The decision not to take TO in the 1st half...

[Dudley Smith]

Did anyone else find this very perplexing and almost conservative to fault on Pagano's part? I know it wasn't the reason we lost, but it was 3rd and 13 for the Cards, you're already down 21, there is 1:34 or so left in the 1st half, and you have Andrew Luck as your QB on the other side who thrives in the hurry-up (never mind the fact he rarely gets the opportunity this year...topic for another thread), and you decide just to let the clock run completely out? Yes, I realize the Cards completed a pass for a 1st the next play, but had the TO been called, the defense could have rested, gotten set up, and the Cards would probably have run something completely different. The Colts would then have had an opportunity to only be down 10-18 instead of 21.

 

I thought that the decision not to take the TO there was a microcosm of Pagano's overly conservative mindset. I think calling it a "defeatist" attitude would be overly harsh, but it made me very angry yesterday. This coaching staff needs to realize that playing "safe" with this team is not going to win them games. Especially when you are already down 3 TDs. I thought it made no sense in light of the situation and I still am upset by it.

[SteelCityColt]

I too found this decision perplexing, regardless that Arizona made it anyway the right call was surely to take the T/O and see what you got. 

[IndyD4U]

Every week I find a coaching decision perplexing.

[sfergson727]

As much as I hate Bill Belichick, I wish Pagano would use him for a role model.  The guy is an arrogant *, but he has gonads, and finds ways to win, sometimes unconventionally.

[Flash7]

Last year, under Bruce Arians, the Colts were one if the best teams in converting third downs, and Luck led all QBs in third down pass conversions of 7+ yards. It was no surprise that yesterday Arizona constantly converted third downs into first downs, despite how long they were. They remained aggressive.

Along with the bad clock management as mentioned above, we have a conservative mentality on offense too. On third and long, we're guaranteed to call a draw, screen pass, or a short pass and hope the WR breaks some tackles.

[Jason_]

I think in a different game under different circumstances he would have called the time out.  Yesterday, however, at that point, pass protection was non existent and the colts hadn't moved the ball hardly at all the entire half.  I too thought they would call a timeout but at the same time can see why they would have just wanted to get the half over and get to the locker room to try to sort things out instead of trying to force something that hadn't been working at all up to that point against a very good and aggressive Cardinals defense.

[indy1888]

Totally agree, i could not believe we were not using our timeouts.   The sad part is, this seems to be the way Pagano works.  This was not the first game this year where i was screaming at the TV for a timeout before the half.  He's done this in at least 2 other games, i think the Houston game was another and maybe the Rams game the other.  It really is odd considering how good Luck has been in his short career in 2 minute drives before halves. I would think you would want to be aggressive and try to get the ball back to get points instead of being ok being down by 3 scores.  Maybe that attitude has rubbed off on the players as well.

[sfergson727]

I think in a different game under different circumstances he would have called the time out.  Yesterday, however, at that point, pass protection was non existent and the colts hadn't moved the ball hardly at all the entire half.  I too thought they would call a timeout but at the same time can see why they would have just wanted to get the half over and get to the locker room to try to sort things out instead of trying to force something that hadn't been working at all up to that point against a very good and aggressive Cardinals defense.

While that's all true, part of deferring is being the last one to score in the first half, and the first one to score in the second half.  A two-fer so to speak.  Only we seem to prefer to be the gopher.  (burying ourselves)

[GoColts8818]

We didn't get a stop and the Cards kicked a field goal. Had we taken a TO there they might have scored a TD and then the whole forum would be blasting him for taking a TO and giving them more time. What's getting lost is the guys on defense couldn't even make a play to get the other team off the field on third and 13 which made what Pagano did right in terms of the TO. This defense has lost its mojo and it's not just because Toler is out either.

[sfergson727]

We didn't get a stop and the Cards kicked a field goal. Had we taken a TO there they might have scored a TD and then the whole forum would be blasting him for taking a TO and giving them more time. What's getting lost is the guys on defense couldn't even make a play to get the other team off the field on third and 13 which made what Pagano did right in terms of the TO. This defense has lost its mojo and it's not just because Toler is out either.

So, to put it another way, the Colts were planning to fail.

[1959Colts]

Just before the half, the Cards tried a 50 yard field goal.

There was around 30 seconds on the clock. Arians let the clock run all the way down to 2 seconds and kicked the FG.

I thought, in this circumstance, on 4th down, Pagano should have immediately called time with aprox 30 seconds left.

Had the Cardinal kicker missed, we would get the ball with decent field position, and have a chance to score before the half.

 

It is obvious, Pagano is not the best HC when it comes to managing the games.

[dw49]

Just before the half, the Cards tried a 50 yard field goal.

There was around 30 seconds on the clock. Arians let the clock run all the way down to 2 seconds and kicked the FG.

I thought, in this circumstance, on 4th down, Pagano should have immediately called time with aprox 30 seconds left.

Had the Cardinal kicker missed, we would get the ball with decent field position, and have a chance to score before the half.

 

It is obvious, Pagano is not the best HC when it comes to managing the games.

 

 

 

Strange but I don't remember that. If you're correct and I believe you , it's just another horrible game management decision he's made.  

 

Kicking an extra point up 5 vs SF with about 5 minutes left in the game and the two punts vs SD were both elementary stuff he's bungled.

[IUfan_Charlie]

What about this one: Him leaving Luck out there down by 30 on our final possession... He is an awful coach. 

[BOTT]

Every week I find a coaching decision perplexing.

Debbie Downer

[Jason_]

What about this one: Him leaving Luck out there down by 30 on our final possession... He is an awful coach. 

 

[HtownColt]

No, down 3 TDs with a little over a minute left before half, you just want to take it to the locker room. It's a normal move for teams in that position

[swflacoltsfans]

I thought we were on a TO for the first 30 minutes like the other three previous games.

[Michael Myers]

So many agree that this decision was bad, but going for it 4 minutes in the third was a good idea? Face it, there are many questionable decisions from our coaches.

[GoColts8818]

So, to put it another way, the Colts were planning to fail.

I didn't say that, I just think we are ignoring the bigger issue.  The defense couldn't get a stop on 3rd and 13 that's more concerning to me than Pagano not using a timeout there.

 

I am just pointing out if he had taken the timeout and the Cards scored a TD then the forum would have blasted him for taking the timeout.  Sometimes you can't win with the fans.