That said, the Lions scored 7 points after the half. SF adjusted, the Lions looked lost.

The list of teams Baltimore rocked this season includes the Dolphins and Texans, and the two NFC finalists, the Lions and 49ers. Baltimore beat the playoff teams on their schedule by more than 100 points combined, a feat matched in NFL history only by the 2007 New England Patriots, who went 18-1 overall. The Ravens led the NFL in rushing yards on offense while allowing the fewest points on defense, and as a team averaged more than 25 points per game, which according to NFL Research had only been done by the 1985 Bears and the undefeated 1972 Miami Dolphins. This was a team that seemed poised to take its place among the all-time greats. Instead they’re joining the Cowboys in Cancun

.damn

It's a fair critique at this point for postseason play.

You need your quarterback to show up in big games, Jackson doesnt .

You need your quarterback to show up in big games, Jackson doesnt .

Nothing they called was egregious. He let his players decide the game. And they did. Welp.

Makes it harder to get a first down. They didn't take into account that unnecessarily running a dude over would be a personal foul and give the Chiefs 15 yards instead of five.

It also would have setup a scenario where the Ravens just keep on committing personal fouls and the other side keeps on declining them which would have been an awesome end to a football game.

one was at the 28, first one, 2nd one at the 30, so 45 and 47?

The issue was the same we were talking about up thread when Andy Reid went for it with a lead and didn't get the 4th down conversion. Going for it and not making it gives the opponent in a playoff game where you're winning with relative ease a much needed boost and momentum changer--and the boost for the opponent in stopping you on 4th down and getting the ball back > what you get going for it and making it in those situations today.

It's the playoffs, one and done. You're not playing the odds over a 17 game season with 3 or 4 dozen or more 4th down decisions.


kick the FG when you're winning like Chiefs/Lions were and you keep the momentum on your side and tack on some points.

go for it and don't get it, and that team that's been getting beat all game suddenly has a fulcrum point from which to launch a comeback--which Ravens tried and failed due to turnovers. But that's exactly what SF did after the TO-on-downs in the 3rd: they stopped Detroit, got a TD and then Detroit got rattled and couldn't even complete a simple hand-off to start off a drive. It all keyed off the initial failed 4th down attempt.


If you go for it and get it, what do you get? Nothing. Well, you get to keep the ball. But odds are you're going to end up with 3 points anyhow. If it's 4th and goal from the 1, yeah, go for it and you get a TD or get stopped. But out at the 28 or 30 yard line? You make that 4th down conversion instead of taking the 3, congratulations: you're mostly likely going to end up scoring 3 points anyhow.

It's situational. Playoffs are different. Assume that's a coach's job to take the temperature of the situation and adjust accordingly--not to just blindly follow analytics but make decisions that keep his team's momentum going while keeping a foot on the neck of the opponent.

this is probably a fair criticism as well.

Yep absolutely. Dumb game plan and lack of discipline on the field. I'm surprised coaches don't have a "no celebration when we're down" rule, because I saw several instances where Ravens were dancing after stops even though their season was about to end in 20 mins because of the score. Know the score and don't celebrate when you're down. Even Flowers catch that led to the taunting call was simply a catch that got them closer to the end zone - they were still down by two scores. Know the score, shut your mouth, throw the ball to the ref and get your ass back to the huddle. That's coaching.

It was also called incorrectly. There were two fouls on the play: offsides and unsportsmanlike. That should have been 20 yards

He passed up a very makeable field goal to tie the game late in the 4th.

ehhhh i dunno Jim, i dont think you can enforce two separate penalties on one infraction but maybe you can?

So good to see Vildor fucking up for another team than the Bear

offsides kills the play before he even makes contact. After the play is the personal foul.

I think Ben Johnson’s stock took a hit today. Both failed 4th downs were not high percentage plays considering they only needed two yards. The Montgomery run from the 1 brought back Bears memories when he would dance behind the line. If ever they needed a straight ahead, hard-as-you-can run, that was it (or better yet, don’t fucking run at all in that situation).