I'm curious what people think about the strategy surrounding this down, distance and time situation.
This play in particular. And yeah, it sucks it has to be these two teams in the example. bammer should have tackled every WR on this play thus not allowing an easy TD pass. Take it to a single untimed down for Clemson to attempt to win the game. If this pass had been incomplete, Clemson still gets one final play with 0:01.
Given the following fictitious scenario:
Play 1
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 8 with 0:12 left and needs a TD for the win.
(That is roughly time for maybe 2-3 quick throws into the endzone depending on how long each subsequent play takes)
Strategy:
Defense should instruct their DBs to immediately tackle all WRs, or anyone suspected of being a pass receiving option, at the snap. All other players play the run & QB.
Result:
Pass Interference or Holding penalty. Half distance to goal & 1st down. ~0:05-7 off the clock during the play.
Play 2
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 4 with 0:07 left and needs a TD for the win.
Strategy:
Defense should again instruct their DBs to immediately tackle all WRs, or anyone suspected of being a pass receiving option, at the snap. All other players play the run & QB.
Result:
Pass Interference or Holding penalty. Half distance to goal & 1st down. ~0:05-7 expires again
Play 3
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 2 with 0:02-0:00 left and needs a TD for the win.
Strategy:
Defend this play as you would any other knowing this is the last play unless there is an inadvertent defensive penalty.
What has been accomplished:
The defense has severely limited the possibility of the offense completing a game-winning TD pass on the first two plays. The game has essentially been reduced to one defensible play as time expires or on an untimed down. The defense only has to "defend" the pass on one play instead of a possible three. I like those odds of a successful defense better. The pressure is also now on the QB and WRs to execute. Any bad throw or tipped pass or drop ends the game. A run play is a possibility, but it is possible on any other play too. Of course, the defensive players must also execute and not allow the QB to scramble for a TD while the receivers are removed from the equation by the intentional penalties. The benefit of this strategy also increases based on the distance from the endzone before time can expire. If the offense is on ~12 yard line before time expires, the untimed final play will occur from the 6 making a run play even less likely.
This seems like a sound strategy for reducing the legitimate opportunities the offense has to execute a play to win the game in a compressed field.
This play in particular. And yeah, it sucks it has to be these two teams in the example. bammer should have tackled every WR on this play thus not allowing an easy TD pass. Take it to a single untimed down for Clemson to attempt to win the game. If this pass had been incomplete, Clemson still gets one final play with 0:01.
Given the following fictitious scenario:
Play 1
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 8 with 0:12 left and needs a TD for the win.
(That is roughly time for maybe 2-3 quick throws into the endzone depending on how long each subsequent play takes)
Strategy:
Defense should instruct their DBs to immediately tackle all WRs, or anyone suspected of being a pass receiving option, at the snap. All other players play the run & QB.
Result:
Pass Interference or Holding penalty. Half distance to goal & 1st down. ~0:05-7 off the clock during the play.
Play 2
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 4 with 0:07 left and needs a TD for the win.
Strategy:
Defense should again instruct their DBs to immediately tackle all WRs, or anyone suspected of being a pass receiving option, at the snap. All other players play the run & QB.
Result:
Pass Interference or Holding penalty. Half distance to goal & 1st down. ~0:05-7 expires again
Play 3
Situation:
Offense has the ball 1st & Goal at the 2 with 0:02-0:00 left and needs a TD for the win.
Strategy:
Defend this play as you would any other knowing this is the last play unless there is an inadvertent defensive penalty.
What has been accomplished:
The defense has severely limited the possibility of the offense completing a game-winning TD pass on the first two plays. The game has essentially been reduced to one defensible play as time expires or on an untimed down. The defense only has to "defend" the pass on one play instead of a possible three. I like those odds of a successful defense better. The pressure is also now on the QB and WRs to execute. Any bad throw or tipped pass or drop ends the game. A run play is a possibility, but it is possible on any other play too. Of course, the defensive players must also execute and not allow the QB to scramble for a TD while the receivers are removed from the equation by the intentional penalties. The benefit of this strategy also increases based on the distance from the endzone before time can expire. If the offense is on ~12 yard line before time expires, the untimed final play will occur from the 6 making a run play even less likely.
This seems like a sound strategy for reducing the legitimate opportunities the offense has to execute a play to win the game in a compressed field.
