There’s a healthy debate to be had about whether Falcons Coach Mike Smith made the right decision to go for it on fourth-and-inches from his own 29 in overtime against the Saints on Sunday. The results said No, and afterward Smith took “full responsibility” for the loss.
More disheartening was the execution of the decision. In other words, why did Smith – or the offensive coordinator Mike Mularkey – elect to call a slow-developing handoff instead of a quarterback sneak? We see coaches do this all too often. A handoff in a situation like this, when the defensive linemen and linebackers have no choice but to instantly fire into the gaps, puts the offensive players in reaction mode. When the ball finally starts traveling forward, it’s 4 yards behind the line. On a sneak, the ball starts traveling forward four inches behind the line. The difference between the two situations is significant. Think of it like this: if your favorite team is on defense and facing fourth-and-inches, deep down, what are you hoping the offense calls?
No comments:
Post a Comment