DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions

[Lionel Douglas]

going for it on 4th and failing has the added negative effect of a momentum 
reversal.

On Tue, 10 Nov 2009, Mark L. Diana wrote:

> I can see both sides of it too, but the fact is we didn't punt and stop
> them. We punted and let them get a couple of first downs, changing field
> position, and making it that much harder to go down the field to score.
> 
> Further, if you think the defense can stop them after a punt, why would you
> not think they could stop them after a failed fourth down attempt? I mean,
> the punt decision pretty much counts on your defense getting a three and
> out, or, as I've said, you've lost the field position battle, which we ended
> up doing anyway.
> 
> The biggest reason I thought we should have gone for it on fourth down at
> the time--and I still do--is because our defense was playing so poorly. They
> weren't getting to Brady, and there was no reason to expect that they all of
> the sudden would be able to stop them. Particularly not in the fourth
> quarter against a passing team. We were frankly lucky we got the ball back
> without them having scored again.
> 
> Having said all of that, I can't second guess Sparano on this one, because I
> do think most coaches would have made the choice he did at that point in the
> game only down seven.
> 
> 
> On 11/10/09 10:22 AM, "Kristoffer Shields" <kms223 at hotmail.com> wrote:
> 
>> 
>> 
>> If you punt then stop them right away, you'll get the ball at about the 40 
>> or
>> 50, not the 20.  If you give up a couple first downs, then you'll get it at
>> the 20... but if you go for it and don't get it, and they get a first down,
>> the game is over because they'll kick a field goal.
>> 
>> I can see both sides of this one.  I sort of like the aggressiveness of 
>> going
>> for it.... but I can't call it a "bad coaching decision" to punt.  It
>> certainly doesn't rise to the level of the TO in the Saints game or going 
>> for
>> 2 in the Jets game in my mind.
>> 
>>> From: pluvlaw at hotmail.com
>>> To: dolphins-disc at phins.com
>>> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:58:17 -0500
>>> Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
>>> 
>>> 
>>> My reply would be that you have to assume a stop results in a new 
>>> possession
>>> that starts at the 20 at best.  You're gonna have to move the ball either
>>> way.  I like our chances of picking up the 4th and 5 and moving the rest of
>>> the 40 yards better than I like our chances of driving 80 in 2 minutes.
>>> 
>>> Patrick, getting down verbally...
>>> 
>>> 
>>> 
>>>> Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 07:39:41 -0800
>>>> From: agua at bellsouth.net
>>>> To: dolphins-disc at phins.com
>>>> Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
>>>> 
>>>> Well, where it hurts you is the Pats then aren't too far from kicking 3
>>>> points and making it a 10 point game and needing 2 possessions to tie it.
>>>>
>>>>   Pin em back and stop em.  That's what they did.
>>>>