Why not hold?

[VManis]

At the end of the game yesterday Buffalo had the ball with 1:25 left on the clock. Its 3 and 7 and McGahee busts one for 54 yards to apparently end the game. Its called back on holding, a spot foul which makes it 3 and 8 but more important to the game 11 seconds burn off the clock.

This got me thinking. Why don't teams intentionally hold at the end of the game when they need to burn a few more seconds from the clock? The Bills weren't really in a position to employ this tatic because they were on the 21 yard line and had 30 seconds to burn. But assume they are out around the 40 and there is only an additional 20 seconds to burn.

 

[NJFINSFAN1]

What would they have rather had, the 54 yard run, or a holding pen? 54 yard run and we don't even get the ball back.

 

[FinfanInBuffalo]

At the end of the game yesterday Buffalo had the ball with 1:25 left on the clock. Its 3 and 7 and McGahee busts one for 54 yards to apparently end the game. Its called back on holding, a spot foul which makes it 3 and 8 but more important to the game 11 seconds burn off the clock.

This got me thinking. Why don't teams intentionally hold at the end of the game when they need to burn a few more seconds from the clock? The Bills weren't really in a position to employ this tatic because they were on the 21 yard line and had 30 seconds to burn. But assume they are out around the 40 and there is only an additional 20 seconds to burn.

Because it stops the clock. There is no guarantee that the run will be successful. The goal at the end is to run the time off between plays or force the other team to use timeouts. Penalties prevent that. If they hold and the run is not successful, the Fins decline the penalty and get the clock stopped.

 

[furball4]

Along the same lines, isn't blatant offensive pass interference a lot better than an interception? If Chambers had just outright tacked that cornerback yesterday he could have stopped an interception...what does it cost, ten yards and loss of down?

Holding is also always preferable to allowing your QB to get blindsided because you're going to lose 10 yards anyway and if you let him past you risk injury and a fumble.

 

[Billybob]

Greatest penalty I ever saw was at a college game. The opposing tailback breaks off a 60 yard run down to our 5. Near the end of the run there was a block in the back, which,correct me if I'm wrong, is penalized at the spot of the foul. Our DB, accidentally I'm sure, about rips the backs head off by the face mask. The call. Offsetting penalties and a Do Over.