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4th and half yard from our 30.

Discussion in 'Steelers Talk' started by steel machine, Dec 16, 2025 at 6:57 AM.

  1. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    Did you guys want us to punt? I was screaming for a punt. This is just my thought on it: Tomlin knew we were the better team and felt we would have held then to a FG if we didn't make it.

    The NFL Network has the 2 hour mini version of game on this morning. Fun watching when you know you won.
     
  2. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

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    I love when Tomlin is aggressive even when it don't always work...It mean he play to win!

    Too often he is too conservative but yesterday it was not the case...he need to continue!
     
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  3. DSteelerCT

    DSteelerCT Well-Known Member

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    I wanted to go for it. Don’t think the offense is good enough to keep punting it away, nor is the D strong enough to ask them to continue to go out and stop the other team. Need to take some chances with this team
     
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  4. RONN

    RONN Well-Known Member

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    Tomlin obviously saw something on the tapes.I like it, boost the confidence of that squad
     
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  5. Voice of Reason

    Voice of Reason Well-Known Member

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    This is becoming trendy in the NFL (going for it deep on your side of the field).

    I have mixed feelings because it looks great when we convert, but if you don’t, it is an instant field goal for the other team (maybe even a TD).

    I think I read somewhere that something like 1/3 of games are decided by 7 points or less. In a tight game, an early decision like that, one that doesn’t work, could be a deciding factor in who ultimately wins.
     
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  6. Tweezer

    Tweezer Well-Known Member

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    I liked the call in that moment. Think they needed the boost.

    Also wonder if the boo birds from last home game was in the back of his mind at all?
     
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  7. steelersrock151

    steelersrock151 Well-Known Member

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    If we had punted, 1/2 the board would have come out with "Tomlin living in his fears". If we didn't make it, the same half of the board would have been criticizing him for being stupid, for not understanding situational football, and only an idiot goes for it at their own 29 that early in the game.
     
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  8. 86WardsWay

    86WardsWay Well-Known Member

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    I was wanting him to go for that the whole time. It was more like 2 feet and if they can’t get it then they deserve to lose. I think Rogers wants to go for 4th and anything every time.
     
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  9. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    It does seem that way. And from watching Sunday football I noticed going for it on 4th seems to be happening more around the league. Rams had some balls Sunday.
     
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  10. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    You mean some HCs play to lose???
    Those should never be hired.
    Although, I have never seen one.
     
  11. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    look no further than the Bears game. We went for it in field goal range, and didn't get it. We lost by 3.
    You pay a punter, and kicker for a reason.
    Many of these people grew up on Madden.
     
  12. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

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    play to win and playing not to lose is different!
     
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  13. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

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    The steelers had a 55 yards run on fourth down in that game too and they score a TD....More often that not,when you are in short yards situation this is a good idea to go on fourth down since it work more often that not and the rewards can be big and it improve the ceilling....Just to look at the entire league

    The steelers lost that game because of their poor second half
     
  14. Bubbahotep

    Bubbahotep Well-Known Member

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    Tomlin shockingly heeded the analytics:

    Screenshot 2025-12-17 070055.png
     
  15. S.T.D

    S.T.D Well-Known Member

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    Answer this question.
    If they kick the field goal instead of going for it when in field goal range.
    Yeah You keep saying that, yet outside of the Eagles, and their tush push, I haven't seen this philosophy win anyone ,anything, but I have seen it get teams knocked out of the playoffs.
    You should never go for a 4th down that if you don't get it, it automatically means points for the opposition, even if they don't gain a yard. It's stupid. Even if it works , it's a bad idea.
    It's like saying spending millions of dollars to maybe win more millions of dollars in a lottery is worth it, because it sometimes works.
     
  16. MojoUW

    MojoUW Well-Known Member

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    The shift in philosophy around going for it or kicking is basically the NFL version of the 3 point revolution in the NBA.

    Bottom line the math says that kicking is basically detrimental in almost every situation. They did a study and going for it and not making it is statistically better than kicking.

    Does the math math in all real world situations? Nope.

    There was a high school team a number of years back that basically stopped kicking. They were beating the snot out of teams. And I get that high school is not the NFL -- but it is still interesting.

    For me, kicking is just kinda silly. Most of the time you see teams punting and the ball rolling in for a touchback and they gain 15 yards of field position. Instead, I would just trust my team to gain a handful of yards on 4th down. I suspect that it would get easier to convert 4th downs if you knew you were not going to kick. Might alter your play calls on all the previous downs.
     
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  17. SteelLion69

    SteelLion69 Well-Known Member

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    That is the kind of mentality Tomlin needs to continue for the playoffs. We will be in the bottom tier of playoff teams so will need to take some gambles.
     
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  18. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

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    They had a net of +4 point in that game in Chicago when they have been on fourth down....If they would not been on fourth down in the first half in that game,they would make the field goal to have 3 more points but they would have 7 less points after that if they would punt instead to have a 55 yards run on fourth down and a TD few plays later...The score at halftime would been 17-17 instead to be up 21-17 in this scenario

    You have to see the whole picture, not just the times it doesn't work... The net points matters most in this situation.
    I don't have the stats, but teams that often go to fourth down and short have great success most of the time... It won't work every time, but the net point is very positive.I mean 23 teams have 50% or better in fourth down this year(team below 50%,only the bears have a winning record,so of course this is important to have success in this situation) and it includes the situation when they have no choice to go on fourth down at the end of games but the when to convert on fourth down and short are high...very high

    We are in 2025,this is not a defensive league....This is important to keep the ball
     
  19. Steelersfan43

    Steelersfan43 Well-Known Member

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    The 3 points in the NBA and go for it on fourth down is a great comparaison!
     
  20. nofieldfive

    nofieldfive Well-Known Member

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    Rodgers is funny standing back and watching the tush push play - they might as well take him out and put another blocker in or receiver the defense would have to guard.
     
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  21. BigBensBigBong

    BigBensBigBong Well-Known Member

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    Yeah, put another big body out there. Doubt the defense is accounting for Rodgers in that situation (no trick seems possible).
     
  22. Bubbahotep

    Bubbahotep Well-Known Member

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    No team goes for it more than the Lions. Steelers defense needs to be on their toes.
     
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  23. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    The NYG are good at it too. I always thing the teams playing for nothing should do it a lot.
     
  24. steel machine

    steel machine Well-Known Member

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    I know what you mean. It's like they should give him a chair and a cigar.
     

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