Discussion of 4th and an inch or two

[RaminExile]

My feeling is you always take the field goal there if you're in range for this simple reason.

You still need at least another first down to score. You might get stopped again and need to kick the FG. So you've taken a risk for exactly no gain if that happens.

I think you go for it on 4th in the following situations.

1. Just outside field goal range. Here the debate is that you can pin them back inside their 20, play good defence and get the ball back in good field position - I'd rather do that most of the time. But if its 4th and INCHES I don't have a problem in going for it.

2. On the goal line. I go for it here every time because even if you don't get in you're backing their punter up against the wall and you're gonna get the ball back in great field position anyway. Lots of good things can happen - blocked and a TD, safety etc.

So according to my rule, I disagreed with the call at the time and I do today.

Whatever, Jeff Fishers the coach and I support him as a fan. I'm not going to second guess every judgement call they make.

EDIT:

Re: the play they ran. I think they called that trap play because they'd already run it once before on 4th down and it worked so they were kind of thinking "if it aint broke". I don't have a problem with that either.

I agree though with the above posters that I'd usually prefer to see a quicker developing play there on 4th and inches - a QB sneak is really hard to stop.

 

[DaveFan'51]

I've always liked Fisher, but that was one of his worst games here.

I'm not sure about this^. IF one play had gone differently,( IF Cook had caught that TD pass)It would have change the whole prospective of the game. Not to mention, we would have WON!

 

[moklerman]

Kick the FG. The Rams were taking on water and needed to extend their lead. Going up by 7 would have given them time to stem the tide while not having to come from behind.

Also, all of this "just QB sneak it" talk is very presumptive. As an example, Flacco got stuffed yesterday trying to do the same thing so it's by no means automatic. Just kick the easy FG.

 

[Fatbot]

My personal opinion and debate aside, Fisher is the one that decides, and I can't help thinking Fisher's inconsistency is odd. One moment he's talking about winning 13-10 and punting in their territory -- Mr. Conservative -- then the next he's going for a 4th down instead of an automatic FG that nets a comfy 3 score cushion. So it kind of gets back to that same old question, what's the team identity? I think it's valid criticism that maybe he got swept up in the emotion of the moment. Perhaps calming down the game with the conservative FG there was the better choice for this team. But again, personally, I loved the decision, hated the play call, and think we should have made up the 3 points in letting GZ try that 59 yarder instead of punting!

 

[RaminExile]

Kick the FG. The Rams were taking on water and needed to extend their lead. Going up by 7 would have given them time to stem the tide while not having to come from behind.

Also, all of this "just QB sneak it" talk is very presumptive. As an example, Flacco got stuffed yesterday trying to do the same thing so it's by no means automatic. Just kick the easy FG.

That's the other point here. The Cowboys had scored 20 points unanswered and had all the momentum. If we'd got the FG it would have put an end to that and just evened up the momentum a bit.

 

[moklerman]

That's the other point here. The Cowboys had scored 20 points unanswered and had all the momentum. If we'd got the FG it would have put an end to that and just evened up the momentum a bit.

There really wasn't much of a decision when you look at the game situation. The Rams were obviously going to need those 3 points and putting any points on the board would have helped with the loss of momentum. The risk/reward just didn't warrant going for it on 4th down IMO.

 

[Rambitious1]

Obviously the play call on the one we did not get was bad.
Poor execution. I also thought it was unimaginative.

 

[RhodyRams]

Didn't really want talk about this, but I will suffer thru it again.

The first time I was okay with... Rams weren't in gaurenteed FG range if I remember correctly.. Would have been over 50 yards .. Correct me if I am wrong. Plus the offense has its mojo working and the Boys were getting knocked off the LOS pretty good.


The second was the complete opposite of everything I listed above. Well within FG range.. O was sputtering and Cowboys D was winning the trench battle. Put the points on the board in that situation, we shouldn't even be having this discussion

 

[Lesson]

I was fine with both of them. However, I don't understand why they didn't have Davis sneak up the middle with Harkey and Kendricks in the backfield to help push the pile.

 

[bomebadeeda]

Always a quick hitter gets much more positive results. It doesn't give the defense time to react or jump to meet the runner. The Rams don't have too many quick hitters (except that FB dive they use to do when they had a real FB....) and their handoffs always appear the QBs are reaching back or forward as the timing just doesn't appear in sync. That been said. I like both decisions to go for it. I just didn't care for the play calls on either one. Slow developing trap plays are something a short yardage defense loves to see. We got lucky the first time. And nothing was learned. I liked most of Shotzy's play calls the rest of the day......but both of these sucked.

Also....Like someone has already pointed out, our receivers need to be beyond the sticks instead of in a position to allow the refs to inturpete the spot. I don't think either got to the line. But that neither made a concerted effort to get there (a la...Stacy earlier....). they just went down as if they had it.

 

[Leuzer]

I would have taken 3 points because Dallas was closing the gap and we needed something to show for that drive. Why not take the FG and kick it through the endzone? That way we would have the 3 and they would have about the same starting field position.

 

[Son of Liberty]

another statement on the same topic was the early touchdown - 3rd and inches from the goal, and the play call is a very risky sideways pass that worked, but could have been easily a 99-yard pick-six. It just seems the coaches do not have faith in the O-Line to get ANY push!

 

[cracengl]

Everyone wanted them to go for it, and if you don't make it, of course everyone says "You should've kicked the field goal"... what I'm disappointed with is the play call. You need an inch. Do a quick count and sneak that bitch. Hell, all he has to do is reach the ball over the line and you have the first... that was a very slow developing play.

Yeah, the gaps were filled with Cowboys waiting for AD to hand the ball off.

I know one of these was the direct result of Britt not getting the 1st down. I can't remember which. But I thought he did a piss poor job recognizing where the line was (he was just short of it) and in making an effort to turn the ball up the field for positive YAC. For a veteran, who is supposed to be a physical specimen, he sure didn't show it on that play.

 

[CoachO]

Yeah, the gaps were filled with Cowboys waiting for AD to hand the ball off.

I know one of these was the direct result of Britt not getting the 1st down. I can't remember which. But I thought he did a pee pee poor job recognizing where the line was (he was just short of it) and in making an effort to turn the ball up the field for positive YAC. For a veteran, who is supposed to be a physical specimen, he sure didn't show it on that play.

I think the focus on this play is misplaced. Everyone seems to be pointing the finger at Britt for NOT getting the 1st down. But if you watch the play develop, IMO, Davis has got to get the ball to him sooner. Britt crossed the face of the LB and came open on the near hash marks. And yet, Davis didn't get him the ball until he was beyond the far hash marks and gave him virtually no opportunity to be able to turn it up field.

If he gets the ball sooner, he has plenty of room to turn it up, and this isn't even a discussion.

 

[209RamsFan]

coulda, woulda, shoulda...hindsight is 20/20.....too late now, bottom line, we went for it and were stopped....and NO, I may be in the minority, but I DON'T think Zac Stacy is the answer...or any of the other backs we have, they are 2nd tier at best...That was on the O-line for getting dominated on that Particular play.

 

[Mojo Ram]

The second one took to long to develop. No idea why people call plays with it 4th and inches that take that long to develop. Do a quick handoff, QB sneak, or if you want to watch a play develop do a quick fake and pass to a TE in the flat or something that has less opposing players smashed into one area.

Agree 100%
I know why Fisher decided to go and i agreed with both decisions. It's the playcall on that 2nd one that was terrible, for all the reasons you hit on in your post.

Sup Psycho. Good to see you again. You should rent a UHaul and set up residence here. You always were one of the better guys over there at that "other" place:cheers:

 

[Psycho_X]

Agree 100%
I know why Fisher decided to go and i agreed with both decisions. It's the playcall on that 2nd one that was terrible, for all the reasons you hit on in your post.

Sup Psycho. Good to see you again. You should rent a UHaul and set up residence here. You always were one of the better guys over there at that "other" place:cheers:

Hehe thanks! I kinda lurk back and forth. Don't post as much as I used to after the last place turned into what it has. But I'll show up here and there.

 

[thirteen28]

Hehe thanks! I kinda lurk back and forth. Don't post as much as I used to after the last place turned into what it has. But I'll show up here and there.

Yeah, what Mojo said.

You are still my personal hero for getting Ken Norton Jr. to flip you off when the Rams broke the 9ers streak in '99.

 

[raised_fisT]

Lots of options in that situation. Quick count, hard count to try and draw them off... But they shrank the field at the GL in an earlier sequence and got stuffed. Why did they try it AGAIN? They were kicking ass when they used the entire field and opened it up. Why pack all those bodies in between the lines instead of spreading things out with a pitch or roll out? **sigh