72 replies to this topic

[Steve Heard]

Nothing is guaranteed. Say they don't make it and St Louis marches down to the 30 and kicks the game winning field goal. Then what? You are calling for Nolan's head because he didn't kick a field goal on 4th down and inches.

Up 4... 3 minutes to go... and your defense has stopped St Louis the ENTIRE second half. I'll take those odds.

It may have been one of those 'damned if you do, damned if you don't' issues, but overall, the 49ers' defense has played poorly this year. Overall, the Rams have a history of running the 2 minute offense quite well. Throughout the game, the 49ers were averaging probably better than 5 yards per play.

If they don't make it, the Rams get the ball on their own 3 yard line. That would put a lot of pressure on them.

If the 9ers had won, Nolan would have been called a genius.

[Robert Giacometti]

Its always easy to "Monday morning quarterback" these calls, but I thought he should have gone for it on 4th down. By going for it he would have sent the message of believing in his offense and basically saying his team was better than the Rams. Wether they picked up the inch or not....was NOT as important as the message you send to your team!

More than any other sport....football is a game that needs to be played with emotion and one team has to impose their physical will onto another team to win. Once Nolan decided to kick the field goal the 9ers gave the momentum back to the Rams.

Even though the 9ers had played well defensively the 2nd half, they later shifted into the bend but don't break mentality...and LOST!

[Steve Heard]

Its always easy to "Monday morning quarterback" these calls, but I thought he should have gone for it on 4th down. By going for it he would have sent the message of believing in his offense and basically saying his team was better than the Rams. Wether they picked up the inch or not....was NOT as important as the message you send to your team!

More than any other sport....football is a game that needs to be played with emotion and one team has to impose their physical will onto another team to win. Once Nolan decided to kick the field goal the 9ers gave the momentum back to the Rams.

Even though the 9ers had played well defensively the 2nd half, they later shifted into the bend but don't break mentality...and LOST!

Exactly! They went into what amounted to a 'prevent' defense, which has proved, over the years, to prevent the defense from stopping the other team.

If you are going to challenge them, challenge them. Don't change your game plan.

[DrKoz23]

By going for it he would have sent the message of believing in his offense and basically saying his team was better than the Rams. Wether they picked up the inch or not....was NOT as important as the message you send to your team!

Or he was sending a message to his defense that he trusted in them to hold St Louis on the final drive. You can look at it that way too.

[Steve Heard]

Or he was sending a message to his defense that he trusted in them to hold St Louis on the final drive. You can look at it that way too.

That's true, but I think when you are having your way with the opposing defense, you put the final nail in the coffin.

By the way, wasn't Gore healthy enough to go on that 3rd down play?

A friend who coaches college in the Bay Area said that watching the replays, Gore's replacement ran right into the back of his blocker, as if he had his head down and eyes closed.

Further, the spot of the ball was a foot shorter than when the play ended.

And it was noisy.

And he didn't feel good.

And the refs are out to get us.

And I hate the Rams.

[Robert Giacometti]

Or he was sending a message to his defense that he trusted in them to hold St Louis on the final drive. You can look at it that way too.

Koz, football is a very emotional and physical game, its a battle of wills. You don't get on the field and play NOT to loose....because you will. When you have the other team physically beaten, you don't let up and give them a chance to win the game.

Bill Cower, Bill Parcells, Bill Bellicheck, Mike Ditika, Pete Carroll wouldn't have passed on gaining one inch to win the game. If you don't believe your team can't make 1 inch on a running play...then you really don't need to be worried about any playoff talks.

Even if Nolan went for the first down and came up short and lost the game by 2 on a field goal it STILL would have been the right choice.

[DrKoz23]

Even if Nolan went for the first down and came up short and lost the game by 2 on a field goal it STILL would have been the right choice.

If that would have happened... just about every Niners' fan would be calling for his head calling it the WRONG decision!

I can here it now... "Why did he not kick the field goal on 4th down at the 3!?!?"

[B&G]

Koz, football is a very emotional and physical game, its a battle of wills. You don't get on the field and play NOT to loose....because you will. When you have the other team physically beaten, you don't let up and give them a chance to win the game.

Bill Cower, Bill Parcells, Bill Bellicheck, Mike Ditika, Pete Carroll wouldn't have passed on gaining one inch to win the game. If you don't believe your team can't make 1 inch on a running play...then you really don't need to be worried about any playoff talks.

Even if Nolan went for the first down and came up short and lost the game by 2 on a field goal it STILL would have been the right choice.

There is no right answer to this one guys...It's a matter of opinon and coaching philosophy. I remember back in 1995 Barry Switzer ran Emmitt Smith on 4th down on an off tackle play late in the 4th quarter vs Philly when he could have kicked the field goal. Dallas ended up losing the game. The media crucified him for the call, and he had to defend himself for several days afterwards. The same thing would have happend to Nolan if they did not pick up the first down. I think he made the right decision. I just hope the O-line understands it.

[iJason]

Bill Cower, Bill Parcells, Bill Bellicheck, Mike Ditika, Pete Carroll wouldn't have passed on gaining one inch to win the game.

That's a lot of Bills. It will be interesting to see what happens if the 49ers miss the playoffs by a game.

[Robert Giacometti]

There is no right answer to this one guys...It's a matter of opinon and coaching philosophy. I remember back in 1995 Barry Switzer ran Emmitt Smith on 4th down on an off tackle play late in the 4th quarter vs Philly when he could have kicked the field goal. Dallas ended up losing the game. The media crucified him for the call, and he had to defend himself for several days afterwards. The same thing would have happend to Nolan if they did not pick up the first down. I think he made the right decision. I just hope the O-line understands it.

Naturally its easier after the facts to say what the coach should have done.

Football is such a violent game in which players do things that should not come naturally for humans...such as running full speed into someone who may be bigger than you, while they are running full speed into you.
The biggest challenge for any coach is keeping their team playing at 100% of their capabilities at all times. Because football requires players to physically impose their will onto other players....one can NEVER afford to let down. When Nolan elected to kick the field goal...instead of having his team impose their will onto the Rams to win the game....he let down and gave the Rams the chance to win the game.

The 9ers have Larry Allen, probably the strongest guard in all of football and they (9ers) were more afraid of failing than trying to gain the one inch needed for the first down. By NOT trying the dynamics of the game and momentum changed and this enabled the Rams to impose their will onto the 9ers and win the game.

Nolan should have tried to win the game by going for the 1 inch on fourth down. Even if the 9ers failed by trying and lost the game, they would have won in the long run.

A coach expressing that he believes in his players by trying will always be better in the long run, than loosing one game in a season.

It is interesting to note in the example you give above regarding Dallas....I believe it was Dallas who won the Super Bowl that year....maybe it was the coaches faith in his team that motivated his team to win!

It will be interesting to see how the 9ers react next week.

[DrKoz23]

This all wouldn't matter if they could have converted on the 3rd and 1 on the previous play.

[DalOwnerX3]

Then again, all this could have been moot if the Niners went for in on 4th and 1 on the Rams 6 yard line. Instead, they kicked a field goal.

[B&G]

Naturally its easier after the facts to say what the coach should have done.

Football is such a violent game in which players do things that should not come naturally for humans...such as running full speed into someone who may be bigger than you, while they are running full speed into you.
The biggest challenge for any coach is keeping their team playing at 100% of their capabilities at all times. Because football requires players to physically impose their will onto other players....one can NEVER afford to let down. When Nolan elected to kick the field goal...instead of having his team impose their will onto the Rams to win the game....he let down and gave the Rams the chance to win the game.

The 9ers have Larry Allen, probably the strongest guard in all of football and they (9ers) were more afraid of failing than trying to gain the one inch needed for the first down. By NOT trying the dynamics of the game and momentum changed and this enabled the Rams to impose their will onto the 9ers and win the game.

Nolan should have tried to win the game by going for the 1 inch on fourth down. Even if the 9ers failed by trying and lost the game, they would have won in the long run.

A coach expressing that he believes in his players by trying will always be better in the long run, than loosing one game in a season.

It is interesting to note in the example you give above regarding Dallas....I believe it was Dallas who won the Super Bowl that year....maybe it was the coaches faith in his team that motivated his team to win!

It will be interesting to see how the 9ers react next week.

You are right Dallas did win the Super Bowl that year. However, Barry "Bozo" Switzer was later fired for poor play calling and losing the respect of his players. While he was head coach, multiple players were arrested for drug use, DUI, etc...Including himself who brought a loaded handgun onto an airplane.

[DrKoz23]

Then again, all this could have been moot if the Niners went for in on 4th and 1 on the Rams 6 yard line. Instead, they kicked a field goal.

So they don't get 3rd and 1... but you are going to say for certain that they would have made the 4th and inches.

There is nothing to say they would have made 4th and inches. Their short yardage back has been struggling immensely this year. Nolan decided to trust his defense over his short yardage back.

[Robert Giacometti]

So they don't get 3rd and 1... but you are going to say for certain that they would have made the 4th and inches.

There is nothing to say they would have made 4th and inches. Their short yardage back has been struggling immensely this year. Nolan decided to trust his defense over his short yardage back.

I know for certain they lost the game by kicking the field goal D: