Tomlin trying to outdo Hoodie (Onside kick with lead!) -- Big Ben bails him out!

Connecticoin

Tomlin, do not mess with the master -- only Hoodie can try to lose a game and be successful!

However, I can't see ANYONE, not even the most diehard Steeler Kool-Aid drinker, defending that call.

Morgoth

I think he was right in the sense the Packers were going to score regardless of where they kicked it too. Remember the Steelers have the worst special teams coverage in the history of the league. Giving up a TD run back wasn't out of the picture. Also the Packers only needed a FG to win. By kicking off they could have milked the clock all the way to seconds and kicked a GW FG. Tomilin felt the onsides was the only way to make 1 play and win the game. If it didn't work the short field would give the Steelers enough time to come back and win.

Obviously it worked out but it was because the D was so bad he made the call. Any other time I would say bad move but I understood his reasoning. Would I liked to have seen a kickoff and then the D win the game like in the recent Colts game? Sure, but based on the last 5 weeks the D just can't make those plays and so you take it out of their hands which he did.

ziggy29

I believe both statisticians and computers looking at the universe of past NFL outcomes both reached the conclusion that Hoodie made the proper decision in terms in maximizing their team's chances of winning. And that doesn't factor in the fact that punting means you're giving a 2-minute drill to Peyton Manning, not your average NFL QB.

Having said that, I don't see how Tomlin makes that call; the circumstances seemed to be much less compelling than the decision Belichick made. Yet it was Tomlin who avoided looking like the goat when his decision was worse.

gemint

At first I was shocked with the call. Then I remembered the 5 fourth quarter leads the Steelers' defense squandered this season and I couldn't complain about it. He was trying anything to change the team's fortunes. The way Green Bay was moving the ball, they would have been able to drive into close field goal range and milk the clock away. On the other hand, GB's kicker has been struggling, so a miss wasn't out of the question. However, I'd rather put the game in the hands of my $100M QB than in a banged up defense.

IrishMike

Big difference Steelers were going south, Pats aren't/weren't. About time someone on the steelers staff/team grew a pair and tried to win a game in the 4th quarter instead of losing one in the 4th. Dumb play or not I have to admire the man for his cahones.

sagard

Compared to Childress who willfully punted the ball away down two scores with eight minutes left in the game, he is a genius.

I'm waiting for the first NFL player to refuse a touchdown, to kill clock. If that Pack wide out slides down at the five vs. scoring, they take the knee a couple of times and attempt a short go ahead field goal leaving the Steelers only about 40 seconds with no timeouts.

jdip9

Why are so many people afraid to place the outcome of the game on a single play?

If the Patriots convert 4th and 2, they win. If the Steelers recover the onside kick, they win (and really, they should have recovered it - the Pittsburgh guy could have let it bounce once more - he was the only guy around the ball). Tomlin gave a perfectly rational explanation after the game as to why he did it, the same answer Belichick would have gave if he wasn't so cryptic all the time:

"I'll be very bluntly honest with you, based on the way the game was going in the second half, first of all I thought with the element of surprise we had a chance to get it, but if we didn't get it and they were to score, then we would have necessary time on the clock to score or match their score. Plan A didn't work, we got the ball but we were illegal, that was the correct call, but it kind of unfolded the way you envisioned it.

"We had 30 minutes of evidence that we could drive the ball on them, we also conversely had 30 minutes of evidence to show they could also drive the ball on us. That's why we took the risk when we did. We were just trying to win the football game. There was time left in that game that had we kicked that ball away and the half had gone the way that it'd gone, they were converting third downs. They would have moved the ball down the field on us, we wouldn't have had necessary time to respond. I'm just being honest, but it starts with feeling pretty good about the element of surprise and having a good chance to get that ball, but that part of it didn't work out.''


Think about how long it took coaches to adapt to the 2-point conversion. Coaches would go for it too early in the game, then be chasing that missed extra point all game long. Then they got smart and started going for it only in the 4th quarter. It took them even longer to figure out the correct strategy when you are down 15 and score a TD (i.e. kick an XP to keep it a 1-score game).

Hell, coaches still haven't figured out the correct strategy when down 10 under 40 seconds (think Cowboys/Chargers a few weeks back). They always go for a TD first, which is clearly the incorrect decision because you have no time left to come back and kick a FG. Plus, you can't kick a 70 yard FG, but you can complete a 60 yard Hail Mary.

Because coaches are fearful for their jobs, they constantly make incorrect decisions that do not give their team the best chance to win. Hence, punting on 4th down with less than a yard to go on their own 40, and other similar boneheaded decisions. They rely on "conventional wisdom" based on strategies developed during the early stages of football, and figure the spotlight won't be on them if they lose the game.

One of these times, the unconventional call will go as planned, and maybe the light will turn on for a lot of people. As the great Herm Edwards once said "YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME".

jdip9

sagard - do you watch any football outside of your home team?

What you described has happened TWICE in the last 3 years. Brian Westbrook vs. Dallas, and MJD earlier this year vs. the Jets - both guys took knees at the 1 yd line to run out the clock instead of scoring a TD. Brilliant plays by both guys.

sagard

<< <i>sagard - do you watch any football outside of your home team?
>>



Lol. God no, I can barely stand watching the Vikes. Let alone the rest of the league. Just happened to be waking up and the Pitt/GB game was on.

I'm glad some of these guys have killed the clock vs. personal glory. Pretty cool.

earlycalguy

how the Steelers defense has changed since last year. basically the same time but they are awful - good against the run but terrible on third downs and against the pass. Troy missed some time last year too but the D kept playing well when he was not there. their entire secondary needs to be replaced - except Troy of course.

last year if Pitts won the coin toss they'd always kick to put their D on the field first. now, having their special teams coverage and defense on the field is not a good thing.