5 Thoughts and Observations on Dolphins-Bears

[didshereallysaythat]

I have been really disappointed in them not using Trubs athleticism more. You look at how Mahommes is often getting out of the pocket to great success and I think Mitch has it in his head too much to try and be a classic pocket passer.

Yes and no. I do want to see more plays out of the pocket. What I don't want is for him to take shots like Watson has where he now has cracked ribs. It's easy to tell him to always slide to avoid contact, but heat of the moment and you are right at the sticks, instinct and competitiveness can take over.

 

[WindyCity]

Yup. He had a scramble to the right sideline in the 1st half where he had zero angle around the LB and he still got around him. I was impressed.

9 yard gain on that play. I was watching it this morning.

On his long run in the middle of the field he hits the gas and leaves 2 DBs and a LB with no angle at him.

That is the perfect situation where it is worth the risk of him getting hit to generate a bigger run play.

 

[WindyCity]

He didn't admit it in the post game (he wants to show confidence in Parkey IMO), but I honestly think he thought he was going to get a 1st down with Howard on 3rd and 4. I thought there was no way.

Parkey should hit the kick.

On Sunday from 50+ NFL kickers were 7/8, I will let you guess who the 1 was.

 

[SugarWalls]

Parkey should hit the kick.

On Sunday from 50+ NFL kickers were 7/8, I will let you guess who the 1 was.

Can you link Rory to the games where there were other kickers going from 50+? He isn’t aware that NFL teams still do that.

 

[WindyCity]

3rd down: Play action with AR on a go route as third option. If the short pass or run is not there you throw the jump ball to AR. Either get a completed pass, and INC, a DPI or an interception, all of which are better than what happened.

Agreed a deep shot is fine, even if it is picked it will be at the goal line and not at the 40.

If you are looking at a punt/super long field goal you can try with a clear consicous.

 

[WindyCity]

Can you link Rory to the games where there were other kickers going from 50+? He isn’t aware that NFL teams still do that.

The Cowboys did it twice on Sunday.

I do not know the situational stats, which is more of what he is talking about I think.

The Panthers in week 5 kicked a 60+ to win the game late. They ran the ball on the play before because there special teams coached told Rivera that they could kick 60.

 

[JesusHalasChrist]

Fox kicked a 51 yard field goal in OT after three runs to win the Marion Barber game. That was @Denver though.

 

[WindyCity]

Panthers were

Run
Spike
Throw-deep pass.

63 yard field goal

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Can you link Rory to the games where there were other kickers going from 50+? He isn’t aware that NFL teams still do that.

That would be extremely helpful, as I was under the impression that Parkey's 53-yard attempt was the first in NFL history from 50+. I'm surprised the announcers didn't make more of a deal about it..."This is the longest FG attempt in league history"...something along those lines.

 

[FourAgreements]

Wow...not sure how to even respond to this...other than to say "please cite the instances where teams stalled out to set up a 53-yard FG".

I don't have any horse in the race on this one, but I thought the puzzle sounded interesting--so I researched it for about 15 minutes, just to see if I could find anything.

I decided to start in 1995. This was only because I saw that Morten Anderson (who I know isn't Cody Parkey) was 8-of-9 from 50+ that year--so I figured I might have as good a shot as any, if I looked in that year.

This was my method:

1) Look at all regular-season games decided by three points or less.
2) Narrow to any of those games whose last scoring play was a field goal for the winning team.
3) Narrow to any of those games decided by a 35+ yard field goal. (This was arbitrary; I just wanted to get an idea of the volume of scenarios this arbitrary line would permit, in case there were none in the 50-yard range.)
4) Narrow to any of those games in which three running plays preceded the field goal. A sack of more than three yards would not be considered a "run" for this purpose.

I wound up looking through two years of data (1995 and 1996). 1995 had no games which met all criteria even at 35+ yard kicks. 1996, though, had at least three (I stopped at Week 14). They all happened to be OT games.

10/6/1996, BUF 16-13 IND in OT, 39-yard field goal Steve Christie.

11/24/1996, SF 19-16 WAS in OT, 38-yard field goal Jeff Wilkins.

12/1/1996, IND 13-10 BUF in OT, 49-yard field goal:
OT 1 10 BUF 33 Clif Groce middle for 2 yards (tackle by Gabe Northern)
OT 2 8 BUF 31 Marshall Faulk right for 2 yards (tackle by Phil Hansen)
OT 3 6 BUF 29 Marshall Faulk middle for -3 yards (tackle by Sean Moran)
OT 4 9 BUF 32 Cary Blanchard 49 yard field goal good
End of Overtime

I suppose the first two are negligible since 40-yard field goals aren't that exotic or risky. The third one comes pretty close to meeting criteria, though. (49 vs. 53 yards).

Anyway, not sure what to conclude, and I don't have more time I can dedicate to research if this is an "outlier" or not. My source was the Pro Football Reference website, if anyone cares to continue.

But, there's at least one, for whatever it's worth. (Maybe no more than one? LOL.)

 

[Rory Sparrow]

Parkey should hit the kick.

On Sunday from 50+ NFL kickers were 7/8, I will let you guess who the 1 was.

Amazing that the one miss would be the Bears kicker...they've been very strong at that position ever since they got rid of Robbie Gould.

How many of those 8 attempts were during Overtime? Its been my experience that kickers tend to be less accurate in game-deciding situations, but that's just an "eye test" observation.

 

[nc0gnet0]

Is it true that Parkay's longest FG made at Miami stadium was a 49 yarder?

 

[FirstTimer]

I don't have any horse in the race on this one, but I thought the puzzle sounded interesting--so I researched it for about 15 minutes, just to see if I could find anything.

I decided to start in 1995. This was only because I saw that Morten Anderson (who I know isn't Cody Parkey) was 8-of-9 from 50+ that year--so I figured I might have as good a shot as any, if I looked in that year.

This was my method:

1) Look at all regular-season games decided by three points or less.
2) Narrow to any of those games whose last scoring play was a field goal for the winning team.
3) Narrow to any of those games decided by a 35+ yard field goal. (This was arbitrary; I just wanted to get an idea of the volume of scenarios this arbitrary line would permit, in case there were none in the 50-yard range.)
4) Narrow to any of those games in which three running plays preceded the field goal. A sack of more than three yards would not be considered a "run" for this purpose.

I wound up looking through two years of data (1995 and 1996). 1995 had no games which met all criteria even at 35+ yard kicks. 1996, though, had at least three (I stopped at Week 14). They all happened to be OT games.

10/6/1996, BUF 16-13 IND in OT, 39-yard field goal Steve Christie.

11/24/1996, SF 19-16 WAS in OT, 38-yard field goal Jeff Wilkins.

12/1/1996, IND 13-10 BUF in OT, 49-yard field goal:
1 10 BUF 33 Clif Groce middle for 2 yards (tackle by Gabe Northern)
OT 2 8 BUF 31 Marshall Faulk right for 2 yards (tackle by Phil Hansen)
OT 3 6 BUF 29 Marshall Faulk middle for -3 yards (tackle by Sean Moran)
OT 4 9 BUF 32 Cary Blanchard 49 yard field goal good
End of Overtime

I suppose the first two are negligible since 40-yard field goals aren't that exotic or risky. The third one comes pretty close to meeting criteria, though. (49 vs. 53 yards).

Anyway, not sure what to conclude, and I don't have more time I can dedicate to research if this is an "outlier" or not. My source was the Pro Football Reference website, if anyone cares to continue.

But, there's at least one, for whatever it's worth. (Maybe no more than one? LOL.)

1. Will you be my date to Prom?
2. Looked up that Bills v Colts game. LOL at that QB match-up. Paul Justin vs Todd Collins. Jesus Christ.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612010clt.htm

 

[Rory Sparrow]

I don't have any horse in the race on this one, but I thought the puzzle sounded interesting--so I researched it for about 15 minutes, just to see if I could find anything.

I decided to start in 1995. This was only because I saw that Morten Anderson (who I know isn't Cody Parkey) was 8-of-9 from 50+ that year--so I figured I might have as good a shot as any, if I looked in that year.

This was my method:

1) Look at all regular-season games decided by three points or less.
2) Narrow to any of those games whose last scoring play was a field goal for the winning team.
3) Narrow to any of those games decided by a 35+ yard field goal. (This was arbitrary; I just wanted to get an idea of the volume of scenarios this arbitrary line would permit, in case there were none in the 50-yard range.)
4) Narrow to any of those games in which three running plays preceded the field goal. A sack of more than three yards would not be considered a "run" for this purpose.

I wound up looking through two years of data (1995 and 1996). 1995 had no games which met all criteria even at 35+ yard kicks. 1996, though, had at least three (I stopped at Week 14). They all happened to be OT games.

10/6/1996, BUF 16-13 IND in OT, 39-yard field goal Steve Christie.

11/24/1996, SF 19-16 WAS in OT, 38-yard field goal Jeff Wilkins.

12/1/1996, IND 13-10 BUF in OT, 49-yard field goal:
1 10 BUF 33 Clif Groce middle for 2 yards (tackle by Gabe Northern)
OT 2 8 BUF 31 Marshall Faulk right for 2 yards (tackle by Phil Hansen)
OT 3 6 BUF 29 Marshall Faulk middle for -3 yards (tackle by Sean Moran)
OT 4 9 BUF 32 Cary Blanchard 49 yard field goal good
End of Overtime

I suppose the first two are negligible since 40-yard field goals aren't that exotic or risky. The third one comes pretty close to meeting criteria, though. (49 vs. 53 yards).

Anyway, not sure what to conclude, and I don't have more time I can dedicate to research if this is an "outlier" or not. My source was the Pro Football Reference website, if anyone cares to continue.

But, there's at least one, for whatever it's worth. (Maybe no more than one? LOL.)

Thanks for the research. I will say that Blanchard's 49-yarder came in a dome, which was the caveat about Trestman having Gould kick a 47-yarder on 2nd down...the game was in a dome so that is a pretty makeable length for an NFL kicker. Parkey's 53-yarder was outside on grass...not exactly optimal kicking conditions. Also, the Colts eventually got to Buffalo's 29 before losing yards on their last play...the Bears stalled out at Miami's 40.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

2. Looked up that Bills v Colts game. LOL at that QB match-up. Paul Justin vs Todd Collins. Jesus Christ.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612010clt.htm

Its amazing how you can pick out any random NFL game in the mid-90's, and there is a high likelihood that Richard Dent had a sack in the game.

 

[FourAgreements]

Thanks for the research. I will say that Blanchard's 49-yarder came in a dome, which was the caveat about Trestman having Gould kick a 47-yarder on 2nd down...the game was in a dome so that is a pretty makeable length for an NFL kicker. Parkey's 53-yarder was outside on grass...not exactly optimal kicking conditions. Also, the Colts eventually got to Buffalo's 29 before losing yards on their last play...the Bears stalled out at Miami's 40.

Yep, those are important differences, as was the one that I believe WindyCity pointed out earlier (at Denver). I wish PFR had some more-advanced, compound sorting tools.

 

[FourAgreements]

1. Will you be my date to Prom?

I'm 47, so I'm going with three sixteen-year-olds. But thanks so much for asking!

2. Looked up that Bills v Colts game. LOL at that QB match-up. Paul Justin vs Todd Collins. Jesus Christ.

https://www.pro-football-reference.com/boxscores/199612010clt.htm

It's like some teams just didn't want to win football games, isn't it?!? Unbelievable.

 

[dabears70]

Sidebar:

Can someone explain to me why Wanny is all over the airways now? He was a terrible coach in the NFL and college. He was abhorrent for the Bears...and now he's making the rounds as though he should be respected.

No matter how good or bad he was in his coaching career his knowledge of the game easily trumps any fan that has never been in and around the game the way he has his whole life. I know this is hard for some to admit but it's really just common sense. Plenty of us have plenty of knowledge of the game from the outside looking in and think you've always been one of the most knowledgeable on here FirstTimer but there's no way any of us know more about the game then any of these coaches that have been in the locker rooms and on the sidelines in some way for their whole adult lives.

 

[Rory Sparrow]

No matter how good or bad he was in his coaching career his knowledge of the game easily trumps any fan that has never been in and around the game the way he has his whole life. I know this is hard for some to admit but it's really just common sense. Plenty of us have plenty of knowledge of the game from the outside looking in and think you've always been one of the most knowledgeable on here FirstTimer but there's no way any of us know more about the game then any of these coaches that have been in the locker rooms and on the sidelines in some way for their whole adult lives.

Since he knows so much, perhaps Wanny can cite the instances that didshe was referring to?

 

[Xuder O'Clam]

No matter how good or bad he was in his coaching career his knowledge of the game easily trumps any fan that has never been in and around the game the way he has his whole life. I know this is hard for some to admit but it's really just common sense. Plenty of us have plenty of knowledge of the game from the outside looking in and think you've always been one of the most knowledgeable on here FirstTimer but there's no way any of us know more about the game then any of these coaches that have been in the locker rooms and on the sidelines in some way for their whole adult lives.

He may know more about the inner workings of the NFL, but to say it is common sense that he knows more or understands more about football in general is more an assumption than anything.