This is something that has been floating around in my head for a bit. Rodgers lofts one to James Jones who takes it over his head, and runs it in for a TD. That's 6 points to go up 34-30. Roethlisberger has 2:06 to lead a come back drive with 1 TO left.

Scenario 2:

James Jones takes the catch and runs it to the 1 yard line and takes a knee. Packers have a 1st down with 2:00 left. Steelers have 1 TO left.

Rodgers takes a knee. That's 1:57 with Steelers TO. Rodgers takes another knee. 1:17 left on the clock after the 40 second runoff. Rodgers takes a third knee. 0:37 left, kick a field goal from about 25 yards out (lets leave the "Crosby would miss it anyway" rants out of this one).

That gives Roethlisberger 0:37 to move into FG range for a game winning kick by Reed, but no TO left.

Hmmmm.

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No

You only do that when you are already winning. In that situation you take the guaranteed score. What happens if Rodgers fumbles the snap or Grant fumbles the ball. How about if the Packers get penalized and get pushed back some yards and get held out of the endzone. Too many bad things could have happened to take a knee.

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Perhaps you didn't read my comments thoroughly.

We're not running it in for a TD.

We're taking time off the clock with kneel downs.

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I agree. You have a guarenteed touchdown, you don't take a chance, you score.
Then let your D get the job done.
Which our D didn't of course.

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Again there could be a bad snap and fumble. Also (I know you didn't wanna hear this) Crosby could barely make a PAT let alone a possibly game winning kick.

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The kneel down might cost you the game. Too much can go wrong. A fumble, a penalty that puts you farther back, and like it or not, Crosby has been awful. You can't depend on him to make ANY field goal, even a "gimme". The way Crosby has been playing, you HAVE to put that in. You can't ignore his inability to make a FG.
So, you take the for sure TD.
Had they took the knee, and Crosby DID miss, or we fumbled and lost the ball, you think Packer fans wouldn't be PISSED? Aaron Rodgers and the O got us the lead. Our defense screwed it up repeatedly on that last drive.

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We have what at the time was the #2 defense.. you put it on their shoulders to hold from a touchdown.. they came one play from it..

In all honesty.. this loss might be a hidden blessing in the overall scheme..

First.. we have to play out the season full tilt.

Second.. it gave a lot of these youngsters a taste of the playoffs and the pressure that goes along with it..

Third... even though we lost.. there is no question we have the leadership on this offense to win in the crunch.. that gives us confidence. That is huge.

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I think your judgement is clouded by emotion and I simply don't agree that Crosby can't be relied on for a chip shot field goal.

Crosby is 159 off 160 for kicks under 30 yards.

Whether or not it's a good idea to put him in the situation in the first place, well, that's what the thread is about!

It's strange how it all played out because we were unfortunately on the wrong side of the 2:00. This basically gave the Steelers 2 timeouts.

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In retrospect, I think it may have been a better decision. I honestly would have took two knees, ran it up the middle, then kicked the FG if we didn't get in. Our defense was getting shredded and not generating turnovers, #2 ranked or not.

But it's really easy to look back and say we should have done that, I would have been nervous as hell about a 20 yard FG. Bottom line, the defense lost this for us. Crosby comes in second.

Good Post.

Thought provoking... Food for thought.

I am too tired to comment at this time... I shall read in the morning.

Again.... Good Post.

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