Playing safe will end up costing us in the playoffs.

[John63]

Being risky (throwing the ball in SB XLIX) cost us in the SB. Playing conservatively cost us last year in the WC round.

You can't be dogmatic about what will and will not cost you in the playoffs. Risk can bite you. Conservative play can bite you. Sometimes you can call everything perfectly and turnovers kill you.

No one has any idea what will lead to a loss in the playoffs. That being said, our current strategies are reminiscent of Marty Ball and we all know how Schottenheimer fared in the playoffs. So you can't always rely on what worked in the regular season to work in the playoffs.

Playing not to loose on defense because you had a 10 point lead with 9 to go cost the SB

 

[bmorepunk]

Agree. Hasn't anyone learn anything from super bowl 3 years ago when the Patriots made the most ridiculous comeback in history due to the opposition playing conservative. I really do not like Ken Norton's defensive mind, as matter of fact, I like for him to be replaced by the end of season. I can't stand watching every game when our defense allows 10-15 yards of cushion every time other team catches the ball.

What? The Falcons kept trying to be aggressive and throw the ball. The clock didn't run ay all because of it. I don't call that conservative. Had they done the conservative thing they probably could have kept a decent lead.

 

[chris98251]

Being risky (throwing the ball in SB XLIX) cost us in the SB. Playing conservatively cost us last year in the WC round.

You can't be dogmatic about what will and will not cost you in the playoffs. Risk can bite you. Conservative play can bite you. Sometimes you can call everything perfectly and turnovers kill you.

No one has any idea what will lead to a loss in the playoffs. That being said, our current strategies are reminiscent of Marty Ball and we all know how Schottenheimer fared in the playoffs. So you can't always rely on what worked in the regular season to work in the playoffs.

The type of play calls was the issue and who was on the field in the Super Bowl, they had Lynch wide open on the back side, could have rolled out and did Read Option, could have did a bunch formation and a clean out route lots of other options other then the play called.

Cowboys game was due to having a MASH unit as a Oline, three of them would have been held out in a regular season game.

 

[AROS]

Losing the amount of defensive players we did today plays into the issue of course, but to me this is more of a larger problem with the coaching on both sides of the ball in general. When Pete gets a lead, he is notorious for taking the foot off the gas a bit to play clock management football. Ken Norton as a DC is similar in his approach. Go zone and play soft hoping not to give up the big plays and let the clock run out.

Sometimes it works out, but this is not a philosophy that has any kind of effectiveness in January.

Go for the throat, never let up, and never apologize for stomping your opponent into the ground.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Agree. Hasn't anyone learn anything from super bowl 3 years ago when the Patriots made the most ridiculous comeback in history due to the opposition playing conservative. I really do not like Ken Norton's defensive mind, as matter of fact, I like for him to be replaced by the end of season. I can't stand watching every game when our defense allows 10-15 yards of cushion every time other team catches the ball.

What? The Falcons kept trying to be aggressive and throw the ball. The clock didn't run ay all because of it. I don't call that conservative. Had they done the conservative thing they probably could have kept a decent lead.

No kidding. Falcons actually lost that game possibly by not being conservative...or in this case smart. If they run on third down and stay in FG range, if Bryant kicks it that game's over. It was dropping back to pass, and the holding penalty that pushed them out of range. And the big play that really got the Pats back in was a strip sack.....on a pass play with Ryan looking to take a deep shot. Not conservative at all.

 

[Seymour]

We "let them back into the game" with 5 defensive starters out including Wagner at the the time.

Are people not seeing that just might be an issue with most teams? :roll:

 

[HawkRiderFan]

IMO that's a smart play by Caron on first and 10 by staying in bounds. The extra yard or two is not as valuable as the 40 seconds or forcing the Panthers to use a time out there. Different story on third down.

 

[scutterhawk]

Playing close is one thing, but letting a team back into a game is a bad sign. Especially this late in the season and against a really bad team.

11-3 record is nice, but it doesn't mean the playoffs aren't still single elimination. Definitely gotta tighten up some things.

By the end of the game:

Bobby
Clowney
Diggs
Griffin
Ansah
Kendricks

Literally 6 of your 7 best defenders out. JV team out there against Mccaffery. Some people are completely overreacting. Under the circumstances the defense balled out as long as they could.

True, but I bet the end of the game doesn't look much different with all those guys playing. It's like they scheme to be as far away from the receiver as possible.

How would you know if it doesn't look different with all of our starters playing. Sure looked different against the 9ers.

This ^ Getting by the 9rs with injuries to MOST of our top Defensive players is almost a laughable expectation.
Never mind playing "Conservative Pete-ball ", hell, just trying to field a competitive group of players is going to be a daunting, if not impossible task.

 

[John63]

I'd we go into the SF game with our defense injured like now, we will play very conservative on offense and loose bad.

 

[scutterhawk]

IMO that's a smart play by Caron on first and 10 by staying in bounds. The extra yard or two is not as valuable as the 40 seconds or forcing the Panthers to use a time out there. Different story on third down.

LOL, And how about his 4th & 1 + Touchdown run to seal the win.

 

[xray]

What's wrong with the 20-10 score . We all liked that didn't we ? Then playing not to lose happens and they eat 14 unanswered ? That won't fly far in the playoffs .

 

[xray]

What's wrong with the 20-10 score . We all liked that didn't we ? Then playing not to lose happens and they eat 14 unanswered ? That won't fly far in the playoffs .

I meant a 30 -10 score...sorry

 

[Hawkpower]

We "let them back into the game" with 5 defensive starters out including Wagner at the the time.

Are people not seeing that just might be an issue with most teams? :roll:

There were 6 starters out and I have no idea how they are missing it.

Defense is hard enough to play against in a 2 minute drill. Throw 6-7 backups out there instead of arguably your 6 best defenders and I have no idea what they expected

 

[scutterhawk]

They won by 6 points missing the MAJORITY of their Key Defenders in "Garbage Time", and I'm going to B*tch about it...…..NOT!!!!!

 

[Scorpion05]

We had a crap load of injuries, and we lost Diggs and Wagner in the 4th quarter. There's a direct correlation with them going out and us giving up the lead. Oh, and Barton is not ready

 

[jeremiah]

IMO that's a smart play by Caron on first and 10 by staying in bounds. The extra yard or two is not as valuable as the 40 seconds or forcing the Panthers to use a time out there. Different story on third down.

He didn't have to slide to stay inbounds, he could cut . It is nit picking, but it was giving up when the game was still in doubt.

 

[jeremiah]

The play it safe mode is incorporated into many members of the team. Specifically Carson went into a feet first slide instead of getting an extra yard or so within the last drive. Never have I seen a RB make a feet first slide and avoid the tackle unless the first down is made, and the game is wrapped up. The little things about a team are what makes you a champion or an also ran. EVERY SINGLE INCH must be contested. I hope his team mates ride him hard for that one. There are many coaches who would bench him and chew his ear off just for that.

Full disclosure, PC's method of coaching drives me nuts. It seems to work for him, but IMO it is the reason for the many losses in the past that happened at the ends of games when he had a "lights out" D. Not just when he is building a team.

Well to be fair Carson did that to keep the clock moving, if he doesn't, yea he gets an extra 2 or 3 yards but he is also pushed out of bounds and that stops the clock

Head first slide? Cut away from the out of bounds. He played it safe IMO because he was worried about ball security.

 

[John63]

The play it safe mode is incorporated into many members of the team. Specifically Carson went into a feet first slide instead of getting an extra yard or so within the last drive. Never have I seen a RB make a feet first slide and avoid the tackle unless the first down is made, and the game is wrapped up. The little things about a team are what makes you a champion or an also ran. EVERY SINGLE INCH must be contested. I hope his team mates ride him hard for that one. There are many coaches who would bench him and chew his ear off just for that.

Full disclosure, PC's method of coaching drives me nuts. It seems to work for him, but IMO it is the reason for the many losses in the past that happened at the ends of games when he had a "lights out" D. Not just when he is building a team.

Well to be fair Carson did that to keep the clock moving, if he doesn't, yea he gets an extra 2 or 3 yards but he is also pushed out of bounds and that stops the clock

Head first slide? Cut away from the out of bounds. He played it safe IMO because he was worried about ball security.

Lol of course let's go with the negative.

 

[andyh64000]

The play it safe mode is incorporated into many members of the team. Specifically Carson went into a feet first slide instead of getting an extra yard or so within the last drive. Never have I seen a RB make a feet first slide and avoid the tackle unless the first down is made, and the game is wrapped up. The little things about a team are what makes you a champion or an also ran. EVERY SINGLE INCH must be contested. I hope his team mates ride him hard for that one. There are many coaches who would bench him and chew his ear off just for that.

Full disclosure, PC's method of coaching drives me nuts. It seems to work for him, but IMO it is the reason for the many losses in the past that happened at the ends of games when he had a "lights out" D. Not just when he is building a team.

Well to be fair Carson did that to keep the clock moving, if he doesn't, yea he gets an extra 2 or 3 yards but he is also pushed out of bounds and that stops the clock

No...that was dumb and Russ told him as much after the play. At the very least he should have driven forward head first instead of sliding like a qb. In that situation a first down was most important. A

 

[RolandDeschain]

We've seen it for the better part of 3 or so years now and specifically almost every game this year.

I promise you this won't be a luxury against a good team, so we should probably stop doing it now, while we still can.

You blow teams out when you have a chance, leave no doubt.

It's obnoxious to watch and infuriates me to no end.

You heard it here first, I hope this doesn't happen in the playoffs but I wouldn't be surprised if this is how we do go out if we do.

Wait didn't we do this in SB 49, nvm.

I've been of this mindset for many years. A lot of fans just like to say a win is a win, doesn't matter if it's by an inch or a mile, winning's winning...err, that might be Dom from the first Fast & The Furious film , but I've long believed (well it's not a belief, it's really a fact) that HOW you win and lose throughout the season has predictive power in the postseason.

If we continue to dick around on offense too much, we're not getting to the Superb Owl...but man, I really hope we do, obviously.