[News] John Harbaugh Discusses Fourth-Down Gamble After Giants Loss

[BR News]

Head Coach John Harbaugh said the analytics are in heavy favor of going for it, and that he’s disappointed the offense didn’t convert from a half yard out.

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[Godfather A]

However, with the missed opportunity, the Giants get the ball on the 2 and only get to the 20 and have to punt so we go down and get the field goal anyway. In actuality, it is like we got the field goal after all.

[gr2522]

Great call coach on 4th and goal even though it was gutsy and all. It didn't work out like we hoped, but hopefully with your great coaching and game management the team will finally gel together and start pulling out some victories. Don't let off the aggressiveness because sooner or later the result will have to be in your favor coach, and I'm sure the analytics and numbers will prove you right.

[The Greek]

bring brandon williams in to lead block on short yardage situations since we do not have a bruising rb to get it done. maybe taliaferro can be that guy but im sure he will injure himself walking out of his house

[Bigjon5477]

NFL Should make it a rule like when Wallace was brought down by the facemask that if within 5yds of the goal- Automatic TD

[slowboater]

John. You had two previous chances at the TD and the offense failed. What metrics made you think the 3rd time was the charm?

[Molson Man]

So we got the field goal anyway huh? Yeah but you just threw away 1 min of game clock minimum. Analytics be dammed he stated last week that he promised when we hired him to be aggressive. I think he needs to actually evaluate each case instead of being aggressive. If your absolutely hell bent on going for it then run behind your best lineman of the game, not a stretch play. Alex Lewis who was playing a different position was actually graded as our best lineman, so if you must run it in go right up his backside. Zuttah or however you spell his name has been blown off the ball consistantly all year. It's hard to say let's punch the goal when your center is collapsed every play. When we did get a close touchdown by the goal T. West jumped right behind A. Lewis go figure. What the real issue is Harbs makes the same decision no matter the situation. I just hope he will consider taking the points in a low scoring affair in the future. I don't think my pacemaker can take to muck more of this.

[ALSKAN RAVEN FAN]

I liked the call but did not like the formation package. They pulled out all the WR's and did not even try to spread the defense out even just a little bit. Then the fact that they tried as many times as they did and got totally shut out is just flat out embarrassing.

[Maurice0094]

Harbs stop with the rallying cry. If you kick the fg we as fans are still good. But time in and tme out you call these forth and goal plays that fail. Lets do better I'm tired of being outcoached I can understand player mistakes but being obviously outcoached is getting ridiculous. ALWAYS TAKE THE POINTS! I'm tired of these stupid excuses be a head coach and stop living for the moment! So stop tellin me about numbers and show me a smart coaching play.

[ravensnj]

It's sad that we have to talk about lost gambles three weeks in a row. Don't take Harbs to Las Vegas, unless you can wash dishes.

[bioLarzen]

It was a bad call - by Harbaugh's own definition. He said many times: if iot works, it was a good call - if it doesn't, it was a bad call.

This one didn't work. Ergo, Harbaugh himself says it was a bad call.

[Flamengo1265]

The dumbest play of that series was the Flacco sneak.....that was a wasted down.

[Zeus]

John is lost and confused.. Oz needs to do a better job in the draft. Perriman has been a total bust

[dirtybird66]

in his defense it's true,should of made a half yard but this is like the fourth call he's made thats cost us points.but to call out a line thats not as good as the players let go in free agency to keep a qb making 20 million a year and not producing or leading by getting guys not to make critcal mistakes isn't going to help his cause,but i asked a question for several weeks now,is it the coaching or the players,i guess we know the answer,plus he's trying to break out the fine jar if he could,body language of HARBS says it's the players and you can tell he's not losing his job without letting people know who's at fault,very sad cause we know he's a good coach but what do you do when you players aren't responding to your coaching trying to get them to focus on them being professionals and pride so they won't keep making the same dumb mistakes.we now have injuries at several key positions and one exposes the weakness in all other places.why can't they just stop the mistakes are do they want to.but this team has ranked near the highest penalty rates for several years,now we don't have the players to erase them and still win.

[purpledown]

time for a change, Harbaugh should go.

[tbird]

I don't know what numbers and analytics Harbaugh is talking about, but I disagree and think it was the wrong call and you take the gimme field goal with all that time left in the game. If you insist on going for it and sweeping left, you use a speedy back like Dixon and not a north/south runner like West. It is deflating for an offense, which isn't very good to begin with, to come away with zero points in that situation. Let's not confuse "being aggressive" with poor decision making.

[Ravenshine]

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

[ravenken]

I don't mind going for it but what I hated was the play call. ANY football idiot knows that you don't run a sweep at the goal line. Every defensive person is up on the line. Jeez. I would have rather they line up with 2 or 3 wide and have Flacco come to the line and decide throw/run and if run, him or the back behind him. Four different angles at once instead of a stupid butt pitch. What a joke. Don't even get me started on Flacco and his pathetic passing. He DOES need work on the off-season. I have never seen so many under thrown balls in my life. Also NO anticipation of his receivers. Just sad.

[Shaky End of the Quarter]

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

[jravens1313]

  2 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

Even if we gave up a TD, we would have been down 8 points after the FG, and only needed a TD and 2pt conversion to tie.

The FG ensured a 1 score game regardless of the Giants drive. Live and learn Harbaugh.

[Shaky End of the Quarter]

  13 minutes ago, Shaky End of the Quarter said:

  2 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

Even if we gave up a TD, we would have been down 8 points after the FG, and only needed a TD and 2pt conversion to tie.

The FG ensured a 1 score game regardless of the Giants drive. Live and learn Harbaugh.

That's essentially my point but written by someone that English is their first language! Thanks for clarifying for those that might have not understood my post! =P

[TheConquerorWorm]

  2 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

You do realize that after we turned the ball over on downs, the Giants only got to the 20 and punted which we then turned into a FG to make the score - you guessed it - 17-16.

Same outcome.

[Shaky End of the Quarter]

  52 minutes ago, Shaky End of the Quarter said:

  2 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

You do realize that after we turned the ball over on downs, the Giants only got to the 20 and punted which we then turned into a FG to make the score - you guessed it - 17-16.

Same outcome.

You do realize that in that scenario we would have been driving to score a go ahead FG or TD? Regardless, 3 weeks in a row and same result. I wonder how many more times Harbs will keep making boneheaded mistakes and continue to put added stress on our defense until he is realizes it doesnt work.

[sami]

John. You had two previous chances at the TD and the offense failed. What metrics made you think the 3rd time was the charm?

because they should have made it the other two chances. The call was right but the plat was bad. You have to spread it out at the goal line, not bunch it up.

[sami]

The dumbest play of that series was the Flacco sneak.....that was a wasted down.

Flacco has made that play many times but it was up to him to see if any one was in either gap on the sides of the center. They were both filled so Flacco should have called an audible or picked a different gap.

[sami]

The bottom line is both the offense and defense had their chance to win the game and neither pulled it out. You cant put that all on Harbaugh taking 4 shots at getting one yard and a score that early in the game. It was the right call but wrong formations.

[coreyadams]

Penalties is a lack of discipline. Flacco is not leading this offense. His audibles equals to nothing for a vet QB. Our team lacks heart. Good call on 4th down to go for it, but the motivation isn't there. Our offense is vanilla, 3 yards and a cloud of smoke. Defense is giving up too many big plays. Flacco needs a play cut and get talent in here. Baltimore is known for get in your face football. I see nothing from our pass rush from Suggs or Dummervil. Tops 8n8 this season compared to 5n11 last year. Better but no koolaid.

[hen826957]

I just look at John Harbaugh press conference and boy did John Harbaugh really up in this one and without always saying we will get better. He look piss at this conference.

[law215]

The bottom line is both the offense and defense had their chance to win the game and neither pulled it out. You cant put that all on Harbaugh taking 4 shots at getting one yard and a score that early in the game. It was the right call but wrong formations.

Sure we can put that on Harbs. He is the head coach. He is responsible if his players do not execute. He decided what players to keep and start. He and DeCosta use their 'analytics ' to draft these players right? A coach can always throw players under the bus saying it would have worked ...IF they had. These fake FG/punts have not worked at all.

It is a coach's job to be responsible.

[Ravenshine]

  8 hours ago, Ravenshine said:

"When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the team converts, it was a “gutsy” call. When a head coach decides to go for it on fourth down and the attempt fails, it was a bad decision."

I know right. I'm glad he went for it. No play is guaranteed in NFL, you just try things and hope for the best. But you try with the right logic not carelessly...I don't feel it was a careless call. Thus I have no real issues with it...just wish it had worked.

4th and 9 Fake FG in the Super Bowl is not careless enough for you? Having Tucker line up as a lefty and throw a pass in swirling winds not characterized as careless?

The main reason why you go for the points is because there was a ton of time on the clock and aside from 1 big catch the D was doing a great job and creating turnovers. In the scenario that we would have gone for the FG that would have made the game 16-17. If in the following drive the Giants score a TD and go up 16-24 it is still a 1 possession game.

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 14 plus minutes left on the clock? NO!

Can you win a game in the 4th Qrt with 0 minutes left on the clock? YES!

WTG Harbs!

Fake field goal? This play talked about here of which I commented on was going for it on 4-1 into end zone instead of kicking field goal in the NY Giants game. No it's not careless imo, it was gusty, but not careless. This is my opinion you won't change it lol. I doubt I'd change yours either so...NBD.