For most of us in orange, the 2010 Tennessee-LSU game brings up painful memories of a potential upset for the ages ruined by an epic mistake by a young, inexperienced team and coaching staff. But what if the Vols' defense having too many men on the field was a tactical decision designed to maximize the chance of victory? Bill Barnwell's article The Fearless Super Bowl Recap on ESPN's Grantland yesterday contained an interesting analysis of an illegal participation penalty by the Giants late in the fourth quarter: Barnwell believes that Tom Coughlin may have intentionally placed too many men on the field, preventing the offense from completing a long pass and trading yardage for time.
According to Barnwell, the tactic was invented by NFL defensive legend and noted innovator Buddy Ryan, who called it the "Polish Goalline". The motivation for using such tactic is simple: having too many men on the field after the snap (illegal participation) is a live ball penalty, meaning that while the offense is awarded penalty yardage or the result of the play, no time is added to the clock. Skip forward to 5:10 in the following video and watch the play unfold: the Patriots have the ball at the 43 and a half yard-line, 2nd and 10 with 17 seconds to go when Brady takes the snap and throws deep down the left sideline, incomplete. After the penalty for too many men on the field is assessed, the Patriots have the ball at the 48 and a half yard-line, still 2nd and 10... with only 9 seconds left.
Compare that play to the end of the 2010 Tennessee-LSU game (assuming you've recovered enough from the heartbreak of that day to actually watch the clip): if Jefferson attempts a pass, the result is likely an incompletion, while time is run off the clock and the offense gains a modest 6-8 inches on the penalty yardage. If Jefferson attempts to pull the ball down and run, or hand off to the back, the play is likely stuffed while the clock runs down. In either case, the penalty yardage is inconsequential; meaning the question is: would you rather defend several plays or just one? Unfortunately for the Vols, the emotional swing from having the game won to playing a last, untimed down was too great for a defense that played lights out all game.
Do I think it's more likely than a mistake? No, but I do appreciate the idea that there's method to the madness... aka Dooley is trolling us.
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0 recs | 5 comments
while interesting in the Giants case
it’s not really relevant to UT/LSU. The amount of time left in that game was so little that LSU only had time for one play regardless. If there had been 10 seconds left and a dead ball situation, you might’ve been on to something.
Incipient_Senescence - February 7, 2012
it's not the time that matters
It’s the down and distance. I agree that it’s more interesting as a thought experiment than likely, but the time argues against your point, not in favor. What matters is that a defensive penalty would allow an extra play (like what happened)… after the run is stuffed, it’s 3rd-and-goal with 20 seconds left; meaning that a spike play leaves only one down. If they had thrown hustled to the line and thrown, Jefferson could have fit two plays in.
CobbWebbAttack - February 7, 2012
I'm sorry, but you're just wrong on that one
the time matters plenty if there’s not enough time for two plays. and there’s no way Jefferson could’ve fit two plays in. no chance in hell. If Jefferson goes under center with 12 seconds left, you’re right. but there are under 5 when we finish our substitution
Incipient_Senescence - February 7, 2012
Not sure that we actually disagree here about the main point
Ie, it wasn’t intentional. That said, while it may have been impossible for LSU’s patented awful offense, I think any disciplined offensive unit (think Oregon or Stanford) would have been able to get at least two plays off. The whistle blows to end the 2nd down running play at 27 seconds, and given that the refs had been playing fast and loose with the defensive substitution rules, it’s not improbable to think that a team that had called two plays in the huddle prior to the 2nd down play could have lined up for a quick pass or spiked the ball. In any case, with two downs and whatever is left of the 27 second clock after the team gets lined up, it’s almost certainly incompetence rather than intent that 14 UT players remained on the field.
CobbWebbAttack - February 8, 2012
ah, okay
yeah, sure, that may be. although with a disciplined offense, we likely wouldn’t have had the chance to substitute. that last second substitution just seems to be what disciplined teams don’t try
Incipient_Senescence - February 8, 2012
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