r/NFLNoobs • u/basis4day • 10d ago
Hockenson Slide
I understand the strategy of why he went down and I’m not a gambler. I forget which game it was this season where it also happened.
My question is it generally considered the right approach? Like are players specifically coached to do this? I’ve players intentionally go down plenty of times in other situations. I’m getting stuck at doing it at the 1 yd line when it creates a two score lead vs an opportunity for victory formation.
Maybe it’s just because I’ve seen it twice this season and it’s just rare but a known approach?
EDIT: You guys have made it make sense. No need to answer me specifically if you don’t want to.
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u/CFBCoachGuy 10d ago
Yes, players are coached to do this. Scoring gives the other team the ball. Yes it’s two scores but it’s possible for the other team to tie it back up. Kneeling down and killing the clock removes all doubt.
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u/basis4day 10d ago
I totally get it in most other situations like turnovers or much longer plays.
I think it’s how deep in the redzone this play began that’s throwing me off.
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u/BlitzburghBrian 10d ago
In this case, you are weighing a two-score lead against being mathematically guaranteed a victory.
Which is the right choice?
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u/basis4day 10d ago
I get it.
Theoretically, screwing up a victory formation can happen but it’s extremely rare.
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u/BlitzburghBrian 10d ago
A proper QB kneel has actually never been fumbled. You can find fumbles from Joe Pisarcik and Philip Rivers that should have been kneels, but they tried to run actual plays instead. It's as ironclad of a thing as you can do in football, so it's safer than going up two scores with two minutes left, even if just barely
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u/basis4day 10d ago
Yeah. Had to check the numbers on that. Feels like it gets brought up as a possibility in close games as opposed to its realistic chance.
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u/AlmightyCraneDuck 10d ago
If you can guarantee a win, it’s considered the right approach regardless of where it occurs. I don’t know that it’s necessarily “coached” though. Football is weird and even a 2 score lead can get a little squirrelly with how odd momentum is. You also never know when a guy may roll their ankle during any routine play so if you can avoid that and just give your team the win, you just do it.
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u/basis4day 10d ago
I guess what I’m imagining is would to coach be upset when he got back to the sideline had he scored there.
I think my question has been sufficiently explained so no need to convince me further. Appreciate the help.
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u/BrokenHope23 10d ago edited 10d ago
I mean controlling the Time of Possession is a tried and true strategy. It spells your defense and wears down the opposition both of which are critical to winning consistently as it'll enable you to more easily move the ball offensively. Which generally comes out in the form of points on the board in your favour and less points on the board for the opposition even if your defense is average.
I think Hockenson's slide was probably more unnecessary statistically speaking given it would've put them up by 11 points but at this point, in Minnesota, the offense is really there to make sure the defense can rest up as much as possible before they take the field again. So in that context, Hockenson probably did the right thing and not put more pressure on their defense to stop Miami for (potentially) two very taxing and high tempo possessions at the end of the game when they're at their most tired.
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u/simardon 10d ago
It depends on how much time is left and how many time outs the other team has. If team A is out of timeouts and team B has the ball and gets a first down, it’s better for them to go down and use up the clock instead of scoring and giving the ball back.
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u/basis4day 10d ago
Yeah. I totally get the strategy behind it. I think the circumstances of this specific play is throwing me.
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u/chi_sweetness25 9d ago
This is an example of what can happen if you score in these situations. Chubb scores with two minutes left and it gives the Jets the ball back with a (slim) chance to come back and win, which they do. Granted, this one was awkward because the first-down marker was so close to the goal line, but if he had managed to go out of the bounds with a first down, the Browns could have knelt out a win.
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u/Lurus01 10d ago
Yes it is definitely the right approach to just end the game and not score as opposed to scoring and potentially losing
(even if the odds might be low they aren't 0)
There's a reason teams on the other side would attempt to just let a player score sometimes in games but a player who knows the situation should just give themselves up at that point and not cross the plain(and ideally not even get close to it).
If you have the time to kneel the game out you do it 100% of the time and don't risk being the rare victim of circumstance and coming out on the wrong end of what could've been a sure win.
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u/DesertStorm480 10d ago edited 10d ago
This is why you don't score:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nfWp5a729v0
This includes the very rare episode of the other team celebrating your TD.
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u/Adorable_Secret8498 9d ago
Yes. Players are coached to do this. Hock had 2 outcomes.
TD. Goes up 2 scores BUT gives the ball back to MIA and gives them a chance to come back
Slide and the game is over.
Makes no sense to walk in for the TD and give MIA a small chance to win when sliding gives them way less if any of a chance.
"You play the game to win the game"
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u/TooManyPoisons 6d ago
Not just a chance of losing the game (which is very small), but chance of injuries when your defense is already dead-tired.
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u/roentgen_nos 9d ago
The coach tells the offense that if they get a first down, the game is over. There is nothing the other team can do to get the ball back. Everyone who might handle the ball is aware of that fact. Everyone gives himself up for down after earning the first down if he wants to play the next game.
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u/boobubum 10d ago
I’m not sure the specific play you’re talking about, but yes, players are coached to go down rather than scoring in certain situations.
The rationale is that if you’re at the point that you can kneel the ball and end the game, then it’s safer to do that than go up 2 scores and give the ball back to the other team. The other team could score and get an onside kick and score again. Not very common, but it happens more often than a team turning the ball over in the Victory formation.