Too Conservative?

[esmort]

I am glad we came away from this game with a win ... no Reggie, at Reliant, etc ...

 

But ... I am not happy about the conservative approach on our last possession.  I don't like this "playing not to lose" strategy we seem to use all too often.

 

One first down would have iced it for us, but instead we just run the clock ... we don't even try a "safe" creative play to try to get the first down. 

 

The decision came only a few feet from costing us to go to overtime.  This "playing not to lose strategy" is going to come back and bite us in the future.

[ConBro]

It was the right call in my opinion. Andrew finished 18/40 on the night (nothing against him; he made some serious plays when he needed to , and many of those incompletions were drops) and throwing for an incompletion would have been a costly move from a clock management standpoint. At the end of the day, you have to trust your punter and your defense to make it happen. Remember, being TOO aggressive leads to the '09 Colts Pats game, except the shoe is on the other foot for us this time.

[Buck Showalter]

I am glad we came away from this game with a win ... no Reggie, at Reliant, etc ...

But ... I am not happy about the conservative approach on our last possession. I don't like this "playing not to lose" strategy we seem to use all too often.

One first down would have iced it for us, but instead we just run the clock ... we don't even try a "safe" creative play to try to get the first down.

The decision came only a few feet from costing us to go to overtime. This "playing not to lose strategy" is going to come back and bite us in the future.

It probably will, but then when Lucks got the neard goin he is clutch so there is that too.

No fears mang...

[Bluefire4]

I am glad we came away from this game with a win ... no Reggie, at Reliant, etc ...

 

But ... I am not happy about the conservative approach on our last possession.  I don't like this "playing not to lose" strategy we seem to use all too often.

 

One first down would have iced it for us, but instead we just run the clock ... we don't even try a "safe" creative play to try to get the first down. 

 

The decision came only a few feet from costing us to go to overtime.  This "playing not to lose strategy" is going to come back and bite us in the future.

If we didn't complete the pass, we give them a chance for an easier field goal. By running that clock down all they had time for was a 55 yard field goal. Who knows what they could have done with 25 more seconds.

[esmort]

If we didn't complete the pass, we give them a chance for an easier field goal. By running that clock down all they had time for was a 55 yard field goal. Who knows what they could have done with 25 more seconds.

 

It worked this time ... barely... I don't know what would have happened with 25 more seconds, but I do know what would have happened if we had gotten one more first down.

 

Keenum's inexperience with the clock management in a situation like that hurt them and they still were only a play or two from a much easier field goal and we got lucky the kicker missed. Yeah he had not been hitting, but eventually the odds catch up and he makes one. So we had two big things (and many small things) break our way this time. Someone like Josh Scobee in the day would have made us pay for that gamble.

 

Yes, there is a chance of an incomplete pass, and maybe if their offense is having a hard time moving the ball you opt to put it on them, but their offense was moving the ball pretty good against us all game.  In my opinion you put the ball in your franchise QBs hands and let him ice that game.

 

Even if you we were going to go conservative we still could have tried something ... some gimmick double reverse or something and then even if it didn't work you burned more time than the vanilla runs they were calling.

 

We have gotten away with this a couple of times. Some quality QB is going to make us pay if we continue to play conservative like that ... especially in the playoffs.

[Smonroe]

In would have preferred that Luck rolled out but only throw if it was wide open. I think he did that early on the last drive against them last year.

But it worked, so it's kind of hard to argue with.

[tfunky14]

If we didn't complete the pass, we give them a chance for an easier field goal. By running that clock down all they had time for was a 55 yard field goal. Who knows what they could have done with 25 more seconds.

so true,, the colts did the right thing..

[lollygagger8]

I hated running T-Rich up the middle 2x in a row, and then trying to run Brown up the middle. Let them run outside!!!! 

[indy1888]

 Don't have a problem with running the ball but would have liked to have seen a little more creativeness to the playcalling. Before that drive i told my buddy i wanted to see Brown out there and some runs to the outside especially on the early downs. Hopefully get positive yardage on first and 2nd and then if needed ram Richardson for the last 2-3.   I did not want to see Richardson up the middle because i knew what that would produce.    Brown may not have fared any better but i'd take my chances over Richardson running into the backs of our O line for 1 yard losses at that point. Way too predictable.  Should have came back to bite us but thankfully the Texans kicker couldn't kick it in the ocean last night.

[CR91]

I hated running T-Rich up the middle 2x in a row, and then trying to run Brown up the middle. Let them run outside!!!!

You risk stopping the clock if you run outside and their pushed out of bounds

[House]

No problem with that play calling after getting the ball on the other side of the two minute warning. If the RBs make a play. Great. But the D has a job too and the O was just trying to make it easier on them.

[NewEra]

Don't have a problem with running the ball but would have liked to have seen a little more creativeness to the playcalling. Before that drive i told my buddy i wanted to see Brown out there and some runs to the outside especially on the early downs. Hopefully get positive yardage on first and 2nd and then if needed ram Richardson for the last 2-3. I did not want to see Richardson up the middle because i knew what that would produce. Brown may not have fared any better but i'd take my chances over Richardson running into the backs of our O line for 1 yard losses at that point. Way too predictable. Should have came back to bite us but thankfully the Texans kicker couldn't kick it in the ocean last night.

He did, he didn't gain squat either. We can not run up the gut with our line. They are weak sauce at best. Brown and Trent both do better running off tackle or to the sides. Same thing Seattle does with lynch.

[jskinnz]

This is damned if you do and damned if you don't situation. If they would have thrown the ball and had an incomplete pass and stopped the clock, there would have been an uproar on here about poor clock management, likely from the same folks complaining about running it three straight times.

I personally have no issue with how the approached the last possession. Of course a 1st down would have been nice but the ultimate enemy is the clock. I have no issue with the way the D was playing in the 2nd half to put the game in their hands.

[Colts80]

Our running game actually looked good in the first quarter and playaction made open recievers. then we exchanged that to pass to incapable wr's every play??? The best solution to help our struggling wr corp is to maintain balance and use fleener, not whalen or dhb.

[BOTT]

Our running game actually looked good in the first quarter and playaction made open recievers. then we exchanged that to pass to incapable wr's every play??? The best solution to help our struggling wr corp is to maintain balance and use fleener, not whalen or dhb.

That happens when a team is down 21-3

[PrincetonTiger]

The had to be kept running which an incomplete pass or run out of bounds would have stopped.

[Superman]

 Don't have a problem with running the ball but would have liked to have seen a little more creativeness to the playcalling. Before that drive i told my buddy i wanted to see Brown out there and some runs to the outside especially on the early downs. Hopefully get positive yardage on first and 2nd and then if needed ram Richardson for the last 2-3.   I did not want to see Richardson up the middle because i knew what that would produce.    Brown may not have fared any better but i'd take my chances over Richardson running into the backs of our O line for 1 yard losses at that point. Way too predictable.  Should have came back to bite us but thankfully the Texans kicker couldn't kick it in the ocean last night.

 

I think we could have called something different on second and third down also. A naked bootleg would have been a great call right there, allowing Luck an opportunity to make a play with his legs, while staying in bounds. 

[BPM_Colt]

Hard to really argue the decision. If we air it out and don't get the first... The clock stops and we are all calling Pagano and Pep *s

 

Right call if you ask me.. Run off all the time you can

[zippyd]

Maybe not so much in this game but there have been others where I got frustrated with the play not to lose.mantra. Run, run, pass for 3rd and 10. One of those first two downs needs to be a shot down field to keep the defense honest. If they still fear the pass they can't stack the box as much. 

[JoKeR]

It was a toss up decision. Receivers weren't exactly on fire and a drop pass would've saved the a Texans more time to get into FG range. In the moment I would've agreed with you.

[Tark The Shark]

I felt that the decision to run the ball on the last possession was the correct call.

 

That is what Trent does for the offense, just run up the middle when you are up and want to eat up the clock.

 

Also you have to trust your defense to hold them to a FG try for a kicker that missed 2 FGs and had no chance of making a 45 yarder, let alone a 55 yarder.

 

Conservative, but correct play calling for that situation.

[The Fish]

I didn't love it at the time, but I understand it, and it worked. 

[Dudley Smith]

As others have mentioned, a bootleg on one of the downs would have been a good call. Whenever this team has a lead they play not to lose and it is maddening. I don't know if that is Pagano or Pep or both, but aggressive teams are the ones that win the Super Bowl. Being ultra-conservative works in college when a team is much more talented or has a much better defense than the other team. However, that doesn't happen in the NFL because the talent is so similar on both sides of the ball, and generally the more aggressive team is the one that ends up making the big play and winning.

 

The entire second half the Colts were in attack mode and were moving the ball at will. Then, once they had the lead on the last set of downs, three runs up the middle for a net gain of 0 yards. Sure it kept the clock moving, but there were opportunities for more creative play-calling that still keeps the clock moving while picking up yards for a 1st down.  A first down ends the game right there without giving the Texans the ball back. It can and it WILL bite this team in the future if this type ultra-conservative mindset continues...I am afraid there isn't going to be a change though.

[Knuckles79]

I like being aggressive but I also believe it was the right call. You have to play the numbers on that one

[NewColtsFan]

Glad to see so many were thinking like me.....

 

-- Didn't like the play calling...

 

-- Would've liked to see a Bootleg....    Personally,  I would've done it on first down.

 

-- I also would've run the now famous Spider 2/3-y banana to Havili...

 

-- And I also would've tried a pass to the tight end on play action....

 

I get that an incomplete stops the clock.     I also get that ONE first down likely wins the game.

 

I would've preferred to be more bold.    This is an area with Pep that concerns me going forward.    It's something worth keeping an eye on....

[Colts420]

its the smart call. we had to have them use their time outs. an incomplete would of stopped the clock. dont mind the last possission