Let's beat a dead horse...

[tggeorge]

The fake spike...I am not trying to let Finnegan off the hook because I could see that coming and was yelling at the TV prior to it happening, and I don't get paid to coach or play football. Professionals should have been able to see this coming.

But just to play devil's advocate and get people upset, I can't put the blame solely on Finnegan. He clearly somehow didn't see it coming, and once he realized what was happening probably thought the following; 1. Do whatever it takes to not let him score. 2. He probably didn't think the safetys behind him were paying attention either, so forcing the receiver back inside, in his mind, could have lead to a TD.
Trust me, I'm pissed that a tackle there would've won us a huge upset, however, there were plenty of other opportunities to win that game than the Finnegan force out.

Real quick sidebar, clearly if we're playing to win the game Philbin, who felt "queasy" after the 2nd down incompletion, should have decided to throw on third without question. I noticed the gunner on the ensuing punt, waiving that he was uncovered. If you really want to showcase you have a pair, Philbin should have instructed Fields to attempt the fake, if a situation like that presented itself. Would you, as a fan, been okay with such a call, even in the event of failure? I personally would appreciate the guts and conviction.
Also, I'm not a huge anti or pro Philbin guy (just want any coach here to succeed), but to me, if you admit you felt "queasy" when making decisions at critical juntures, you should not be in a leadership position.

 

[Daytona Fin]

The receiver didn't know it was coming.

The way the Green Bay Packers quarterback recalled the play Tuesday during his ESPN Milwaukee radio show suggested it would have been impossible for his receivers -- even Adams, who caught the ball and scampered 12 yards down the sideline before wisely running out of bounds at the Dolphins’ 4-yard line to stop the clock with 6 seconds left to set up the game-winning touchdown on the next play -- to know it was coming.

Rodgers said simply that he yelled "clock," which means spike, and then did not spike it.

"Anything that anybody else has said about it, my apologies to those people, but it is probably slightly exaggerated," Rodgers said on his show. "That's really what happened."

He expected it to work but did not expect Adams to get 12 yards on the second-and-6 play from the Dolphins’ 16-yard line. More like 5 or 6 yards, he said.

"Two plays from the 10 is better than two plays from the 16," Rodgers said. "All that went into my mindset. It's stuff I think about from time to time when we're running two-minute drills in practice or afterwards when I'm thinking about it.

"I've done the fake spike in practice before with some success, but I did watch the Dan Marino years ago. I was a huge football fan growing up, and I thought [Marino's fake spike in 1994] was brilliant. Saw Dan on the sideline [on Sunday], didn't get to make eye contact with him but saw him across the field at one point during the game, and it was fun to be able to do that in the House that Marino built."

But what about that signal that Adams claims he saw?

"I don't know what he's talking about," Rodgers said. “And that’s the truth."

As for those who thought the play was a big risk, Rodgers said he found "comedy" in the fact that he's criticized for holding the ball too long and not taking enough risks.

http://espn.go.com/blog/green-bay-p...ike-was-coming-in-final-seconds-against-miami

 

[ladeback]

If we called a fake punt in that situation, Philbin would have been either crucified or praised as a genius depending on the outcome. That being said, I'm not quite sure you'd find any coach in the NFL that would run a fake punt in that situation....ever.

 

[finfan54]

Everyone is bashing Joe for running the ball on 3rd down but I understand what he was doing. He was counting on his Defense who had played lights out most of the game.

There are a few things that would make Joe look good here:

recover the fumble by Rogers. game over.

tackle the dudes in bounds....game over.

But IMO the coaching blew it by not putting Jamar Taylor out there more. I think our DB's need a rest every once in a while too. And Finnegan hadnt practiced all week so obviously he was still hurting.

 

[ladeback]

Everyone is bashing Joe for running the ball on 3rd down but I understand what he was doing. He was counting on his Defense who had played lights out most of the game.

There are a few things that would make Joe look good here:

recover the fumble by Rogers. game over.

tackle the dudes in bounds....game over.

But IMO the coaching blew it by not putting Jamar Taylor out there more. I think our DB's need a rest every once in a while too. And Finnegan hadnt practiced all week so obviously he was still hurting.

One bounce here, one tackle there.... Crazy how games can hinge on one little thing in the end. Good point.

 

[finfan54]

One bounce here, one tackle there.... Crazy how games can hinge on one little thing in the end. Good point.

and all game long when RT took off for a first down only to trip and fall short....4th down.

D stuffs Lacy but he squirms through for 1st down. aaaaaarrgh!
Aaron Rogers outruns blitz by half second hits Nelson with falling Grimes.....wtf? all game long. trippin.

 

[iambanned]

Yeah, but, ultimately, someone's got to make THE play and we are seldom the team that makes that play and that's been the case since January 1974.

 

[Sons Of Shula]

[video=youtube;moSFlvxnbgk]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=moSFlvxnbgk[/video]

 

[JCane]

It's a bit different when you're watching the game on television and can see the entire field versus Finnegan's point of view where he's trying to follow the receiver to the line while he's looking back at massive 300lb lineman blocking a good view of what the QB is doing. Not saying that Finnegan shouldn't be prepared in every situation for some degree of trickery, but your view versus his is a good bit different.

 

[DuderinoN703]

Everyone is bashing Joe for running the ball on 3rd down but I understand what he was doing. He was counting on his Defense who had played lights out most of the game.

There are a few things that would make Joe look good here:

recover the fumble by Rogers. game over.

tackle the dudes in bounds....game over.

But IMO the coaching blew it by not putting Jamar Taylor out there more. I think our DB's need a rest every once in a while too. And Finnegan hadnt practiced all week so obviously he was still hurting.

No. He admitted to being queasy to pass in that situation. Particularly because of what happened in the Buffalo game at home last year. That's a bad sign as a coach.

 

[Gonzo]

Everyone is bashing Joe for running the ball on 3rd down but I understand what he was doing. He was counting on his Defense who had played lights out most of the game.

There are a few things that would make Joe look good here:

recover the fumble by Rogers. game over.

tackle the dudes in bounds....game over.

But IMO the coaching blew it by not putting Jamar Taylor out there more. I think our DB's need a rest every once in a while too. And Finnegan hadnt practiced all week so obviously he was still hurting.

If their plan involved giving the ball back to a QB like Aaron Rodgers with two minutes left, it's a terrible plan anyway you cut it.

I agree regarding Taylor though.