Revisiting Sunday: Run Right Call

By SteelCityUnderground

Many fans are still stewing over Sunday’s improbable loss to then win-less Tampa Bay. A lot of criticism has been thrown in the direction of Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin, offensive coordinator Todd Haley and even QB Ben Roethlisberger.

The criticism has been so bad, it even prompted us to publish an article, Stop Blaming Todd Haley, in which we examined why the loss wasn’t Haley’s fault; nor could one person or play be attributed to a collective failure to win. Yet many are pointing out one specific play as the root cause of why the Steelers fell apart last Sunday.

With the ball on their own 19 yard line and 1:35 on the clock, Pittsburgh faced a 3rd and 5. A first down would ultimately end the game, as Tampa Bay had no timeouts remaining.

Knowing the end result, we can continue to second guess the play call, but for a moment, let’s consider the options available to the coaching staff and/or players at that given moment:

   Call a pass play. An incomplete pass stops the clock with roughly 1:30-1:25 left.
   Call a pass play. You risk an interception, as well as the same clock scenario above. You also risk a pick-six or giving Tampa the ball roughly 20 yards out of their endzone.
   Call a pass play. What if Ben gets sacked? You’re punting out of the endzone, with little breathing room.
   Call a pass play. Earlier in the game Ben was strip/sacked and Tampa recovered on Pittsburgh’s 9. This had to be fresh in the minds of the coaching staff.

READ MORE:  http://www.steelcityunderground.com/2014/10/01/revisiting-sunday-run-right-call

The Steelers ran the ball three times and punted against the jags in the playoffs.  

The result?  



The Steelers needed a first down against the Jets in the AFC title game, to keep their defense off the field which had already given up a 4th quarter touchdown.

The result?  



You may not win every game putting the ball in Ben's hands, but chances are you won't win many if you don't.

I agree with everything that Underground said. I would definitely take my chances with the punter doing his job and making a backup* QB drive his team on the road with no time outs. It didn't pay off this time. Can't blame the play call.

History says you should blame the play call.

http://www.footballoutsiders.com/clutch-encounters/2014/clutch-encounters-week-4

I only have one problem with this article's claim that Ben should've thrown:

Quote :

For his career (137 plays), Roethlisberger has converted third-and-5 into a first down 43.8 percent of the time. On a day where he was sharp and the undermanned Pittsburgh defense wasn't, that sounds like a reasonable estimate of his chances to convert and end the game right there.

Instead of doing what works best, the Steelers ran the ball with Le'veon Bell for a loss of 2 yards. To make matters worse, Brad Wing's punt traveled 29 yards. Glennon only needed to go 46 yards and he had 40 seconds to do it.

However...

Mark Kaboly said this via Twitter @MarkKaboly_Trib

Quote :

So, run/pass option called by Tomlin on 3rd and 5 at end of game in which Ben decided to call run. #FireHALEY

And...

Quote :

Roethlisberger explained run-pass option on 3rd and 5 better. Said only pass is if Heath was uncovered. Happened earlier in game for 19 yds

So the player that converts 43.8% of his 3rd down conversions decided he was only going to pass if Heath was uncovered, and took the option to run. Sounds to me like he wasn't confident in converting the play using a pass, considering he does so less than half of the time he throws. Hmm...

By the same guy who wrote the article on Twitter:  

"Roethlisberger when leading in last 4:00 of 4Q (career): 35/40 for 475 yards, 7 TD, 0 INT.

Sounds trustworthy to me."

Anyone who paid attention to this team knew the minute they punted the ball they were in trouble.

mrcrash wrote:

Anyone who paid attention to this team knew the minute they punted the ball they were in trouble.

Well that's one thing we can definitely agree on.

Also, I wrote in my preview last week that I was worried about this game if we didn't stop committing penalties. I'm equally worried this Sunday for the same reason. This team seems to find ways to defeat themselves.

That's what happens when owner agenda's mean more than winning.

My whole problem with that run right call was the fact that the players did not seem interested in participating in that play. They seemed lazy about it (IMO).

However, this was not the only play that set this game for the ending it had.

1. There were a few passes that were off the finger tips of the WRs
2. Our defense barely got to Glennon
3. Our offensive line decided to reverse course compared to the week before against the panthers
4. Penalties, multiple personal fouls (hands to the face)
5. Winger, being an inconsistent punter, had the worst possible punt at the worst possible time

I've heard people say that if it weren't for the penalties or the turnovers, blah blah blah. My response to that is great teams take advantage of those things and credit to the bucs for doing just that. While I feel certain that if we played them again, the bucs wouldn't win, if we corrected our own self inflicted wounds.

I'm with you, it's that everyone has made such a big deal out of this particular play.

Oh and you left out all of the unsportsmanlike conduct penalties, which could have been prevented like Brown's TD dance and Bell's taunt. (Heyward on the other hand, had a valid point in being angry, but still has to keep his cool about it just as the referees should have thicker skin sometimes, especially when they miss a call!)

Quote :

I'm with you, it's that everyone has made such a big deal out of this particular play.

As they damn well should. It was 5 yards away from a win.

mrcrash wrote:

Quote :

I'm with you, it's that everyone has made such a big deal out of this particular play.

As they damn well should.  It was 5 yards away from a win.  

But FAR from the only problem in the game.

Different story if it's a soundly played game and that's the ONE call that screwed the pooch!

SteelCityUnderground wrote:

mrcrash wrote:

Quote :

I'm with you, it's that everyone has made such a big deal out of this particular play.

As they damn well should.  It was 5 yards away from a win.  

But FAR from the only problem in the game.

Different story if it's a soundly played game and that's the ONE call that screwed the pooch!

Totally agreed. I'm more ticked about the Pouncey penalty than the decision to run or pass on 3rd & 5. At 2nd & 8, you get pushed back 5 for the penalty and have to try to overcome a 2nd & 13.

But about that particular play, you'll note that the Bucs were in press coverage. If they decided to throw, most likely the underneath routes would be tough to complete. A certain poster reminds us that earlier in the 4th,  on 3rd & 2 the Steelers CBs gave a 10 yard cushion, when in fact the opinion was that they should have played press man to prevent the short throw ... the Bucs did just that to the Steelers on the 3rd & 5. Most likely, Ben would have had to hold the ball a little longer and try to complete something further down field. Basically, the Bucs played the run and short pass.

The O-line was pretty pathetic on that play ... and very inconsistent all year. If they called pass and Ben get's jacked up, we'd all be mad they didn't just run the ball and burn the clock. Second guessing is prevalent when there's failure, and beginning Monday everyone's suddenly much smarter than the people who get paid to make those calls in real-time.

Seeing the penalty on Pouncey, 2 plays earlier, kills me... look at that wide open space!

http://www.steelersdepot.com/2014/10/steelers-film-room-play-buccaneers

Yep, planned boot-leg with Ben, you can see the WR at top of the screen blocking.

i think it was the right call. had our o line blocked it correctly we probably get the first down

vasteeler wrote:

i think it was the right call. had our o line blocked it correctly we probably get the first down

This quote brought to you by the word "Execution". Execution: when a play fails, you can usually blame me.

Yeah, Mike Adams running a pass pattern is wonderfully designed play.

I hope they do it 10 times Sunday.

mrcrash wrote:

Yeah, Mike Adams running  a pass pattern is wonderfully designed play.

I hope they do it 10 times Sunday.

I don't care if they do as long as they win.

Well guess what? In Oakland they didn't.

SteelersYak wrote:

vasteeler wrote:

i think it was the right call. had our o line blocked it correctly we probably get the first down

This quote brought to you by the word "Execution".  Execution: when a play fails, you can usually blame me.

Agreed. That offense executed against Carolina and had executed that very play 3 times before. I don't care what play you call, if you don't come out of the huddle with some serious determination to pound your competition into the dirt, you're not going to succeed in those situations.

BTW - any guess how many players on that Bucs defense have made the Pro Bowl?

If you said "5", you get a gold star.