Week 8 Picks Sure To Go Wrong!

[Montrovant]

The running up the score argument is legitimate, I think, when a team does something like the Pats did a few years back, going for it on 4th down when up by a whole bunch already.

Go ahead and keep scoring as normal, absolutely! But really, why go for it on 4th if you're up by 21?

Because you never know if the other team is going to catch up and even beat you, as clearly demonstrated in the Detroit game. Besides, the name of the game is to score points. You don't just stop scoring to save the other teams' feelings. That is silly. This is competition. If you get romped, then you have only your team to blame.

Yeah, but going on 4th down is giving the other team a better shot at scoring if you fail. This is particularly true when you are in FG range (as, again, I think the Pats were in my example). In that situation, I think you should take the points. Unless a team is in that iffy range, just too long for a FG but short enough that punting seems counter-productive, I think going for it on 4th down when leading by a lot is just trying to be a dick. Or maybe getting some real game experience in if you're playing backups; that I'm OK with!

Maybe they do it because they think they can. I like that. I want all teams to play to their full potential. That is what makes games exciting. It would totally suck if a team said, "alright, we've scored enough points now, let's take it easy."

But every team does exactly that, in 99% of games that they go up big. The playcalling becomes conservative, they run the ball and milk the clock, they don't take chances which could possibly lead to the opponents getting a morale boost. They play backups to rest and avoid injuries to starters, etc. etc.

I'm not saying that if a team goes up big in the first quarter they should just lay back, but once you hit the fourth, if you are up by 3+ scores, yeah, it's a good time to think long term.

We'll have to disagree about that. I think the teams should always play to their full potential. Yes, they can pull players and put in substitutions and do things like that if they choose, but they don't have to.

Do you complain when it's your team that runs up the score? Probably not.

My team doesn't score enough to run it up.

And if isn't clear, I don't consider a lot of things to be 'running up the score'. It rarely happens.

 

[Montrovant]

I'm taking Minnesota and Baltimore; otherwise I agree.

Looks like we will tie this week. Some wild games.

That's an understatement! The points were absolutely flying around this week. 500+ yards and 6 td passes from Big Ben against Indy? 5 td passes, 3 to Gronk, for Brady? Seattle barely able to beat a Panthers team which has looked like a shell of itself this year? Detroit pulling off the 21 point comeback over Atlanta? The 2-4 Saints being the team to derail a Packers club that was looking like world-beaters? Just craziness.

I'm just hoping the Niners have gotten at least a big healthy over the bye week!

I couldn't believe the Detroit game. I had been watching it, and Detroit was getting their butts kicked. Then I went to do something and when I checked back, they had won the game! I was like, what in the hell happened?

This is the reason why it's BOGUS when people get upset for a team supposedly "running up the score."

The running up the score argument is legitimate, I think, when a team does something like the Pats did a few years back, going for it on 4th down when up by a whole bunch already.

Go ahead and keep scoring as normal, absolutely! But really, why go for it on 4th if you're up by 21?

Top 10 college teams do it all the time, especially the SEC.

College teams have to worry about how much they win by, not just winning.

 

[ChrisL]

Because you never know if the other team is going to catch up and even beat you, as clearly demonstrated in the Detroit game. Besides, the name of the game is to score points. You don't just stop scoring to save the other teams' feelings. That is silly. This is competition. If you get romped, then you have only your team to blame.

Yeah, but going on 4th down is giving the other team a better shot at scoring if you fail. This is particularly true when you are in FG range (as, again, I think the Pats were in my example). In that situation, I think you should take the points. Unless a team is in that iffy range, just too long for a FG but short enough that punting seems counter-productive, I think going for it on 4th down when leading by a lot is just trying to be a dick. Or maybe getting some real game experience in if you're playing backups; that I'm OK with!

Maybe they do it because they think they can. I like that. I want all teams to play to their full potential. That is what makes games exciting. It would totally suck if a team said, "alright, we've scored enough points now, let's take it easy."

But every team does exactly that, in 99% of games that they go up big. The playcalling becomes conservative, they run the ball and milk the clock, they don't take chances which could possibly lead to the opponents getting a morale boost. They play backups to rest and avoid injuries to starters, etc. etc.

I'm not saying that if a team goes up big in the first quarter they should just lay back, but once you hit the fourth, if you are up by 3+ scores, yeah, it's a good time to think long term.

We'll have to disagree about that. I think the teams should always play to their full potential. Yes, they can pull players and put in substitutions and do things like that if they choose, but they don't have to.

Do you complain when it's your team that runs up the score? Probably not.

My team doesn't score enough to run it up.

And if isn't clear, I don't consider a lot of things to be 'running up the score'. It rarely happens.

Which is your team?

 

[Papageorgio]

I'm not sure on this issue. I really don't think there is a game out of reach, so I would tend to pour it on, would I plan trick plays or Intentionally run up a score. No, but I would never relax until the game was over.

 

[Montrovant]

I'm not sure on this issue. I really don't think there is a game out of reach, so I would tend to pour it on, would I plan trick plays or Intentionally run up a score. No, but I would never relax until the game was over.

^^ This ^^

I don't advocate giving up on scoring, just not going above and beyond with a big lead late in a game.

 

[Montrovant]

Yeah, but going on 4th down is giving the other team a better shot at scoring if you fail. This is particularly true when you are in FG range (as, again, I think the Pats were in my example). In that situation, I think you should take the points. Unless a team is in that iffy range, just too long for a FG but short enough that punting seems counter-productive, I think going for it on 4th down when leading by a lot is just trying to be a dick. Or maybe getting some real game experience in if you're playing backups; that I'm OK with!

Maybe they do it because they think they can. I like that. I want all teams to play to their full potential. That is what makes games exciting. It would totally suck if a team said, "alright, we've scored enough points now, let's take it easy."

But every team does exactly that, in 99% of games that they go up big. The playcalling becomes conservative, they run the ball and milk the clock, they don't take chances which could possibly lead to the opponents getting a morale boost. They play backups to rest and avoid injuries to starters, etc. etc.

I'm not saying that if a team goes up big in the first quarter they should just lay back, but once you hit the fourth, if you are up by 3+ scores, yeah, it's a good time to think long term.

We'll have to disagree about that. I think the teams should always play to their full potential. Yes, they can pull players and put in substitutions and do things like that if they choose, but they don't have to.

Do you complain when it's your team that runs up the score? Probably not.

My team doesn't score enough to run it up.

And if isn't clear, I don't consider a lot of things to be 'running up the score'. It rarely happens.

Which is your team?

The Niners. Defense and running game, at least before this year, was the name of the game!

 

[ChrisL]

Maybe they do it because they think they can. I like that. I want all teams to play to their full potential. That is what makes games exciting. It would totally suck if a team said, "alright, we've scored enough points now, let's take it easy."

But every team does exactly that, in 99% of games that they go up big. The playcalling becomes conservative, they run the ball and milk the clock, they don't take chances which could possibly lead to the opponents getting a morale boost. They play backups to rest and avoid injuries to starters, etc. etc.

I'm not saying that if a team goes up big in the first quarter they should just lay back, but once you hit the fourth, if you are up by 3+ scores, yeah, it's a good time to think long term.

We'll have to disagree about that. I think the teams should always play to their full potential. Yes, they can pull players and put in substitutions and do things like that if they choose, but they don't have to.

Do you complain when it's your team that runs up the score? Probably not.

My team doesn't score enough to run it up.

And if isn't clear, I don't consider a lot of things to be 'running up the score'. It rarely happens.

Which is your team?

The Niners. Defense and running game, at least before this year, was the name of the game!

I can't really comment because I don't follow that team. Good luck though.

 

[Montrovant]

But every team does exactly that, in 99% of games that they go up big. The playcalling becomes conservative, they run the ball and milk the clock, they don't take chances which could possibly lead to the opponents getting a morale boost. They play backups to rest and avoid injuries to starters, etc. etc.

I'm not saying that if a team goes up big in the first quarter they should just lay back, but once you hit the fourth, if you are up by 3+ scores, yeah, it's a good time to think long term.

We'll have to disagree about that. I think the teams should always play to their full potential. Yes, they can pull players and put in substitutions and do things like that if they choose, but they don't have to.

Do you complain when it's your team that runs up the score? Probably not.

My team doesn't score enough to run it up.

And if isn't clear, I don't consider a lot of things to be 'running up the score'. It rarely happens.

Which is your team?

The Niners. Defense and running game, at least before this year, was the name of the game!

I can't really comment because I don't follow that team. Good luck though.

At 4-3 in the NFC West, they're gonna need it. Thanks!