DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions

Danny Nelson cheesefrog at usa.net
Wed Nov 11 01:28:48 GMT 2009 

I agree that an argument can be made either way.

However, the fact is that the Dolphins got the ball with plenty of time left
after they punted and stopped the Pats, and had certain receivers made catches
they should have made the team would have had a good opportunity to tie the
game.  I've been critical of some of Sparano's calls in the past, but this
isn't one of them.  He played it by the book and put the team in a position to
be successful.  The players failed.  Sparano made the proper call.

------ Original Message ------
From: Patrick McLaughlin <pluvlaw at hotmail.com>

> I agree most coaches would have done the same thing.  It's the coaches who
would go for it that scare me if I'm on the other side.  I could see Belicheck
and Peyton going for it in a similar situation.  It's those guys who you feel
relieved when you see the punting unit come out.  I'd like to have that
feeling once in my lifetime with the coach of one of my teams.  
> 
> Patrick, getting down verbally...
> 
> 
>  
> > Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 10:47:23 -0600
> > From: mdiana at tulane.edu
> > To: dolphins-disc at phins.com
> > Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
> > 
> > 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.
> > >>> 
> > >>> --- On Tue, 11/10/09, Patrick McLaughlin <pluvlaw at hotmail.com> wrote:
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> From: Patrick McLaughlin <pluvlaw at hotmail.com>
> > >>> Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
> > >>> To: dolphins-disc at phins.com
> > >>> Date: Tuesday, November 10, 2009, 8:38 AM
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> I agree with Paul and said as much Sunday. How does going for it
there
> > >>> really hurt you? What...if they get two or three first downs they're
in FG
> > >>> range? Well...if they get two or three first downs, the game is over
anyway
> > >>> b/c we won't have enough clock to do anything. It's not like we got
great
> > >>> field position out of punting it away. We started our next drive at
the 14.
> > >>> Not to mention, until Ginn dropped that pass, we seemed to be moving
the
> > >>> ball pretty well there.
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> Now...I'm not saying most of the league doesn't make that same call.
They
> > >>> probably do. I just think it's playing too safe and scared. Henne
converts
> > >>> that 4th down and even if we don't win, that's great experience for
him.
> > >>> 
> > >>> Patrick, getting down verbally...
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>> 
> > >>>> From: agua at bellsouth.net
> > >>>> To: dolphins-disc at phins.com
> > >>>> Date: Mon, 9 Nov 2009 21:40:51 -0600
> > >>>> Subject: Re: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> Disagree. He put it on the D to either come up with a turnover or
stop the
> > >>>> Cheats with enough time to score. They accomplished that with well
over
> > >>>> three minutes to score. The Phins didn't run out of time trying to
score.
> > >>>> They couldn't get a first down.
> > >>>> ----- Original Message -----
> > >>>> From: "Paul Debbas" <pauldebbas at gmail.com>
> > >>>> To: <dolphins-disc at phins.com>
> > >>>> Sent: Monday, November 09, 2009 8:59 PM
> > >>>> Subject: DOLPHINS: Questionable coaching decisions
> > >>>> 
> > >>>> 
> > >>>>> For the third straight game, Tony Sparano made a highly
questionable
> > >>>>> coaching decision. Two weeks ago, it was the time out near the end
of the
> > >>>>> first half. Last week, it was trying for two with an 11-point lead.
> > >>>>> Yesterday, it was the Wanny-like decision to punt on 4th and 4 with
less
> > >>>>> than six minutes left. Not good, and a worrisome trend.
> > >>>>> 
> > >>>>> Paul Debbas
> > >>>>> Dolfan in NJ
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