Sean McVay's Tomlin-esque In-Game Decision

[topseed]

There's 2:30 left in the Super Bowl. The Rams have no timeouts left. New England has a first-and-10 at the Rams' 33. They run the ball for a gain of 4 to the Rams' 29. The clock stops at 2:25 because of two penalties on the Patriots. An accepted holding call moves the ball back to the 43 and out of field goal range, but...

SEAN McVAY DECIDES TO DECLINE THE PENALTY.

Thus, predictably, the Patriots simply carry on with a gain of 5+ more yards on two running plays (coming within about two inches of winning the game right then and there), and proceed to kick the clinching field goal with 1:12 left on the clock.

Why, in the name of God and everything that's holy, would you allow the other team to remain inside your 30 yard line on 2nd-and-6?

a) You're already down by seven points.
b) A field goal essentially wins the game for your opponent.
c) Yes, it would be first down again, but if you stop them, you are guaranteed to get the ball back with still a chance to tie.
d) New England has been running the ball down your throat on the current drive, so giving up six yards on two plays is also a distinct possibility.


I couldn't believe it when it happened...even Mike Tomlin was blushing after witnessing this nonsensical, season-ending decision.

 

[stillwright]

Romo kept talking like that was what had to be done. Decline both penalties. I couldn't believe it. The Pats were in FG range. I kept thinking was I missing something.

 

[Coach]

McVay performance and decision was almost as bad as Atlanta head coach not running the clock or Pete Carol’s decision to throw it over the middle instead of giving it to Lynch to get a yard on 3rd and goal.




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[TDX27]

It wasn't just that. It was his entire game plan. The Rams are a running, and play action team. Two weeks in a row, he took the ball out of their best player and arguably the best 3 down RB in the league. They almost lost to the Saints and did to the Cheatriots and their refs. How you could not put the ball in Gurlley's hands for at least 10 carries and 2 catches in each quarter baffles my mind. He was at 100% and he didn't get his 3rd carry until the 2nd half. That alone would have helped loosen up the D for Goff.

 

[Coach]

At least McVay maned up and said, " I definitely got out coached ". Tomlin has yet to offer such honesty. Perhaps he thinks he's never out coached?

 

[Ron Burgundy]

At least McVay maned up and said, " I definitely got out coached ". Tomlin has yet to offer such honesty. Perhaps he thinks he's never out coached?

Obviously.

 

[Black & Gold Bleeder]

I guess mcvay is calling the plays. He should fire himself. Honestly , that's the best game plan you could come up with to beat the patriots? Vanilla. and put it all on goff's shoulders trying to find open receivers. He made fichtner look like a damn genius.

 

[Superman]

The announcers were saying that if they accepted the penalty that the ball would move back, but the clock would also begin. So by declining it, the clock would stay stopped.
Didn't make sense to me.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

The announcers were saying that if they accepted the penalty that the ball would move back, but the clock would also begin. So by declining it, the clock would stay stopped.
Didn't make sense to me.

Also although the Pats****** would be moved back, they would get the down over again. Only thing I can think is that McVay wanted them to use up a down. Might work against some teams but probably a bad decision against the Pats******.

 

[Troglodyte]

Also although the Pats****** would be moved back, they would get the down over again. Only thing I can think is that McVay wanted them to use up a down. Might work against some teams but probably a bad decision against the Pats******.

This. The clock was every bit the enemy as the scoreboard. Getting the ball back down by 7 with :15 left isn’t really better than getting the ball back down by 10 with :45 left. The Rams best chance was to forfeit the yards and hope they miss the FG.

 

[stillwright]

It wasn't just that. It was his entire game plan. The Rams are a running, and play action team. Two weeks in a row, he took the ball out of their best player and arguably the best 3 down RB in the league. They almost lost to the Saints and did to the Cheatriots and their refs. How you could not put the ball in Gurlley's hands for at least 10 carries and 2 catches in each quarter baffles my mind. He was at 100% and he didn't get his 3rd carry until the 2nd half. That alone would have helped loosen up the D for Goff.

Gurley wasn't 100%. Maybe not even 75%.

 

[topseed]

The announcers were saying that if they accepted the penalty that the ball would move back, but the clock would also begin. So by declining it, the clock would stay stopped.
Didn't make sense to me.

Romo was mistaken, but the referee in the booth got it right.

In the last 5 minutes of a game, after a declined penalty, the clock DOES NOT START until the snap of the football.

 

[wig]

As if the Rams had any chance in hell of scoring any more points.

The P*ts should have just run a sneak on 4th, because even IF they had failed, which is unlikely, the Rams NEVER would have moved the ball down and scored. The odds of that happening were infinitesimal.

Oh Ya. Jared Goff was going to mount a TD drive... Sure. How they didn't bench that fuckup is beyond me. The Backup COULDN'T have done any worse. Not that it would have mattered in the end.

 

[topseed]

This. The clock was every bit the enemy as the scoreboard. Getting the ball back down by 7 with :15 left isn’t really better than getting the ball back down by 10 with :45 left. The Rams best chance was to forfeit the yards and hope they miss the FG.

Not this. You are wrong.

The Rams could have gotten the ball back with about 30-35 seconds left, even if the Patriots decided to run it three times starting with first-and-twenty. You're sacrificing those 25 seconds before the 2-minute warning for 14 crucial yards of field position which would put New England out of field goal range.

 

[Troglodyte]

Not this. You are wrong.

The Rams could have gotten the ball back with about 30-35 seconds left, even if the Patriots decided to run it three times starting with first-and-twenty. You're sacrificing those 25 seconds before the 2-minute warning for 14 crucial yards of field position which would put New England out of field goal range.

Forget the exact amount of time, the point is that declining the penalty took a down away from the Patriots.

 

[Steelworth]

Gurley wasn't 100%. Maybe not even 75%.

I still don't understand this. It was even confirmed from their sideline that there was no issue with his knee during the game. Why were the coaches saying that? And then they mentioned something about CJ Anderson mentoring Gurley and keeping his head in the game (or something to that effect). Made absolutely no sense to me because the announcers were also saying Gurley had a large workload during the week leading up to the game with no apparent physical issues. WTF?

Also, McVay not going for it on 4th & 2 with like 0:28 seconds on the clock w/ 2 timeouts in his pocket before the half was egregious IMO. Especially with the kicker he has. There were so many head-scratchers that it's tough to name them all.

 

[SteelerFan448]

It is what it is, but the Rams had no business being in that game. It is hard to believe that a late Goff pass missed an easy TD and Cooks dropped a dime from Goff and maybe the Rams win. When the Pats were ahead by 3, it felt like it was a three score game.

Heading into the game, my biggest concern is Goff would play scared. He looked scared in some big moments against the Saints and it was clear early on the moment was too big for the young QB.

 

[Steelworth]

It is what it is, but the Rams had no business being in that game. It is hard to believe that a late Goff pass missed an easy TD and Cooks dropped a dime from Goff and maybe the Rams win. When the Pats were ahead by 3, it felt like it was a three score game.

Heading into the game, my biggest concern is Goff would play scared. He looked scared in some big moments against the Saints and it was clear early on the moment was too big for the young QB.

Can't remember where I read it, but Goff in his last 8 games -- 7 TDs 8 INTs.

 

[Steel G]

How about the 3rd and 22 where he runs it for -1? Even if you don't get a first, at least try to get more yards for your punter. The young offensive guru went full blown Marty ball the whole game. He did nothing out of the ordinary. He coached scared and they played scared. It was gutless.

 

[TDX27]

Gurley wasn't 100%. Maybe not even 75%.

He ran just fine when they used him. He had a 16 yarder and then a 12+ yarder called back due to a phantom holding call that even the announcers questioned. 20 carries and 4 to 6 passes and he would have easily had 100+ from scrimmage that would have opened up their bread and butter, play action.

 

[Ron Burgundy]

Forget the exact amount of time, the point is that declining the penalty took a down away from the Patriots.

I didn't mean to imply that was the right decision, just that it was the only logical reason I can think of for doing that.

 

[Shane Falco]

Popcorn

 

[topseed]

Forget the exact amount of time, the point is that declining the penalty took a down away from the Patriots.

Forget taking a down away, the point is that declining the penalty allowed the Patriots (and one of the best and most experienced postseason kickers in NFL history) to remain well within field goal range, and that decision essentially handed New England an insurmountable ten-point lead.

 

[Troglodyte]

Forget taking a down away, the point is that declining the penalty allowed the Patriots (and one of the best and most experienced postseason kickers in NFL history) to remain well within field goal range, and that decision essentially handed New England an insurmountable ten-point lead.

The Rams were already down by 7. Again, the clock was every bit the enemy that the scoreboard was. Getting the ball back with damn little time and down only a 7 points isn’t any better than getting the ball back with damn little time plus :30 and down by 10 points. You’re almost certainly screwed either way. Declining the penalty and hoping the Patriots miss the FG was their best shot at winning the game.

 

[Coach]

Is Darth Hoodie's performance shutting down the Rams to just 3 points his masterpiece?


Mcvay, an anointed genius admits he was badly outcoached. The Rams offense which ranked #2 in the NFL was very close to being shut out and Darth Hoodie did is with his defense ranked 21st overall in yards surrendered.