Play-calling on 1st & goal | FinHeaven - Miami Dolphins Forums

Play-calling on 1st & goal

M

MiamiHitman13

Practice Squad
Joined
Jan 6, 2009
Messages
245
Reaction score
3
Did you guys notice the play-calling on 1st & goal? When the NY Giants get 1st & goal, they just hand off on 1st down, 2nd down, and 3rd down until they get in the endzone. Miami has a tendency to get cute on short yardage goal-line plays.

Instead of just handing off and smashing their way into the line of scrimmage on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd downs, they do silly fade patterns like the one in the Kansas City game or they have Chad Penny roll out like in the Baltimore play-off game on opening drive. Why not play smash-mouth and stuff it down the opposing defense's throat?

I'll tell you why .... because Miami doesn't have an o-line that can plow the way into the endzone. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I am seeing a lot of posts talking about getting LBs and WRs being the top priority. I strongly disagree with this. We need to keep building up the o-line. Center and Right Guard has been an absolute disaster all year long for us.

I really hope improving the o-line is the top priority for Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano.
 
MiamiHitman13 said:
Did you guys notice the play-calling on 1st & goal? When the NY Giants get 1st & goal, they just hand off on 1st down, 2nd down, and 3rd down until they get in the endzone. Miami has a tendency to get cute on short yardage goal-line plays.

Instead of just handing off and smashing their way into the line of scrimmage on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd downs, they do silly fade patterns like the one in the Kansas City game or they have Chad Penny roll out like in the Baltimore play-off game on opening drive. Why not play smash-mouth and stuff it down the opposing defense's throat?

I'll tell you why .... because Miami doesn't have an o-line that can plow the way into the endzone. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I am seeing a lot of posts talking about getting LBs and WRs being the top priority. I strongly disagree with this. We need to keep building up the o-line. Center and Right Guard has been an absolute disaster all year long for us.

I really hope improving the o-line is the top priority for Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano.
Click to expand...

The fade in KC was actually on 4th down. The Fins tried to pound it in against the Ravens on 3rd down - that was the one where Ronnie looked like he wanted no part of actually running the play. The Fins had a nice call on 1st and goal from the 9, getting them to the one. Second down they tried to surprise the Ravens, not a bad call, but it didn't work at all as we know. The third down call was weak because as you say we do not have the horses up front. I would have had RB in at FB and Ricky as TB, then either do the quick dive to RB or fake the quick dive to RB and pitch outside to Ricky. Wildcat on 3rd and goal at the one would also have been a good idea - we can get RB one yard to the strong side following Carey and Long on the right.

No one will argue with you that the Fins need to get bigger and more physical up front.
 
Our short goaline plays are just awful to be honest .. it will never make sense to me why we wouldn't give the fullback the ball on 3rd and goal on the 1 yardline
 
the play fake on second down was a great call. the ravens defense just played it exceptionally well and snuffed it out. 3rd down was just a downright failure to nut up and move the pile.
 
You do have to remember that we were playing with 2 guards who had no starting experience before this season. Our two best guards, Donald Thomas and Justin Smiley, were on injured reserve. And their replacements were terrible.
 
i thought we should have ran it on 2nd down and tried a pass on 3rd if the run didn't work... the play fake was ok, but the Ravens weren't biting down on ANY play fake and rollout we tried...

usually you can leave the defensive end unblocked on the right side of the line and fake a handoff to the left... they bite inside for just one instant giving your QB a chance to roll out... but the Ravens weren't biting on this all day, we tried that play a few times and they were waiting for it every time...

give the ravens credit for watching the film and seeing that we run that play and keeping containment on the opposite side...
 
I never get why we did not give polite more carries in theese situations, regarding how successful he converted on &1 situations.
 
Last edited by a moderator:
MiamiHitman13 said:
Did you guys notice the play-calling on 1st & goal? When the NY Giants get 1st & goal, they just hand off on 1st down, 2nd down, and 3rd down until they get in the endzone. Miami has a tendency to get cute on short yardage goal-line plays.

Instead of just handing off and smashing their way into the line of scrimmage on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd downs, they do silly fade patterns like the one in the Kansas City game or they have Chad Penny roll out like in the Baltimore play-off game on opening drive. Why not play smash-mouth and stuff it down the opposing defense's throat?

I'll tell you why .... because Miami doesn't have an o-line that can plow the way into the endzone. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I am seeing a lot of posts talking about getting LBs and WRs being the top priority. I strongly disagree with this. We need to keep building up the o-line. Center and Right Guard has been an absolute disaster all year long for us.

I really hope improving the o-line is the top priority for Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano.
Click to expand...


You answered your own question.
 
The NYG have what's considered the best oline in the game and a 260+ pound stud running back. Outside of improving our Line are you also suggesting Ronnie put on some weight? Where I agree with you the Oline needs to be a priority the lack of quality LB's is really hurting this team aswell. To add another pass rushing OLB to go with Porter and to line up a stud LB beside Crowder would transform our defense into one of the best in the league.
 
MiamiHitman13 said:
Did you guys notice the play-calling on 1st & goal? When the NY Giants get 1st & goal, they just hand off on 1st down, 2nd down, and 3rd down until they get in the endzone. Miami has a tendency to get cute on short yardage goal-line plays.

Instead of just handing off and smashing their way into the line of scrimmage on 1st, 2nd, and 3rd downs, they do silly fade patterns like the one in the Kansas City game or they have Chad Penny roll out like in the Baltimore play-off game on opening drive. Why not play smash-mouth and stuff it down the opposing defense's throat?

I'll tell you why .... because Miami doesn't have an o-line that can plow the way into the endzone. The reason I'm mentioning this is because I am seeing a lot of posts talking about getting LBs and WRs being the top priority. I strongly disagree with this. We need to keep building up the o-line. Center and Right Guard has been an absolute disaster all year long for us.

I really hope improving the o-line is the top priority for Parcells, Ireland, and Sparano.
Click to expand...
Overexaggerating just a wee bit here. Then again this may be why the NY Giants scored a touchdown on only 35 of 69 trips inside red zone.

The right guard position can be improved with the return of a healthy Donald Thomas whom Coach Sparano and many of the defensive players raved about before he was injured.

I don't think you have to worry about the Trifecta not trying to improve the offensive line for next season as Sparano has already hinted at this
Sparano hinted that a priority this offseason is to beef up the offensive and defensive line, especially where depth is concerned.
Click to expand...
http://www.sun-sentinel.com/sports/football/pro/dolphins/sfl-tonyfolo010509,0,3052934.story

You hear people talk about needing WRs, DBs and OLBs is because we do need upgrades at those positions as well. Whether it be at the starting position or at backups.
 
I knew this playcalling would be questioned. This is a 1st and goal that started at the 9, so it wasn't simply a pound it 3 straight times to get it in type situation.

IMO, they called it right. The 1st down run IMO, was caught the Ravens a little off guard, as I think they were looking for a pass in that situation. If they were going to try a pass, I think that 2nd down was the right time to do it....because if they tried to pound it in on 2nd down and failed....3rd down would have definately been a pass, and the Ravens would know it. 2nd down they had to defend run and pass, and they did a good job....and our execution looked sloppy. 3rd down we tried to power it in, but these are the Ravens.....they aren't a great D by accident....most teams fail like we did in that situation. Best call on that drive, taking the 3 points.

I have 0 problem with the playcalling on that drive.
 
I agree 100% with the call to pass on 2nd down but I would have done it differently. I didn't think we'd fool the Ravens defense so I would have just called a pass, rather than a play action. I probably would have called the play we have used some on 3rd and 4th and short situations where Cobbs or Polite come out of the backfield on a little flare route.
 
Coulda tried Polite on that 3rd down, he's been pretty successful on short yardage gains. When you need 1 he usually seems to get 2 or 3. Maybe an off tackle plow. Predictable, but it's been successful.
 
They should've passed on third down. Third and goal from the 2 against a run defense that good may as well be third and goal from the 10. Also, on second down Chad missed his guy (can't remember who it was) in the back of the endzone. If you watch the replay Ray Lewis was pointing and screaming for someone to cover the receiver in the back of the endzone. Chad was on the run and just didn't see him. We're not the Giants. You have to know that to beat a defense that good, you're gonna HAVE to pass the ball. We don't have the personnel to overpower them.
 
There is never a 100% guarantee you are getting in the endzone. I like the pitch back to the Ricky, I bet that would've work from the 1 ydline.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top Bottom