Game Thread: Toronto Argonauts at Ottawa Redblacks, Friday, October 16

[Cambridge Blue]

I just don't understand why you don't use that first play to take a knee on the 1 yard line.

Then, on 2nd down, you snap the ball on a QB sneak to go for the TD with maybe 10 seconds left.

If you score, Ottawa will have 3 or 4 seconds needing a TD. If you don't, its the walk-off field goal attempt. Best of both worlds. Worst case, you lose your heads and run around looking for a pass that isn't there, you aren't going to run off all 10 seconds.

I mean, I'm just a fan, but I'm yelling at the screen to do that: it's these guys freaking jobs to manage game situations, and leaving 30 seconds was absolutely brainless all round.

That said, I think the league as a whole needs Ottawa to be better supported and not fall off a cliff. An 0-18 season would set them back even further and be very hard to come back from. And any embarrassment about losing to them is tempered by it being a meaningless game with a backup QB.

[IssuesMcgee]

I just don't understand why you don't use that first play to take a knee on the 1 yard line.

Then, on 2nd down, you snap the ball on a QB sneak to go for the TD with maybe 10 seconds left.

If you score, Ottawa will have 3 or 4 seconds needing a TD. If you don't, its the walk-off field goal attempt. Best of both worlds. Worst case, you lose your heads and run around looking for a pass that isn't there, you aren't going to run off all 10 seconds.

I mean, I'm just a fan, but I'm yelling at the screen to do that: it's these guys freaking jobs to manage game situations, and leaving 30 seconds was absolutely brainless all round.

That said, I think the league as a whole needs Ottawa to be better supported and not fall off a cliff. An 0-18 season would set them back even further and be very hard to come back from. And any embarrassment about losing to them is tempered by it being a meaningless game with a backup QB.

I prefer parity in the league. It doesn't really do much in terms of honour and glory if you're beating teams who have five wins or less at this point in the season.

That said, I hope the Argos win next week because 10-8 looks great, especially after last season. If you look at history however, 9-9 means the Argos have any opposing team right where they want them.

9-9 seems to be a sacred position for the Argos going into the playoffs.

[Unplayable]

I finally got around to listening to Arbuckle’s post game comments.

The question about whether or not you should let analytics determine your current action is an interesting one. People forget that analytic numbers are based on a large number of past actions, and are not a reflection on what has gone on in the current game.

Surely the fact that the Argo defence had had their butts kicked for most of the game should have tilted the decision to milk the clock and try to kick a field goal, even if the analytics suggested going for a TD. Don’t make decisions based on math and statistics, make them based on the football game you are playing.

Stupid penalties, turnovers, and poor decisions will get them a loss against Montreal, and may prevent them from even getting to the eastern final.

[ArgoRavi]

I finally got around to listening to Arbuckle’s post game comments.

The question about whether or not you should let analytics determine your current action is an interesting one. People forget that analytic numbers are based on a large number of past actions, and are not a reflection on what has gone on in the current game.

Surely the fact that the Argo defence had had their butts kicked for most of the game should have tilted the decision to milk the clock and try to kick a field goal, even if the analytics suggested going for a TD. Don’t make decisions based on math and statistics, make them based on the football game you are playing.

Stupid penalties, turnovers, and poor decisions will get them a loss against Montreal, and may prevent them from even getting to the eastern final.

To be fair, I thought that the defence had been better in the second half compared to the first half in Friday's game and had shut Ottawa down on the previous two possessions. There's simply no way that you can allow a 67 yard drive against a rookie QB with 30 seconds left. The chances of that happening have to be pretty small. The turning point of that possession happened on the first play when a mere 7 yard gain turned into a 22 yard gain and stopped the clock because of Toia's roughing the passer penalty. If that penalty didn't happen, I don't believe they lose.

[Cambridge Blue]

I finally got around to listening to Arbuckle’s post game comments.

The question about whether or not you should let analytics determine your current action is an interesting one. People forget that analytic numbers are based on a large number of past actions, and are not a reflection on what has gone on in the current game.

Surely the fact that the Argo defence had had their butts kicked for most of the game should have tilted the decision to milk the clock and try to kick a field goal, even if the analytics suggested going for a TD. Don’t make decisions based on math and statistics, make them based on the football game you are playing.

Stupid penalties, turnovers, and poor decisions will get them a loss against Montreal, and may prevent them from even getting to the eastern final.

I've just caught up on the Xs and Argos podcast, and couldn't believe how understanding Ben Grant was of the decision making behind the call, and its made me angry all over again.

I just don't believe it is a choice between a TD with 30 seconds left or a walk-off field goal. If you go down at the 1, you can then try for the endzone properly to get the TD with only a couple of seconds left... which is better than either scenario. Looking at the analytics for the first choice is asking the wrong question!

It comes down to the fact, if Ottawa wants you to do something, its pretty clear it's not what you want to be doing yourself. If Smith had said "thank you" and got 3 yards for free and run time off the clock, Dinwiddie would have just looked foolish, and it would have been the perfect way to end the season series.