Jags getting a lot of flak for running out the clock with 55 seconds and a pair of timeouts end of the first half. I'm always going to be aggressive and go for the points if I was for some reason coaching an NFL team, but, I totally get why they did this. Jags did a great job keeping Bortles in his comfort zone and not trying to get him to do anything he isn't good at and I can see why they didn't want to go hurry up and risk giving the Pats another score before the half when they were getting the ball after halftime anyways and could continue at their tempo (which they did a fantastic job at moving the clock). All in all, if they were going to run out the clock, I think they should have given Fournette a chance to bust a big run and see what happens, maybe you get 20 yards and all of a sudden you're in business.
It was an acceptable decision, they were getting the ball back after deferring on the coin flip. They were also a little shell-shocked after dominating the first half.
Eagles in less time drove the field essentially without wasting a timeout. They used one at the end but he could have stepped out if he knew it was necessary. You gotta try at least one play before deciding.
True, also a lot more worrisome giving the ball back to Tom than Keenum. But yeah, def give it one play.
Considering the score, getting the ball back to start the 2nd half, and trying to score with Bortles' arm in less than a minute (not his comfort zone unless a defense applies "Cover ZERO"), well, we saw how that worked out at the end of the game. Most likely would've been at least an equally bad result.
I'm going the other way with this. I voted , no. Seems to me, at that time and place, you have to be aggressive and keep your feet on the gas. They had time, they had TO's, what more could they have asked for. They were handed an opportunity to do some damage and opted to get real cautious and conservative. In hindsight, not the best move, in my opinion. They tried fleaflickers, screens and other trickerations with Bortles in control... a few short passes under the coverage may have gone for gainers that could have led to points. You never know until you try. Playoffs are for aggressive, killer instincts with execution, that's what got them there in the first place. Even the Jags coach's had them play kinda soft throughout. Anyway, its always easy to second guess and play the 'Monday Morning QB', but hell... you gotta go for it.
I voted "acceptable". Given the way momentum had turned against them, the fact they still had the lead and were gonna get the ball first. What made it especially smart was it suggested an awareness of who they were playing. I just wish they could've hung onto that awareness later on, because it became clear they tightened up/got more conservative(particularly in their playcalls on both sides) in that 4th Q and your just not gonna overhaul the Patriots that way. They had to be brave and keep going for the win rather than playing not to lose. They didn't do that and the Patriots did. I can see the logic in this. Fournette was prob their safest play call. But the Pats knew this, the odds of breaking one would've been extremely slim.
No they didn't. You're playing the Pats so you need points and plenty of them. Sure they were getting the ball back in the second half but that means you try to drive down the field get at least a FG then open the third quarter with a TD drive and extend your lead by 10 points.
