Shame of the Game: Panthers

[Brian Fein]

Tough to choose a shame in this game, but I have to give it to DC Paul Pasqualoni.  The defense ALWAYS gets overly conservative towards the end of the game and ALWAYS allows the opponents back into the game.  This game should have been over, but they stopped running pressure in favor of coverage and our d-line isn't good enough to get to the QB without LB or safety help.  This game shouldn't have been this close.

HM to Sparano for not kicking the FG in 4th down inside 1 minute.  Didn't you learn anything from the Patriots' game last week?

[Tepop84]

Can I give it to jake grove.  he gets those two penalties and then gets injured.  what an asshole.

[ethurst22]

My shame of the game goes to Akin Adeyle for missing tackles and being out of position on a couple of big runs. Dolphins must either play Torbor or upgrade that position.

[Tenshot13]

I hate to give SOTG to anyone, but if I had to, it would be Vonte.  He got burned a couple of times by Steve Smith, then there was the TD that he overran.

[Spider-Dan]

In the postgame conference, Sparano explained exactly why he didn't go for the FG:

- most of the field goal unit was dinged up, and a lot of players would have been out-of-position
- the FG was far from a gimme (49 yards) and a block was a real possibility
- a failed 4th down try was better than a miss, and a hell of a lot better than a block
- if the play fails to gain the first, they had no timeouts and their play selection was going to be extremely limited
- converting the 1st ends the game

I agreed with the call.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

In the postgame conference, Sparano explained exactly why he didn't go for the FG:

- most of the field goal unit was dinged up, and a lot of players would have been out-of-position
- the FG was far from a gimme (49 yards) and a block was a real possibility
- a failed 4th down try was better than a miss, and a hell of a lot better than a block
- if the play fails to gain the first, they had no timeouts and their play selection was going to be extremely limited
- converting the 1st ends the game

I agreed with the call.

Bullshit excuses.  I'm giving my SOTG to Tony Sparano for not kicking that field goal.  He's lucky the defense stopped the Panthers from tying this game. 

[Spider-Dan]

Julius Peppers has blocked two field goals in a season twice (he has 5 for his career).  You want us to attempt a 49-yard field goal with an injured special teams unit against Carolina?  A blocked kick is THE WORST POSSIBLE RESULT at that stage in the game.  I'd rather have Henne throw the ball into the end zone than kick a field goal there.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

Julius Peppers has blocked two field goals in a season twice (he has 5 for his career).  You want us to attempt a 49-yard field goal with an injured special teams unit against Carolina?  A blocked kick is THE WORST POSSIBLE RESULT at that stage in the game.  I'd rather have Henne throw the ball into the end zone than kick a field goal there.

I don't care how dinged up they are.  Put your starters in on the line, and let Carpenter get you the 3.  That takes 5 seconds off the clock, which is what we did with the Hilliard run.

[Spider-Dan]

You do realize that farther kicks stand a significantly higher chance of being blocked, right?

[Brian Fein]

the difference in field position would have been 7 yards, and the percentage of blocked FG's to attempts must be very small.  I say take the chance and put the game away.  Most kickers can hit from 49 with regularity.

[YoFuggedaboutit]

You do realize that farther kicks stand a significantly higher chance of being blocked, right?

I don't give a shit.  A kicker like Dan Carpenter can make that kick easily, regardless of who's blocking for him. 

My STOG goes to Sparano for not kicking that FG to put the game away.  If you don't like it, tough shit.

[Spider-Dan]

I say take the chance and put the game away.

Apparently, this statement does not apply to the choice to try for the first down.

Most kickers can hit from 49 with regularity.

More regularity than the Dolphins' ability to convert a first down with 3 yards to go?

[Spider-Dan]

My STOG goes to Sparano for not kicking that FG to put the game away.  If you don't like it, tough shit.

Hell, you can give SOTG to Sparano for not evaluating more injury-resistant players if you want to.  That's your prerogative.

I am not objecting to your choice for SOTG.  I am disagreeing with the idea that he should have kicked a FG.  In my opinion, Sparano made the correct decision (just as Belichick did on Sunday night).  Unlike Belichick, Sparano's defense held.

[dolphins4life]

I agree with the decision not to kick the FG.

My SOTG goes to Sparano for not running Ricky on the last drive.  He's our best back.  He should be the one getting the ball in crunch time. 

[Tenshot13]

I agree with the decision not to kick the FG.

My SOTG goes to Sparano for not running Ricky on the last drive.  He's our best back.  He should be the one getting the ball in crunch time. 

There is speculation that Ricky might have been a little banged up at the end of the game.  He was having a long conversation with the training staff.

http://espn.go.com/blog/afceast/post/_/id/6667/rapid-reaction-fins-24-panthers-17
It's in the second to last paragraph.