Zorn's End of Half Clock Management

[darrelgreenie]

I've read some posts complaining about the way Zorn handles the end of half gameplan and clock management.

The posts moaned about Zorn running the ball and 'wasting' time during the '2 minute drill'. They lament that he doesn't go into no-huddle shotgun mode. Hopefully this play-by-play from the Card-Rams game will help you understand. And if still you don't understand, well Cheers anyway.

St. Louis Rams at 01:53

1-N.Rackers kicks 70 yards from ARI 30 to STL 0. 82-D.Hall to STL 15 for 15 yards (87-S.Morey).

1-10-STL 15 (1:45) (Shotgun) 10-M.Bulger pass incomplete short right to 17-D.Avery.

2-10-STL 15 (1:40) (Shotgun) 10-M.Bulger pass incomplete short right to 17-D.Avery.

3-10-STL 15 (1:34) (Shotgun) 10-M.Bulger pass incomplete short middle to 39-S.Jackson.

4-10-STL 15 (1:30) 5-D.Jones punts 51 yards to ARI 34, Center-45-C.Massey. 15-S.Breaston to ARI 44 for 10 yards (25-C.Chavous).

Arizona Cardinals at 01:18

1-10-ARI 44 (1:18) (Shotgun) 28-J.Arrington up the middle to ARI 44 for no gain (91-L.Little).

2-10-ARI 44 (:55) (Shotgun) 13-K.Warner pass deep right to 85-J.Urban for 56 yards, TOUCHDOWN. Ball initially tipped by J. Wade.

1-N.Rackers extra point is GOOD, Center-48-N.Hodel, Holder-9-D.Johnson.

ARZ 24 SL 7 Plays: 2 Possession: 0:36

[inevitable]

Good post.

There will be plenty of BUT.. BUT... BUT's yet this does prove a good point.

[NewCliche21]

Good post, man.

[Shilsu]

If that was the reason the Rams lost the game, you might have a point. But it isn't.

Here's another one.

Tampa Bay Buccaneers at 01:08

1-10-TB 20 (1:08) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass short right to 34-E.Graham to TB 19 for -1 yards (72-G.Dorsey). KC-56-D.Johnson was injured during the play.

Timeout #2 by KC at 00:52.

2-11-TB 19 (:52) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass incomplete short left to 86-J.Stevens.

3-11-TB 19 (:46) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass incomplete short left to 34-E.Graham. PENALTY on KC-90-T.McBride, Roughing the Passer, 15 yards, enforced at TB 19 - No Play.

1-10-TB 34 (:41) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass deep middle to 84-J.Galloway to KC 44 for 22 yards (39-B.Carr).

Timeout #2 by TB at 00:33.

Timeout #3 by KC at 00:33.

1-10-KC 44 (:33) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass short right to 89-A.Bryant to KC 36 for 8 yards (59-D.Edwards).

2-2-KC 36 (:15) (No Huddle, Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass incomplete short left to 84-J.Galloway.

3-2-KC 36 (:12) (Shotgun) 7-J.Garcia pass short left to 34-E.Graham to KC 25 for 11 yards (31-M.Leggett) [90-T.McBride].

Timeout #3 by TB at 00:04.

1-10-KC 25 (:04) 3-M.Bryant 43 yard field goal is GOOD, Center-48-A.Economos, Holder-9-J.Bidwell.

TB 13 KC 24 Plays: 7 Possession: 1:08

Without that field goal, the Bucs lose. Not saying Zorn's philosophy is right or wrong, but the Rams and Cards game just is a bad example.

[skinfan2k]

People dont realize that you cant be ultra aggressive at the end of halves because it might backfire. You need to pick up first downs but you dont want to try high risk plays

[Voice_of_Reason]

What Zorn said publicly is that IF he has 3 TOs, he does not want to use the first one until there is less than a minute on the clock, and he's going to allow the clock to run down in order to keep the other team's offense off of the field.

[TheItalianStallion]

It isn't our end-of-half OFFENSE that bothers me; it's our DEFENSE (prevent).

[Voice_of_Reason]

It isn't our end-of-half OFFENSE that bothers me; it's our DEFENSE (prevent).

THAT is the TRUTH.

[BAFGA]

I remember that there wasn't any sense or urgency in that first game. There doesn't seem to be any sense of urgency on the defense. In the Saints game, that was evident.

[Metalhead]

My problem with Zorn's "2-minute offense" is the actual calling of timeouts. Don't stand around and let 10 seconds run off the clock to decide whether to use one or not. Know ahead what your team plans to do after the play resolves.

A lack of urgency has been a killer for us. FG's could have been TD's with some actual EFFORT. This team looks like a discombobulated mess at the end of halves, on BOTH sides of the ball.

[terpfan]

I know what his thinking is (dont give the ball back) and a lot of coaches think this way. Fisher was doing the same thing in the Titans game today.

Personally, I hate it. I dont understand jeopardizing your own team's production just to make sure the other team doesnt get a shot. Make sure you get the most out of your own drive before worrying about your opponents'. But I'm not the coach...

[LizSkins]

Very good post guys...

[Fieldy]

Personally, I like his playcalling at the end of halves. At first it was unnerving, and a little bit confounding.

But now I look at it and realize, they are moving the ball and for the most part manage to at least get a field goal before half time without giving the ball to the other team.

The Cards-Rams game is a GOOD example because it explains WHY Zorn doesn't want to give the ball back to the other team with less than 2 minutes left. Cards scored a TD with under two minutes to go in the half. Rams then went 3-out with 3 incomplete passes running only 16 seconds off the clock and Cards with 3 TO left. Cards went down and got another TD. Before the two minute warning it was 10-7 Cards, at the end of the half it was 24-7. The 2-minute drill may very well be the reason the Rams lost the game. If Haslett runs the ball three times they probably run more time off the clock and leave the Cards with 0 TO possibly going into half at a very manageable 10 point defecit.

Granted...Stephen Jackson catches that wide-open screen pass on 3rd down, he gets the first and we aren't talking about this today.

[cphil006]

I thought it was fine. We left no time left and got a field goal...

He is fine with it. We had three timeouts, so no need to rush...