It is a simple arithmetic…stupid.

[Darkstorm05]

Originally Posted by SteelerForever

I have been a reader of this forum for some time. This topic has me pissed so I thought I would share some additional thought.

The OP of this thread is correct that Tomlin should not have called a time-out at 2:04 and here is why and it is not because of simple math.

With the ravens facing a 3rd and 6 (obvious passing down) letting the clock run to 2:00 is the correct play. Now the Ravens are faced with a tough decision. Whether to run and conceded getting a first down or pass and risk an incompletion which leaves an extra 40 seconds on the clock. The saving of the 4 seconds is not worth it for the Steelers.

What actually happened in the game was the worse possible situation because of the offsides. It cost the Steelers about 40 seconds and it could have been the difference in the game. Personally, I think allowing the ravens to pass for the first down with no penalty of an incomplete pass (stopping the clock) is not worth the 4 seconds saved.

I don't really think that would work. If we hadn't jumped the offsides, we'd have had the ball back at around 1:57 on the clock. If we did it your way, and everything plays out the same, that 3rd down play with the offsides jump alone takes us down to maybe 1:50 or 1:45. Now we run 3rd down again, and here we are at what, 1:30? Now we take the TO. Now they punt, and we get, what. 1:25?

We were playing to the chance that we come out of that with as much time as possible. it was our only choice, because any less time and we see what happens. Tomlin can't be making his choices based on fear that a veteran player will shit his brain into his pants on a crucial play.

[kent]

I feel bad for the the abuse youre getting haha but yeah youre logic is way off. Be mad at the two previous timeouts that were wasted.

[teegre]

Why is anyone even still discussing this!?!

At 2:04, Tomlin takes his last time out. The Ravens run a play, and the two-minute warning stops the clock.
Steelers get the ball, after the punt, at 1:55.

VERSUS

The two-minute warning stops the clock. The Ravens run a play. Tomlin uses his last time out, at 1:52 (that was the actual end of the play).
Steelers get the ball, after the punt, at 1:47.

Option B is always the wrong choice... unless... uh... well... two defensive players jump off-sides.

And, if you KNEW that Woodley and Keisel were going to jump, well, you should go to Las Vegas and bet your mortgage. The rest of us will choose option A every single time.

[steelerchad]

Originally Posted by SteelerForever

I have been a reader of this forum for some time. This topic has me pissed so I thought I would share some additional thought.

The OP of this thread is correct that Tomlin should not have called a time-out at 2:04 and here is why and it is not because of simple math.

With the ravens facing a 3rd and 6 (obvious passing down) letting the clock run to 2:00 is the correct play. Now the Ravens are faced with a tough decision. Whether to run and conceded getting a first down or pass and risk an incompletion which leaves an extra 40 seconds on the clock. The saving of the 4 seconds is not worth it for the Steelers.

What actually happened in the game was the worse possible situation because of the offsides. It cost the Steelers about 40 seconds and it could have been the difference in the game. Personally, I think allowing the ravens to pass for the first down with no penalty of an incomplete pass (stopping the clock) is not worth the 4 seconds saved.

I actually agree with this and not the OP. I thought this same thing right after we called the timeout. With 2:04, we gave them a free chance to throw for the 1st down with no clock concerns as it would be stopping after the play anyway. If you let it run to the 2:00 warning, the Ravens would have likely played it safe and run forcing us to burn our last timeout. We get the ball back with 1:45 or so. The timeout would have been a good one with 2:15 left as an incompletion may have give the ball back to us before the 2 minute warning, but at 2:04 it's not a good call in that situation.

[steelerchad]

Originally Posted by Darkstorm05

I don't really think that would work. If we hadn't jumped the offsides, we'd have had the ball back at around 1:57 on the clock. If we did it your way, and everything plays out the same, that 3rd down play with the offsides jump alone takes us down to maybe 1:50 or 1:45. Now we run 3rd down again, and here we are at what, 1:30? Now we take the TO. Now they punt, and we get, what. 1:25?

We were playing to the chance that we come out of that with as much time as possible. it was our only choice, because any less time and we see what happens. Tomlin can't be making his choices based on fear that a veteran player will shit his brain into his pants on a crucial play.

What he's saying is the chances of the Ravens playing it safe and just running would have gone up after the 2 minute warning. Calling it before gave them a free shot to throw for the first and end the game right there with no time penalty as the clock was stopping either way.
On 3rd and 7 I would have hated seeing the Ravens pick up a 1st with a short pass, which they wouldn't have risked if it meant running another 40 seconds off the clock.

[Darkstorm05]

Originally Posted by steelerchad

What he's saying is the chances of the Ravens playing it safe and just running would have gone up after the 2 minute warning. Calling it before gave them a free shot to throw for the first and end the game right there with no time penalty as the clock was stopping either way.
On 3rd and 7 I would have hated seeing the Ravens pick up a 1st with a short pass, which they wouldn't have risked if it meant running another 40 seconds off the clock.

I'm aware of that but it isn't necessarily correct to assume that would change anything. The Ravens wouldn't have gone in for an incomplete pass. Flacco would have likely been under orders not to throw unless it was a 99% sure deal. otherwise, he takes the sack, and the clock still runs. Mission accomplished either way. If you read the posted article, it even states that the sack Flacco took was likely deliberate for this very reason.

[defence]

To tell you the truth; I don't know how anyone could be angry at Tomlin. be angry at the special teams. The guy has a sieve at qb; obviously he regards higher than batch; what else can you do but play the cards on the table. Even if you guys mathematically get the ball back with more time. Do you really believe leftwich could do anything with that extra time. This guy sucks!! Period!! I don't know why he's on the team. so if you want to be angry at tomlin; be angry at him for keeping leftwich on the roster.

[Darkstorm05]

Originally Posted by defence

To tell you the truth; I don't know how anyone could be angry at Tomlin. be angry at the special teams. The guy has a sieve at qb; obviously he regards higher than batch; what else can you do but play the cards on the table. Even if you guys mathematically get the ball back with more time. Do you really believe leftwich could do anything with that extra time. This guy sucks!! Period!! I don't know why he's on the team. so if you want to be angry at tomlin; be angry at him for keeping leftwich on the roster.

That's an A+ opinion. Not like Leftwich was going to tack on another 75 yards through the air with an extra 35 seconds. More likely he'd have used them up rolling around on the ground trying to survive his collapsed lung.

[Hawaii 5-0]

Originally Posted by defence

To tell you the truth; I don't know how anyone could be angry at Tomlin. be angry at the special teams.

wasn't it Tomlin who fired our ST coach earlier this season and promoted our current one?

[Bayz101]

Originally Posted by Hawaii 5-0

wasn't it Tomlin who fired our ST coach earlier this season and promoted our current one?

I doubt very seriously that decision was made from a special teams production standpoint. Something else entirely went down behind the scenes, and Tomlin sent him on his way rather quickly and without warning. I'd actually like to learn more about it, but obviously, if it wasn't a good thing he was fired for, Tomlin made the right decision.