O’Shea simply froze on the field of battle. In other words he panicked and couldn’t think straight!
The 61 yd field goal in an indoor stadium of no wind and dead air - perhaps a 1% chance if Medlock hammers the bloody thing perfectly, an angel hops on board and luck goes boffo.
While current stats (courtesy Derek Taylor) indicate only 25% of 3rd and 4s were successful this season - you compare that to 1/100 w/ Medlock hammering from 61. Even if you adjust the bomber stats due to BC’s defense controlling the bomber o-line and having Plop’s number in the 2nd half - you might reduce your possibilities to 15% from 25%. That’s still 15 to 1 better chance than field goal.
O’Shea’s other braingoof was this all occurred with 30 to 35 sec. left. Even if Medlock hammers it home - Lions have 24 to 28 sec. left after Rainey runs it back to the 40 or 45 - or Medlock kicks it out of bounds and BC takes possession at their own 45. Just 2 x 15 yd darts (to WRs who were open all day long) and the Lions are kicking the winning FG from the bomber 42 - and w/ McCallum in the saddle, almost a certain win.
So O’Shea failed to think thru the entirety of the matter. (that’s what inexperienced or bad coaches do). He went for a near impossible length field goal - he refused to try a 3rd and 4, even with a low possibility of success given his offenses struggles in the 2nd half - and he failed to take into account the time left on the clock. (ie. how Calgary TKO’d them with only 20 seconds left earlier in the season)
......Let's see ...we have one of the best running backs in the league, who could have been 'pushed' for 5 yards behind an o line, that had already done that in this game...Instead we try an almost impossible field goal attempt that came up 10 yards short... How does that make sense...A first down with 35 seconds on the clock to further advance the ball, and it's almost an automatic for Medlock....O'Sh dropped a load in his pants on that one....and it still smells...Just a b.s. call. :thdn:
This will just add a bit to the brutal (but deserved) piling on to Mike slO’shea . . . . basically the guy suddenly lost confidence in his MVP QB, his all-star RB and his big import signing (Dressler). Just a coward’s way out - especially with all the post-game babble about the field goal is either made or it isn’t! Doesn’t the same apply to 3rd and 4? Even if Medlock miracles it thru - the Lions still have 30 seconds to rip thru a swiss cheese defense.
No, the bombers should have gone with the 3rd and 4 - even if O’Shea took a dump on his offense and thought they were out of gas. Running out of gas? Yes, but completely out - RUBBISH!!! A gain of 5 or 6 yds (just to be safe) and then 2 plugs into the line by Harris of 3 and 2 yds (maybe more) CHANGES EVERYTHING - - - - - from a virtually unmakeable 61 yarder to a more certain (perhaps 75%) 50 yarder!
Anything O’Shea or Wadzilla or Walters tries to put lipstick on a pig is exactly that. O’Shea had his contract extension before his now-infamous brainfart. Maybe he shouldn’t have? :cowboy:
Well it is now no contest! Dickenson has taken O'Shea off the hook!
Dickenson using a Rookie 3rd string QB nobody has even heard of, instead of his MOP QB and not giving the MOC and leading rusher in the league the ball on 2nd and goal from the 1 and a half yardline with 10 seconds left to win the Championship Game. :roll:
Yup, brilliant coaching. Put the game in the hands of your 3rd string 185lb QB rather than the 260lb league rushing champion. Possibly the worst GC call ever.
Actually I think its pretty close between O'Shea61 and DaveDick
O'Shea's blunder was convincing himself that Matt Nichols couldn't generate 4 yards in a Paul LaPolice offense - so in passing a slap in the face to both Plop & Nichols - and it only cost the bombers a quarter-final playoff away game they had no business being competitive in.
DaveDick gets the nod cuz it cost his team a Grey Cup.
Even if Medlock punches it thru from 61 (maybe 1 in a 100, 2 in 100 from optimists) he leaves nearly 30 seconds for BC/Jennings to cut thru Rich Hall's swiss cheese defense like a hot knife thru butter.
A first down, a couple plunges by Harris and Medlock is kicking from the 49 or 50 with no time left on the clock - probably about 75% to 80% certain to make.
The third down gamble for the TD and the onside kick recovery suggest Dickenson was making the right calls up to that point. Pretty tough to hang him out to dry imo.
They used Buckley in goal line situations all season long so it's not surprising they stayed with what they've been doing all season long. But in the biggest game of the year with the championship on the line, hard to understand why you don't keep Mitchell in there and either make a play or give it to Messam. You could argue that maybe BLM hadn't practiced short yardage all season because they use Buckley, but these guys are a couple of your highest paid players for a reason. This will go down as the CFL's version of the Seahawks not using Marshawn Lynch in the superbowl. Maybe BLM or Messam deliver, maybe they don't, but this is the exact moment you need to rely on your stars.
Risky play for sure. It was set up perfectly given that Buckley scored on the exact formation minutes before. The pass off of that was there. Buckley was tripped up with two fingers. Just a brilliant and fortunate defensive play. If it worked then Dickenson is talked about as a genius.
But a moment of over coaching perhaps.
That said I thought Calgary came out flat and totally overconfident.
Ottawa had far more energy and had by far the more diverse offensive and defensive plans in the first half. They were just the faster better prepared team in that first half. BLM had his worst half of his career and showed an immaturity and frustration that we've not seen in the past.
I thought DC Mark Nelson developed a masterful game plan. Winnipeg and Montreal let a good one get away in him.
Yes, everyone would expect a run by Messam, but Ottawa expected that the play before and he pushed the ottawa defenders back 4 yards into the rugby scrum.
With Mitchel in the backfield and Messam, Ottawa would have to defend the whole playbook.
With Buckley, only have to defend the short yardage plays that they scouted.
Easy to say that after the fact. They have a sneak package and they used it… Couple weeks ago O’shea was criticised for not trusting his players, this week DaveDick is criticised for the opposite. Dave did not miss a convert, Paredes did, or throw footballs blind for an entire half of football BLM did.
For myself. I think Burris ability to use the screen pass to counter the blitz was the difference in the game. He did it really, really well.
.....Not running Messam was just short of ludicrous...Ottawa was lucky to stop him on the previous play from cracking the end zone, and to go away from that was idiocy..Dickenson can join O'Shea for the 'dumbest play call' of the 16' post season...although Dave's call had more of a chance to succeed...it was not the right call....Hindsight is so wonderful ain't it 8)
