Anyone else still think Cowher has guts?

[OpIv37]

After the Steelers beat us, a bunch of people here said they admired Cowher's guts. Where were they on the fourth and goal? If they had punched it in, they could have won. He had a chance to put NE back on the ropes even though they were up, and didn't do it.

[Michael82]

I originally thought it was the right call, but then I saw the momentum shift when they kicked off. If they made it, it would be a different game.

[OpIv37]

exactly- they had nothing to lose- the momentum shifted anyway. If they didn't make it, what's the worst that could have happened? It's still a two-score game and the Pats would have to face the best D in the league from their own 1- force a safety or something.

Bad call- Cowher blew it.

[TheGhostofJimKelly]

That entire series was terrible. You have a power running team, run it four times up the middle.

[don137]

The pass play on 2nd down was stupid. You're a smash mouth football team with a quarterback that looked very "Drewlike" the last two weeks yet they pass the ball instead of playing smashmouth football...run it 4 times.

[Earthquake Enyart]

The pass play on 2nd down was stupid. You're a smash mouth football team with a quarterback that looked very "Drewlike" the last two weeks yet they pass the ball instead of playing smashmouth football...run it 4 times.

I was going to say the exact same thing. That throw on 2nd down killed them.

1st and goal from the 4. If the Bus can't get in, in 4 carries, they don't deserve to win.

[tampabay25690]

Yea you cant just try to get 3 points on the Pats...

[eyedog]

Go for the fg actually ended the game. The momentum they had was over, they were beat right there and the players knew it. What does cutting the lead to 11 pts do ? They had to go for it and as usual with these pussy play-off coaches they go conservative and lose. You know the others: Schottenheimer, Dungy, Edwards, and Cowher. You can also add Mularkey in the last game to Pitt.
It's funny that I never see Belicheck playing conservative. another thing he learned from Parcells. I hope MM doesn't fall into the conservative trap.

[imbondz]

right when they decided to go for the field goal, I knew that was it. Only way to have had a chance to beat them was to go for it on 4th down

[TheBrownBear]

At the time (in the gameday thread), I was on the fence as to whether it was a good call or not. In hindsight, it was the obvious turning point in the game and sent a signal to his players that he didn't have faith in them gaining 2 yards when they needed it most. I think it was a tough call but I now firmly believe that coaches always need to go for it in that situation in the playoffs. I wonder if some of the NFL's more notoriously conservative coaches took notice yesterday.

[BAM]

He may have blown that game last night, but he still has more guts than our entire team combined did a few weeks ago.

[ghz in pittsburgh]

Normally going for field goal in this situation is the right call. What if you don't make it if you go for it? The game WOULD be over.

You cut it to 11, you make it easier on yourself with a TD(+2pts conversion) and a field goal to tie. I'm of the old school that taking points whenever you can is always better.

However, all decision should be decided in the context of the game - that is why the coaches are paid big bucks to manage them. If my defensive is giving up scores but also generating turnovers, I'd go for it so in the worst case, I can have my defense in striking distance of doing what my offense cannot do. If my defense is stout by this point, I'd kick the field goal. If I don't trust my defense, then I would go for it as well because it is the only chance I have.

Obviously Cowher had faith in his defense (he actually lamented the poor performance of his #1 ranked defense as the #1 reason after the game) despite the fact that Brady had success against the unit all night. I don't think it is that much of gut check of the type of person Cowher is. It is consistent with his approach this year and his career here: not a gambling type of approach, just steady defense and grinding offense.

Maybe he gambled with a 4th down earlier in the 1sd quarter and saw what could happened there.

[WCoastFin]

After the Steelers beat us, a bunch of people here said they admired Cowher's guts. Where were they on the fourth and goal? If they had punched it in, they could have won. He had a chance to put NE back on the ropes even though they were up, and didn't do it.

I have to agree...I thought it was a bad call, he had to much confidence in his defense, yet his defense hadnt done anything in the game...he shouldve tried to score, there was nothing to lose anymore, if he scores a TD he´s down by 7 and may have gave momentum to his defense.

Cowher=Coward=Gutless

[imbondz]

Normally going for field goal in this situation is the right call. What if you don't make it if you go for it? The game WOULD be over.

You cut it to 11, you make it easier on yourself with a TD(+2pts conversion) and a field goal to tie. I'm of the old school that taking points whenever you can is always better.

However, all decision should be decided in the context of the game - that is why the coaches are paid big bucks to manage them. If my defensive is giving up scores but also generating turnovers, I'd go for it so in the worst case, I can have my defense in striking distance of doing what my offense cannot do. If my defense is stout by this point, I'd kick the field goal. If I don't trust my defense, then I would go for it as well because it is the only chance I have.

Obviously Cowher had faith in his defense (he actually lamented the poor performance of his #1 ranked defense as the #1 reason after the game) despite the fact that Brady had success against the unit all night. I don't think it is that much of gut check of the type of person Cowher is. It is consistent with his approach this year and his career here: not a gambling type of approach, just steady defense and grinding offense.

Maybe he gambled with a 4th down earlier in the 1sd quarter and saw what could happened there.

that's just it. The context of the game was not in favor of Pitt at that time. A TD would have closed the score to 7 and got the crowd going crazy. It would have sent a message to the Pats. It was a gutless call solely based on the context of the game at that point. In most situations, that's the right call, but not last night.

Being down 11, you STILL would probably need 2 tds to win. Getting an 2-point conversion is a long shot, if you didn't get it, you'd be down 5 instead of 3. Mind as well have the guts and go for it on 4th down.