kick the FG when it would seem you still have at least 1 more down to take a shot at it. I was in no way opposed to kicking the FG there, heck if they kicked the FG on first down I wouldn't have been opposed, I was just curious as to why they took the 1 shot on 1st down and then decided to take the FG on 2nd down.

I believe the logic is trying to save as much time as possible for the second score.  You gave it a shot, but instead of throwing good money after bad, so to speak, just get quick points.  Another 10 or more seconds could easily have ticked down, and Philbin must have thought the sure thing was the most efficient use of his time left.