Offensive Coach called a great game

[snarling Bull]

Ponton needs to be the RB not Williams.

[BULLheaded]

still some bizzare plays though, 35 years of watching football and I can't recall ever seeing a team fake a field goal in order to punt.....and a time out called to set that up on top of it.

The timeout was a bit bizarre, but the actual call was a good one. Better to try and pin them deeper in their territory than to risk having another miss, which would have been highly probable with out kicking game.

I don't disagree with the decision to punt instead of going for a field goal but I just don't see the need to fake it. Our problems have stemmed from innacurate kicking and poor punting, neither of which is correctable by the fake.....as demonstrated by the way the kick went sailing long into the endzone.

Overall I'd say he made some decent calls yesterday but that one was just bizzare IMO

[BullBlood]

Ponton needs to be the RB not Williams.

Couldn't agree more.  I cringed every time I saw B. Williams lined up in the backfield (or split wide???).  Don't we have a stable full of capable recievers??? and yet they line williams up out there.  Questionable choice.  Ponton is a solid back who should be getting ALL of our carries right now.    If he needs a break I wouldn't be opposed to seeing Dorsey get some carries.  We're going to need him to be productive in the next couple of years.  PITT handed the ball off to a grande total of ONE RB all game.

I like the trick plays every now and again because it will make future opponents prepare for them and it will hold defenses.  Every week our opponent will have to think about reverses, double reverses, reverse passes, fake punts, passes to grothe, etc.  This will help keep opposing defenses from swarming to the ball.  Plus it's nice to see our offensive staff trying to be a little creative, and some of those plays have actually worked pretty well.  

[BullBlood]

Too bad the decision to put PJ in the game wasn't a true coaching decision.....I would have considered it brilliant.  He played excellent and I think he was more effective at eating up clock time.  PJ is like a big bruising fullback in those situations.  He just came in the game one play too late.  Also had that clutch fumble recovery.  

Awesome game from PJ!  Hope we use him in this role when we need to grind out some tough yardage in the next couple of games.

[RagingBull]

still some bizzare plays though, 35 years of watching football and I can't recall ever seeing a team fake a field goal in order to punt.....and a time out called to set that up on top of it.

The timeout was a bit bizarre, but the actual call was a good one. Better to try and pin them deeper in their territory than to risk having another miss, which would have been highly probable with out kicking game.

I don't disagree with the decision to punt instead of going for a field goal but I just don't see the need to fake it. Our problems have stemmed from innacurate kicking and poor punting, neither of which is correctable by the fake.....as demonstrated by the way the kick went sailing long into the endzone.

Overall I'd say he made some decent calls yesterday but that one was just bizzare IMO

I believe the FG line up causes the defense not to have a punt returner, just like a QB quick punt. Obviously the goal was to down the ball deep but execution was poor. I like the call.

As for the Hook and Lateral, not a bad idea but not necessary at that part of the field, moving the ball like we were.  I give Rod Smith a lot of credit for yesterday and I give Leavitt a great deal of credit for the punting game. Once opponents figured out dropping 2-3 people to cover the punt would counteract the rugby style punt, we put in the fake. It was a great move.

[windbane]

still some bizzare plays though, 35 years of watching football and I can't recall ever seeing a team fake a field goal in order to punt.....and a time out called to set that up on top of it.

The timeout was a bit bizarre, but the actual call was a good one. Better to try and pin them deeper in their territory than to risk having another miss, which would have been highly probable with out kicking game.

I don't disagree with the decision to punt instead of going for a field goal but I just don't see the need to fake it. Our problems have stemmed from innacurate kicking and poor punting, neither of which is correctable by the fake.....as demonstrated by the way the kick went sailing long into the endzone.

Overall I'd say he made some decent calls yesterday but that one was just bizzare IMO

I believe the FG line up causes the defense not to have a punt returner, just like a QB quick punt. Obviously the goal was to down the ball deep but execution was poor. I like the call.

As for the Hook and Lateral, not a bad idea but not necessary at that part of the field, moving the ball like we were.  I give Rod Smith a lot of credit for yesterday and I give Leavitt a great deal of credit for the punting game. Once opponents figured out dropping 2-3 people to cover the punt would counteract the rugby style punt, we put in the fake. It was a great move.

quick QB punt was stupid because there was a guy out wide to the right that was wide open and could have converted the 4th and 3 at their 39 yard line.

great fake punt calls.  the second one i said "wow they could do it again to the left because they have 5 blockers and 3 defensive guys there."  they did, and i was happy.

[USFMikeB]

Since I've been one of Rod Smith's biggest detractors, I've got to admit that this game represented a much better game plan than we've seen all year.  Yes, there were some gimmicks.  Yes, there were still a couple too many Grothe option plays.  However, looking at the offensive game plan from a holistic level, it was pretty decent.

[smazza]

still some bizzare plays though, 35 years of watching football and I can't recall ever seeing a team fake a field goal in order to punt.....and a time out called to set that up on top of it.

strange to say the least

[Triple B]

Too bad the decision to put PJ in the game wasn't a true coaching decision.....I would have considered it brilliant.  He played excellent and I think he was more effective at eating up clock time.  PJ is like a big bruising fullback in those situations.  He just came in the game one play too late.  Also had that clutch fumble recovery.  

Awesome game from PJ!  Hope we use him in this role when we need to grind out some tough yardage in the next couple of games.

If it had been a coach's decisiion to pull Matt and put Pat in at THAT point in the game even I may have been tempted to let out with a coach's boo, as opposed to a player's boo. We were only up by 2 scores with a full quarter to play.  Matt needed to stay in if he was healthy at that juncture of the game.

[DELdaBull]

I still don't understand a "trick" play when with conventional plays we are moving the ball all over the field against Pitts D.  I ive the play calling a B-.  Best grade of this year!