Bama could have used a Buddy Ryan trick on the last offensive play
As a Bay Area guy, I do hold my NFL loyalty (however dwindling) to the 49ers. But anyway, after the last offensive play of the game, it had me thinking about one of the 1 or 2 smart things the 49ers did all season.
Deadspin caught on as well: http://deadspin.com/the-49ers-did-something-smart-yesterday-1788674473
(hopefully someone can embed the GIF)
If Alabama tackles/holds all eligible recievers, time runs off and only results in a defensive holding penalty. Clemson most likely has to throw the ball away for at best one untimed down and would have had to kick the game tying field goal. Game would have more than not gone to overtime. DISCUSS!
January 10th, 2017 at 1:51 AM ^
I was saying the exact thing to my GF during the game. If they are smart they tackle the WRs, make them kick the FG with zero time on the clock.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:51 AM ^
Shenanigans. Do not want.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:44 AM ^
Shenanigans. Do want.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:17 AM ^
It's not shenanigans. It's strategy. Belichick and New England would do it.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:42 AM ^
It IS strategy, but would anyone really want to see close games consistently come to this?
It's like the non stop intentional fouling in the last minute of a basketball game. Just play the game.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:15 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 11:26 AM ^
I will pistol-whip the next guy who says "shenanigans"!
January 10th, 2017 at 1:53 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 1:54 AM ^
It actually looked like they may have been trying to do just that. It looked like the Bama DB pulled the outside wide receiver, which allowed the pick play to happen without being called. The only problem is that the inside DB wasn't able to get to Renfrow in time. If Bama tackles, holds, or interferes they can get to OT. Everyone would hate them, especially if they won, but it gives them a better chance.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:13 AM ^
You note that "everyone would hate" Alabama for the intentional defensive hold penalty, but that's hardly a downside. Everyone hates Alabama already.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:01 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:53 AM ^
I don't think that was clearly the strategy at all. On the replay they show from roughly Watson's position, it looks more like the Alabama cornerbacks bump wasn't allowing the receiver to get to his position to set the pick. So, he just dove/fell forward to make hiimself as big as possible to try and get a pick.
It was clear on the PI that the Alabama corner grabbed to avoid the touchdown, but on the final play it didn't look like Alabama was grabbing on purpose or the slot guy would have been grabbed, too.
January 10th, 2017 at 1:58 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 8:01 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:33 AM ^
That's understood. But with no time on the clock from the 1, Clemson would likely kick for the tie rather than risk a regulation loss.
January 10th, 2017 at 11:11 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 2:23 AM ^
and the two DBs agree to switch if they cross. Outside stays outside and squats on the out, inside stays inside and squats on the slant. We used to do that in high school if we had twins to our side in a short yardage situation. Otherwise, it's a supremely easy read for the QB-- if the slot corner goes under the pick, you throw it flat outside. If he goes over the pick, you put air under it and your receiver is supposed to head for the corner.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:23 AM ^
Good call, you're right. Though I think a rule should be in place to not allow it.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:20 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 10:32 AM ^
after (intentional) defensive penalties with under a certain amount of time left.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:30 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 5:11 AM ^
It was not "poetic justice." It was coaches understanding the rules better than the refs.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:19 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 7:32 AM ^
"Perversion of the game" sounds like something Greg Sankey and Paul Finebaum would accuse Harbaugh of doing.
January 10th, 2017 at 10:47 AM ^
It sounds like something Greg Sankey and Paul Finebaum might do to small farm animals at the 50 yard line.
TISWWT (There is something wrong with that).
January 10th, 2017 at 7:51 AM ^
That is not what Oklahoma State was trying to do.
They took the snap with 4 seconds left and ran the 4 seconds off the clock to end the game. They didn't care about the run-off cause they didn't needed.
Also with a deadball foul you don't get the run-off.
All Oklahoma State was trying to do was get the last 4 seconds off the clock.
January 10th, 2017 at 8:23 AM ^
would this be included in some of the "naughty stuff" Chris Fowler was referring to last evening?
January 10th, 2017 at 9:21 AM ^
Cletus-You're wrong on both ends of this. That is not what Oklahoma State was trying to do and the CMU play should never have even been allowed to happen. Also, good strategy and taking advantage of the existing rules should not be considered a perversion of the game. Those are things losers complain about.
January 10th, 2017 at 7:45 AM ^
That isn't correct, as far as I remember it. The rule is that if Alabama were to have a penalty, Clemson gets to choose to have the 10 second runoff if they want, but they don't have to.
EDIT: nevermind, read it wrong. The penalty would have accomplished what you wanted (forced a kick for overtime).
January 10th, 2017 at 7:46 AM ^
Sort of like when the Ravens held all of the bengals players to run out the clock this year.
January 10th, 2017 at 8:09 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 8:30 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:41 AM ^
if they were really well coached, one of them would have fallen on the ball immediately.
(Zing, Saban!)
January 10th, 2017 at 8:41 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:00 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:51 AM ^
Bama's DL dominated Clemson's OL all day in short-yardage situations. If I were Bama, I'd take my chance winning or losing on one play from the one yard line rather than allowing Clemson one play from the two yard line, like they did, and if Clemson misses they could kick a FG.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:01 AM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 9:40 AM ^
I think there was one linebacker in position to make a play still, but this is exactly what I was thinking. He probably beats him to the edge for a TD anyway.
January 10th, 2017 at 9:39 AM ^
As it says very early in the football rulebook:
"Deliberately teaching players to violate the rules is indefensible." (page FR-10, in Code of Ethics)
It also seems to be generally addressed in Section 4 under "Delay/Clock Tactics":
January 10th, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
Has it ever been called ? C'mon research team ....
Go Blue!
January 10th, 2017 at 9:57 AM ^
FIRE SABAN
January 10th, 2017 at 10:26 AM ^
If you watch Saban before the PI in the endzone he tell his corners to yank on the jersey and pull someoned down if they think they may be beat.
Next play, PI in the endzone putting the ball at the 2.
On the final play, the guy setting the screen/rub was actually just tackled before he really had a chance to set the legal/illegal pick. The other corner/saftety was supposed to be closer to line and the reciever to take out this option.
January 10th, 2017 at 2:13 PM ^
January 10th, 2017 at 2:39 PM ^
They should have done it, though I hate seeing this kind of thing. Winning is winning.
Easy solution - any play in the last two minutes on which there is a penalty shall result in no time going off the clock.