Game management article

[jjakq27]

http://news.enquirer.com/apps/pbcs.dll/art.../701210411/1066

[kentjett]

I think the last few plans were done by Carson not Marvin. They didn't have much time to talk after the big play to Henry. As soon as he caught it, Carson hussled everybody to the line, hike it and fell down in the middle of the field, and then we called a timeout. You have the second most accurate kicker of all times and you have a field goal inside 40 yards, that is pretty good odds. This was not meant to be our year.

[HairOnFire]

I think the last few plans were done by Carson not Marvin. They didn't have much time to talk after the big play to Henry. As soon as he caught it, Carson hussled everybody to the line, hike it and fell down in the middle of the field, and then we called a timeout. You have the second most accurate kicker of all times and you have a field goal inside 40 yards, that is pretty good odds.

I actually hated that game strategy more than any other example I can think of from last season.

After Henry caught the ball it took more than 20 seconds to get everyone lined up for the next play...which was a spike that killed the clock. Why not call a timeout as soon as the officials rule Henry down? The result would be a 1st down at the 20 yard line with roughly 50 seconds left....plenty of time to attempt at least three pass plays that might have resulted in a TD, or at the very least gained yardage that would have resulted in an even shorter FGA. Just make it clear to Palmer during the timeout that the ball is to be thrown away quickly if none of the recievers are wide open. And any attempt to throw a ball towards the sideline has to be made on 1st or 2nd down, when enough time remains to get another play off if the receiver can't get out of bounds.

Instead, the Bengals wasted 20 seconds getting downfield, then wasted 1st down stopping the clock, then wasted a timeout needlessly, then took a knee on two successive downs...losing two or three yeards in field position as a result. But ignoring all of that the thing that bugged me the most was the complete lack of aggression demonstrated by the Bengals after Henry's reception.

Granted, the FGA was short enough that the odds favored them, but they had blown enough kicks in the 2nd half of the season to cause concern, and the wind was gusting very strong. (Just look at the way the flags atop the uprights were blowing just prior to the missed kick.)

So again, why not use the TO immediately and ensure yourself enough time to run three plays before attempting the kick?

[ShulaSteakhouse]

With an extra TO that was wasted on "icing" a kicker on a chip shot, the Bengals' might be playing today still.

Thanks Mediocre Marv.