End of the game decisions.

[Ed_Formerly_of_Roch]

there was a timeout called prior to punting so was a stopped clock.

 

I agree punting was the much safer option and smarter option.  More field goals get blocked than punts.

 

The one thing I did question though, why not  punt  out of bounds instead of down the middle.  The clock would keep running until the ball touches the ground so I’d think kicking out of bounds could have more hang time thus taking another sec or two off the clock.

[Simon]

7 minutes ago, Ed_Formerly_of_Roch said:

The one thing I did question though, why not  punt  out of bounds instead of down the middle. 

 

He's just trying to get that thing out of his hands and off his foot as fast as he can.

I think fooling around with directional stuff is just adding an unnecessary variable at that point.

[1ManRaid]

19 minutes ago, ToughTasker said:

Agree with the second part of the op. It isn’t a field goal situation, but you certainly run down the clock and take the penalty. Then if there are less than 4 seconds left you can simply snap the ball and run around to 00. 

 

I didnt understand the hurry to punt. 

Already been explained by multiple people the clock was stopped.  No clock to run out.

[Ralonzo]

The only thing I took issue at the time with was, the delay of game doesn't hurt you there. Keep the timeout, let the delay happen. The timeout lets you look at the Jets formation on O and swap in proper personnel and play call.

[Shaw66]

3 hours ago, chris heff said:

I’m not disagreeing, but the result of the punt was 15 yards. What was more important field position or time? Was there a call that would have run off more time? Probably not

I thought a pooch punt was necessary.  Just kick it 20 yards. Low.  Let it bounce, so the returner can't field it. Then the clock would run. Maybe force a fumble if the return guy tries to cover it.  

[Locomark]

I would never try a FG here. If there was an extra minute on the clock, then it may be a 50/50 consideration depending on the team you play. Our defense had no reason to be scared of Darnold gaining 60 yards or their kicker so it was a basic decision. 

 

The biggest blown call for the Bills was their ***** decision to bring in the big people to run a 3rd and 2 QB sneak. Bleck!!

[Paulus]

4 hours ago, chris heff said:

I get the punt, but I watched it three times, the ball was snapped with 16 seconds on the play clock. Why not take the penalty? Still going to kick the ball out of the end zone.

Nuts.

[1ManRaid]

13 minutes ago, Paulus said:

Nuts.

You guys realize there is a difference between the game clock and play clock, right?  Play clock running doesn't mean the game clock was.

[ILBillsfan]

30 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

I thought a pooch punt was necessary.  Just kick it 20 yards. Low.  Let it bounce, so the returner can't field it. Then the clock would run. Maybe force a fumble if the return guy tries to cover it.  

This is exactly my thought at that time in the fame a little pouch punt of about 20 yards or the directional kick to the sidelines did not like the touchback but I think we are pulling hairs

[Paulus]

16 minutes ago, 1ManRaid said:

You guys realize there is a difference between the game clock and play clock, right?  Play clock running doesn't mean the game clock was.

Thus, what I said. 

 

https://www.army.mil/article/92856/the_story_of_the_nuts_reply

[Doc Brown]

I questioned why he didn't take the delay of game to give the punter more room and kill an extra second.  Then when Bojo knocked it through the end zone I thought well that explains it.  You don't want to give a player a chance at a return there.  I also liked how he took a timeout (or two - can't remember) to make sure the defense was lined up properly to prevent another Minnesota Miracle type play.  Game management at the end of the game was superb.

 

[Albany,n.y.]

This horse was beaten to death on the 1st page.  To sum things up, the punt was the right decision, the Bills called time out right before the punt having already milked the clock down, and you can't get a 10 second runoff by creating a penalty to benefit your team-the other team has the option to decline.  Now if Gregg Williams was their HC instead of their DC you might have had a chance at that 10 second runoff.  I remember when the Bills played Houston when Gregg was coach and the Texans got a penalty with the ball on offense & someone on the Bills sideline accepted the penalty while London Fletcher was on the field waving his hands frantically to decline the penalty because with the extra down by accepting the penalty, it gave Houston enough downs to run out the clock, which wouldn't have happened if the Bills had declined.  At that moment I said Gregg should be fired immediately but Donahoe/Ralph let him finish the season.   

Edited September 11, 2019 by Albany,n.y.

[Rochesterfan]

12 hours ago, chris heff said:

I get the punt, but I watched it three times, the ball was snapped with 16 seconds on the play clock. Why not take the penalty? Still going to kick the ball out of the end zone.

 

 

The Bills had called a timeout - the game clock was not moving - so the play clock did not matter.  

 

You punt there 100% of the time with that amount of time and the defense you have.

 

It was played correctly.

11 hours ago, LSHMEAB said:

Uh yeah. I really can't believe anyone would think otherwise WRT to attempting a 52 yarder. That would have been a fireable offense. McDermott doesn't mess around with that kind of nonsense late in games. He's been solid since he's been here in terms of end of game decisions(sans the Indy punt which was really only a poor decision based on the standings.)

 

Edit; I think there MAY be some merit to the idea of taking the penalty because I believe there would have been a 10 second runoff. Never quite sure of that rule. I know that if the clock was stopped, it doesn't come into play. But following a run? Not quite sure if there would have been the 10 second runoff, but if that's the case, should have done that. No major problems, but I'm curious about the details of the rule in that situation.

 

 

There would have been no run off - it would have just been 1 second less.  I think they were more concerned about an error on the snap or kicking the ball and not getting it out of play.

 

The yardage mattered little - you just had to make sure they could do nothing on special teams.

Edited September 11, 2019 by Rochesterfan

[Rochesterfan]

7 hours ago, Shaw66 said:

I thought a pooch punt was necessary.  Just kick it 20 yards. Low.  Let it bounce, so the returner can't field it. Then the clock would run. Maybe force a fumble if the return guy tries to cover it.  

 

 

I don’t think they wanted anyone to even have a chance for anything to happen - something crazy across the field throw or a ruby pitch around and something bad happens.  Get the special teams group off that aren’t all designated defenders and get your strongest unit the defense on their with minimal time and a long way to go.

[JMF2006]

13 hours ago, chris heff said:

I get the punt, but I watched it three times, the ball was snapped with 16 seconds on the play clock. Why not take the penalty? Still going to kick the ball out of the end zone.

 

We had called a Time Out on 4th down with 1 second on the play clock.

 

The game clock was no longer running and would only start on the snap.

 

McD got all the time off the game clock he could.

[Shaw66]

1 hour ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

 

I don’t think they wanted anyone to even have a chance for anything to happen - something crazy across the field throw or a ruby pitch around and something bad happens.  Get the special teams group off that aren’t all designated defenders and get your strongest unit the defense on their with minimal time and a long way to go.

I'm sure you're correct.  I just so wanted the clock to keep running.  There were some really ugly scenarios running in the back of my head, scenarios that would have become legend among Bills fans, and I wanted things 5o be different this time.  Let the Jets fan add this game to their dark legends.  

 

 

[chris heff]

52 minutes ago, JMF2006 said:

 

We had called a Time Out on 4th down with 1 second on the play clock.

 

The game clock was no longer running and would only start on the snap.

 

McD got all the time off the game clock he could.

You are absolutely right, I was watching condensed game version. It was hard to pick that up.

[Shaw66]

5 minutes ago, chris heff said:

You are absolutely right, I was watching condensed game version. It was hard to pick that up.

I don't know if anyone mentioned it, but I'm sure they wanted the time out to talk to the kick coverage team about what was coming and how they were supposed to play it.  They had practiced it, but I'm sure McD wanted them reminded.  

[LSHMEAB]

12 hours ago, Rochesterfan said:

 

 

The Bills had called a timeout - the game clock was not moving - so the play clock did not matter.  

 

You punt there 100% of the time with that amount of time and the defense you have.

 

It was played correctly.

 

 

There would have been no run off - it would have just been 1 second less.  I think they were more concerned about an error on the snap or kicking the ball and not getting it out of play.

 

The yardage mattered little - you just had to make sure they could do nothing on special teams.

But WHY wouldn't there have been a runoff had they taken a penalty? Is it because it would have been a delay of game? I understand that they called a TO and that nullified everything clock wise. But the last play from scrimmage was a run and there is generally a 10 second runoff for an offensive penalty with under 2 minutes to play. Question being, why not just commit a false start if THAT infraction would result in a 10 second runoff. I'm unclear on this and it's virtually impossible to find answers.

Edited September 12, 2019 by LSHMEAB

[Rochesterfan]

44 minutes ago, LSHMEAB said:

But WHY wouldn't there have been a runoff had they taken a penalty? Is it because it would have been a delay of game? I understand that they called a TO and that nullified everything clock wise. But the last play from scrimmage was a run and there is generally a 10 second runoff for an offensive penalty with under 2 minutes to play. Question being, why not just commit a false start if THAT infraction would result in a 10 second runoff. I'm unclear on this and it's virtually impossible to find answers.

 

 

Because the defense can block the runoff to prevent that situation:

 

The rules are designed with checks and balances - the offense can’t keep committing penalties to get the time to run off - just as if the defense with a moving clock did something illegal to stop the clock - the refs can run up to 40 seconds off and declare the game over.

 

see below:

 

 

Fouls that cause a run-10

Any foul that is considered to be an illegal act to conserve time are subject to special timing rules. These include:

• a foul by either team that prevents the snap, for example:
  • false start
  • encroachment
  • illegal shift (offense not set)
• intentional grounding
• an illegal forward pass thrown beyond the line of scrimmage
• throwing a backward pass out of bounds
• spiking or throwing the ball in the field of play after a down has ended, except for a touchdown
• illegal substitution, unless obviously not to conserve time
• any other intentional foul that stops the clock

If any of these fouls are against the offense, and the clock is not stopped for another reason, a 10-second runoff will apply. The defense has the option to take the yardage for the penalty but decline the runoff, but if they decline the penalty the runoff must also be declined.

44 minutes ago, LSHMEAB said:

But WHY wouldn't there have been a runoff had they taken a penalty? Is it because it would have been a delay of game? I understand that they called a TO and that nullified everything clock wise. But the last play from scrimmage was a run and there is generally a 10 second runoff for an offensive penalty with under 2 minutes to play. Question being, why not just commit a false start if THAT infraction would result in a 10 second runoff. I'm unclear on this and it's virtually impossible to find answers.

 

 

The run off is designed to penalize an offense trying to score and can not be used to try an end a game when they are ahead.  It is part of the reason you rarely see run-offs when offensive fouls occur on a team running out the clock.

Edited September 12, 2019 by Rochesterfan