Coaching Decisions - Special Teams (1 Viewer)

[NUSaintsfan]

The kickoffs Grupe had put in play started around the 20 yard line but kicking it into the end zone gave them an additional 10 yards and didn't run any time off the clock.

Add to the fact that you have Orji and Gray who are ranked as two of the top ST tacklers in the NFL and I came away scratching my head about the decision making process of the coaches.

Why would the team that avoids touchbacks by kicking to returners suddenly kick it in to the end zone and not run off any clock?

 

[Artifactual]

Good question
Not making them run clock when they had exactly 1 minute left with no timeouts was a head scratcher.

You can say they chose to kick deep to avoid the possibility of a long return.

However, the Saints routinely stop the return man on average at the 26 yard line.

There’s also the possibility that the Saints could have stopped the returner short of the 20 yard line.

Even better there could have been a penalty that would have backed them up around the 15 yard line.

With any of those outcomes, there would have been about 10 seconds of game clock removed and even if they had a chance for a FG it would have been from beyond 60-70 yards. They wouldn't have even tried it. Probably all Hail Mary heaves to the endzone.

That was a baffling decision to Kickoff into the endzone. It seems to me that putting the ball into play would have had better possibly outcomes.

 

[NUSaintsfan]

Good question
Not making them run clock when they had exactly 1 minute left with no timeouts was a head scratcher.

You can say they chose to kick deep to avoid the possibility of a long return.

However, the Saints routinely stop the return man on average at the 26 yard line.

There’s also the possibility that the Saints could have stopped the returner short of the 20 yard line. Even better there could have been a penalty that would have backed them up around the 15 yard line.

With any of those outcomes, there would have been about 10 seconds of game clock removed and even if they had a chance for a FG it would have been from beyond 60-70 yards. They wouldn't have even tried it. Probably all Hail Mary heaves to the endzone.

That was a baffling decision to Kickoff into the endzone. It seems to me that putting the ball into play would have had better possibly outcomes.

Considering the Saints were playing better than normal on kickoff coverage, this decision hurt the Saints.

At least with me, it calls into question the judgement of DA.

Some of the offensive play calling was head scratching as well.

Decision making and judgment of the coaching staff truly separates mediocre teams from good teams.

 

[MikeyF]

How about not kicking Field Goals...

2 games lost this year due to analytics.... stupid...stupid...stupid!

 

[Mr. Sparkle]

Speaking of special teams coaching, I last returned punts for a tiny 1A school in the 1980s and even I know you never try to field a punt inside the 10 yard line (much less the 5). You'd think an All-Pro returner would have that one down.

 

[St. Widge]

Speaking of special teams coaching, I last returned punts for a tiny 1A school in the 1980s and even I know you never try to field a punt inside the 10 yard line (much less the 5). You'd think an All-Pro returner would have that one down.

To be fair given how good NFL punters are now at putting backspin on the ball, they do tell them to field the ball between the 5 and 10, but it's crazy to field it inside the 5, much less the 2 which is where Shaheed tried to catch that one.

 

[StudioSaint]

The kickoffs Grupe had put in play started around the 20 yard line but kicking it into the end zone gave them an additional 10 yards and didn't run any time off the clock.

Add to the fact that you have Orji and Gray who are ranked as two of the top ST tacklers in the NFL and I came away scratching my head about the decision making process of the coaches.

Why would the team that avoids touchbacks by kicking to returners suddenly kick it in to the end zone and not run off any clock?

Have the coaches said they called for the ball to be kicked into the endzone? If not, it's possible Grupe kicked it a few yards deeper than he intended to kick it.

 

[Artifactual]

Have the coaches said they called for the ball to be kicked into the endzone? If not, it's possible Grupe kicked it a few yards deeper than he intended to kick it.

Grupe has been one of the best, if not the best, so far this year at placing the ball coming down between the 2 yard line and the goal line, forcing the return team out.

He kicked that ball 8 yards deep into the endzone. That wasn't by accident. That was a purposeful effort. He was instructed to do it. A few yards maybe, not 8-10.

 

[Innominate]

I don't remember. If it doesn't land in the end zone does it have to be returned? Can they fair catch in the goal line-20 zone?

 

[BayouSAINTJoe]

DA is aggressive in a bad way. Sometimes you gotta take the points. How many points have we given up in close games from going for it instead of taking the 3. It's like he's trying to prove to the world he isn't conservative, but he's overcorrecting

 

[Mrpoplus]

How about not kicking Field Goals...

2 games lost this year due to analytics.... stupid...stupid...stupid!

Situational football decisions is where DA is lacking and why he will never be a championship caliber coach. He will not beat coaches like Andy Reid and Shanahan etc. in a big game even if talent is closely matched he will make a decision like not kicking a field goal etc that will come back and haunt him and the team and he will be looking like a deer in headlights at press conference as usual. This team will look like a re-run as long as he’s the head coach of this team. We started off 2-0 last year and then here comes the losses and excuses

 

[StudioSaint]

Grupe has been one of the best, if not the best, so far this year at placing the ball coming down between the 2 yard line and the goal line, forcing the return team out.

He kicked that ball 8 yards deep into the endzone. That wasn't by accident. That was a purposeful effort. He was instructed to do it. A few yards maybe, not 8-10.

So, that's a no, none of the coaches have said that Grupe was told to kick it into the endzone. Fans constantly incorrectly assume that every player executes exactly how the coach wants them too on every play.

Grupe has been good, but he hasn't been perfect. He's kicked at least one mid game kickoff into the endzone this season. He doesn't miss short FG's or extra points on purpose either, but he occasionally misses those too.

No player is perfect in execution, so the end result of players actions are not necessarily what the coach instructed them to do.

It's common for fans to make assumptions, jump to conclusions, and then convince themselves they know things they don't actually know.

 

[webster]

Considering the Saints were playing better than normal on kickoff coverage, this decision hurt the Saints.

At least with me, it calls into question the judgement of DA.

Some of the offensive play calling was head scratching as well.

Decision making and judgment of the coaching staff truly separates mediocre teams from good teams.

Failing to kick the field goal hurt as well. The defense was playing lights out. Take your three and you have time to get the ball back and go up bye four.

 

[HattiesburgWhoDat]

It's like he's trying to prove to the world he isn't conservative, but he's overcorrecting

Very good point. I have thought about that myself about some of these fourth down calls.

 

[Artifactual]

Have the coaches said they called for the ball to be kicked into the endzone? If not, it's possible Grupe kicked it a few yards deeper than he intended to kick it.

Grupe has been one of the best, if not the best, so far this year at placing the ball coming down between the 2 yard line and the goal line, forcing the return team out.

He kicked that ball 8 yards deep into the endzone. That wasn't by accident. That was a purposeful effort. He was instructed to do it. A few yards maybe, not 8-10.

So, that's a no, none of the coaches have said that Grupe was told to kick it into the endzone.

No you say? That's not a NO! That's You saying so. Did any coach make a comment regarding that kickoff? I haven't heard a single one.

Did the coaches say that he was instructed to kick it in the field of play and instead he chose to kick it 8 yards deep?

You would have seen the entire coaching staff ripping him a new one before he could make it back to the bench if he went rogue.

Fans constantly incorrectly assume that every player executes exactly how the coach wants them too on every play.

Who other than you is assuming what here?

Anybody that knows anything about football knows that no player executes every play correctly 100% of the time.

Gee Whiz!

Grupe has been good, but he hasn't been perfect. He's kicked at least one mid game kickoff into the endzone this season.

I've charted 2 of his kickoffs that were intended to land inside the landing zone where he has consistently drops the ball around the 2 yard line, have landed just inside the endzone for a touchback. The kicks that he has placed well into the endzone are not by happenstance. Those are on purpose. I stand by that.

The Saints have a Special Teams Coach, Darren Rizzi. He's not just there to watch. Do you think he just lets everyone do as they please or is it more likely that before the Special Teams Units enter the field he has "called the play"? If not, how would each man know what his assignment is on a given play?

He doesn't miss short FG's or extra points on purpose either, but he occasionally misses those too.

The misses you are referencing have nothing to do with judging the distance in which the kick is expected to travel. SMH

Name a kicker that has never missed at least one FG in his career.

It's a rare exception that you'll find where a kicker has been perfect in any single season.

No player is perfect in execution, so the end result of players actions are not necessarily what the coach instructed them to do.

Do you have firsthand knowledge of what the coaches instruct players to do on any given play?

Failing to execute perfectly has nothing to do with what the players are instructed to do.

In a roundabout way you have something correct. The coaches don't instruct the players to go out and fail on purpose. lol

It's common for fans to make assumptions, jump to conclusions, and then convince themselves they know things they don't actually know.

C'mon Man! Your post is exactly what you're accusing me and others of doing.

Unless you have evidence to prove otherwise, which you don't, I'm going to stand by what I said in my posts which is Grupe did what he was instructed to do.

I welcome any discussion here, but if you're going to reply to my posts, do so with Facts, not Foolishness! Your entire reply post was a blather of Nonsense and