Second Guessing Chiefs Not Going for Two Against the Cowboys
by Joel Thorman on Oct 12, 2009 4:34 PM CDT
in 2009 Kansas City Chiefs Campaign
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PrintI figured this topic would come up. In the fourth quarter of Sunday's loss to the Dallas Cowboys, Matt Cassel hit Dwayne Bowe for a good lookin' 16 yard touchdown pass. That put the score at 20-19. I asked the reporter next to me, 'Do they go for two?'
'Why not?', he said.
At the time, it made sense to me to go for it. I'll get to that a minute but I can tell you that the mood in the locker room after the game, after speaking to a few players, was that head coach Todd Haley made the right decision. The responses I got were pretty similar: 'We fought this hard to get into this position. Let's not put it all on the line with a 2 1/2 yard conversion.'
From the players perspective, Haley was showing faith in them by sending it to overtime. Jon McGraw shared a similar sentiment when asked about the decision to send it into overtime.
"He gave us a chance to win the game in overtime," McGraw said of Haley after the game. "It's great when your head coach believes in you and I think the whole sideline believed we would win the coin toss and go down the field and score and win the game."
So, why try the two point conversion?
Because you might not put yourself in a position like that again. Why take the risk of not getting the ball back? To put it another way: Would you rather have the ball on your own 35 yard line on first down or on your own 2 1/2 yard line on fourth down? Is there a better position to be in than 2 1/2 yards away?
I know this debate has been around for years. The usual thinking is that you go for two on the road and for the tie at home. The players say go for the tie, I say go for the win, what do you say?
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good call
Haley made the right call, even though it cost us the game in the long run, the players believe that the coach believes in them. What they need to do is show the fans and everyone on damn espn that they can win a football game! When they won that coin toss i sure thought it was over, and then when we got the ball back on the 50 i thought it was over. The Chiefs just need to win, and finish these games, it shouldnt have even came down to this, we were winning all game and should have stopped them.
Right call
Not only did the Chief win the opening coin toss but then, after they failed to score, the D got a stop and got the offense a 2nd chance…at the 50.
This one falls on the players.
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by Patrick Allen on Oct 12, 2009 4:44 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
but if we did go for two and not get it
then how many people in here would have been calling for Haleys head? I probably wouldnt have even logged on here today because it would have been outragious!
Its a tough call...
the PAT is the safe call and 9/10 the right call (which I believe it was).
With a PAT he’s putting the responsibility and trust solely on the shoulders of the guys out there on the field. Its then up to them to make the plays to move the ball (or stop the opposing team) and make plays when it really matters the most…
on the other hand…
The Chiefs are ranked relatively high (around the top 1/2 of the league I believe) in red zone scoring so staking that claim against the Cowboys the Chiefs may have had an easier time going for two rather then trying to win in OT.
The question then becomes in that situation on Haley’s coaching ability once more if he goes for two. If he converts he’s a genius if he doesn’t he’s a loser head coach and a failure.
maybe they could have had Vrabel come back in and get the two?
because i know i wouldnt have put the ball in LJ’s hands at all.
normally...
…the formula you mentioned is the correct one. When you’re an 0-4 team struggling to find an identity, though, you go for the win. As soon as the Chiefs scored that touchdown, I felt certain that they should’ve gone for two instead of giving Dallas any more opportunities. How is there a difference between believing in your players to get the job done in overtime versus getting it done on one lone play. When Ws are this hard to come by, you jump on the chance. I for one would not have second-guessed Haley today had they gone for two and not gotten in.
I agree
with the counterpoint regarding believing in the team. Does the offense now feel that Haley DOES NOT believe in THEM?
if F@#C$#%@ Mike Goff raises his head
then we are all sitting here talking about how the Chiefs upset the Boys! Mike Goff has to go, his days are done and i will question the coaches if they continue to use him.
by jrcnc on Oct 12, 2009 4:54 PM CDT reply actions 1 recs
I wouldn't have been against
going for 2 considering you’re 0-4. I’m not upset about the decision though.
The right call was made
I never even thought about the 2 until Aikmen mentioned it.
Predictions for 2009:
LJ runs for 1800 yards
Bowe in the pro bowl
Chiefs D finishes in the top 10 in points allowed
Chiefs 10-6
Wow, I definitely would have gone for two.
We’re 0-4 and going no where fast. We worked our asses off to stay in the game, fought back, and could have had the last say in the game going for two. We had nothing to lose and a shit ton of pride and confidence to gain. Go for it. If we make it, great. We showed balls and stepped on their throat when we needed too. If we don’t make it, whatever, we’re 0-5 and still going no where anyways.
sure at the time its tempting
but I agree on the road you go for it, at home you dont
If Maurice Leggett doesn't miss Austin TWICE we wouldn't be having this conversation
Frankly the call on the PAT doesn’t matter, Leggett’s poor tackling and our offense’s inability to do anything when they were on the doorstep is the problem.
I don't blame the corner
I blame the safety on that one. Corners need to be aggressive and safeties need to be there to back em up when needed.
on which one? Because both passes Maurice had him "wrapped" up but couldn't finish the tackle
Brown didn’t do anything better on the first long touchdown, but on the OT one it may have been the defensive call that put the safety out of position
Don't forget the fumble no-call in FG range in the first qtr.
That would have given us enough to win as well.
by Chiefsfan1970 on Oct 12, 2009 5:11 PM CDT up reply actions
Don't forget Carr's "almost" pick
But then again, Austin was a beast last night…
by Chiefs Fanatic on Oct 12, 2009 5:24 PM CDT up reply actions
Should have gone for it
Why not? NFL overtime is a joke. Dont even mess with it. Win the game right then and there
I'd rather die on my feet than be living on my knees
I would have loved for them to go for 2
However I do think Haley made the correct call. I think he did give this team it’s best chance at winning by going into overtime. Also, can you imagine the backlash that going for 2 would have caused if we hadn’t made it. All these people, who are now saying that going to overtime was a bad decision, would now be bitching about “how stupid Haley was for going for 2”. You can’t please everybody, but he made the right call.
Im so glad we didnt go for it.
Herm would have gone for it…and look what happened almost everytime he did, WE LOST. Congrats to haley for stickin to the simple plan and gut it out in overtime. I am still depressed about yesterdays loss…Somebody please give me a drink….
What the H ell
I would have gone for it, what’s the worst case you end up feeling like you do now? I would hope somewhere in all the practices they have a “just in case break glass play” or was Vrabels play it? The boys had obviously gotten their “stuff” together at that point and the charity was likely over.
The pluses from going for it and winning far outweighed the minuses in my opinion.
“God hates a coward”
going for two
puts the game in the hands of a play.
overtime puts the game in the hands of the team.
If the team can’t win the game it doesnt deserve to
Really
I just think going for it and getting it would have been huge for the TEAM. What better example of a guy having faith in what he has built? Those players would have had to admire his stones for giving it a whirl. Them boys could have set quite a few demons loose in one play. Not to mention sending Mr. Jones away sniffling. Like I said worse case your 0-5………………….
True...
but then there would have been the Well what if we didnt go for it and we won in OT…Its a double sided sword…either way there will still be the other side to it.
by Wrestler189s on Oct 12, 2009 7:45 PM CDT up reply actions
He clearly made the right call.
The offense moved the ball in OT, the defense got a 3 and out and we started on the 50 yard line. Can’t fault Haley for that he made the right call and put them in a position to win and they didnt get it done.
"Success is never ending, failure is never final."
FYI
I wouldn’t be here bemoaning him if he had tried and failed either. Yes he put them in a position to win in OT but THEY had put themselves in position to WIN in regulation and would not have had to worry about the Dallas offense.
Kind of reminds me of another KC coach (not Herm) who liked to play it safe, course then he never won the big games either eh?
I’m done. :)
“Some days it’s better to beg for forgiveness than ask for permission”
I think going for the tie was a better choice.
2 point conversions are about 40% chance and KC hasn’t been too good around the goal line.
I also would have punted rather than tried a 53 yard FG. Pin Dallas deep and wait for Romo to make a mistake or settle for the tie.
KC did get their chances in OT – just didn’t convert.
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