Brain Cramp or...?

What was head coach Jason Maas thinking when Edmonton needed a converted TD to tie the Western Final against Calgary? Unbelievable! Instead of going for it on 3rd and 4 at Calgary's 13 Maas elects to kick a FG. I simply don't get it. At the very least Calgary would have to scrimmage on its own 13 if the ball were turned over on downs. Hold Calgary to a two and out and Edmonton gets another crack at a tying converted TD from pretty good field position. Why kick a 3 point FG when you would still need another 4 points to tie the game??

Did Maas think his team was only 6 points behind? Oh I hope that is not what happened. There has to be some reasonable explanation. Any thoughts?

Don't mind the decision. During the drive Glen Suitor mentioned a few times how many possessions there can be late in a CFL game. With (I think) 1:56 left and a timeout the Esks still had an opportunity to get the pumpkin back.

That's a stupid decision no matter what the logic is. No rationale changes the fact that they NEEDED a TD first and foremost.

It elevated risk and robbed them of the clock.

Such a puzzling decision. I'll never understand that one.

Yes, 1:56 can be a long time to fire off several plays but it makes absolutely no sense to kick a FG knowing you still have to score a TD or you lose the game. Since the Esks were hoping to get the ball back why kick a FG? Why not go for the 1st down. If you fail you pin Calgary deep in their own end so it’s a win/win. You get the ball back with much better field position. The objective would be the same for the Esks. You’re still hoping to get the ball back with the least amount of the clock eaten up as possible. Maas gave up valuable field position for a FG that meant nothing. That is what it looks like to me. How would kicking the FG benefit the Esks?

And sacrificed valuable field position when you consider where Calgary ended up punting from after the 2 and out.

Had Calgary taken over on downs on their 13 and been held to 3rd and whatever, Edmonton likely would have gotten the ball back in Calgary’s side of the field.

Unless Maas had a brain cramp this has to be the worst decision I’ve ever seen. If there is a rational explanation I’m all ears.

The only thing I can come up with is that Maas got overwhelmed and didn't know what the score actually was. Got so busy doing the math in his head that he lost track of the here and now. It happens.

Otherwise nobody makes that call.

Maas interviewed on TSN. The first words out of his mouth indicated that he didn't know EXACTLY what the clock said and he thought he would have enough time to shut down the Stamps and get the score they needed later.

I can’t even fathom that being the reason Iconic. Maas has an assistant head coach on the line, spotters upstairs and all sorts of support staff. Surely heads began to turn as soon as he made this call. And here is the thing. It may take a split second to make the decision but to get the FG team out on the field takes time. A player could have dropped to kneed feigning injury to buy a little more time. I wonder if anyone questioned Maas before he sent his FG team out onto the field? How does it work in the CFL. Are coaches unapproachable if someone spots an obvious and glaring call that seems to make no sense. Did no one say anything. If not does Maas wish someone had spoken up? I wonder if we’ll ever know why this decision was made.

Maas’ only indication of something wonky was his very first words that he didn’t know what the exact clock count said. He moved away from that later but he still said what he said.

It kinda makes sense because there are really only TWO reasons why a coach would make that call:

  1. Don’t know the score
    OR
  2. Don’t know the time

We’ve all seen his meltdowns on the sidelines. Maybe he’s not the most approachable dude late in the game?

Personally, I think Maas is full of it. Kicking the FG served no purpose at all unless Maas figured that with the FG goal under their belt, a TD would win it all. I’m still shaking my head.

A fake FG I can see. Failed and the Stamps would still be pinned down deep in their own zone. Pull if off and the Esks scrimmage on Calgary’s nine yard line or better.

Sweet Mother Of Brain Cramps......that was absolutely brutal. Score first, think later. You need a TD to win, you're at the Calgary 13, 3rd and 4 with only 2 minutes left and you're gonna kick a FG and leave yourself still needing a TD and a defensive stop?! Mind boggling, and even more so when you consider the field position that was given up in the process. Wow.

A reverse Mike O’Shea moment . . . .

Followed the Esks all the way through the regular season and playoffs. Disappointing to say the least.

Coaches and special teams went pants-on-the-head idiotic in the last couple minutes.

Maas said on TSN that he had confidence in the 3 phases of his team to do the job - Defense to get the ball back, Special Teams to set them up, Offense to get the TD.

But where the heck was the confidence in his Offense to get 4 yards??!!

And why wasn`t Reilly pleading with Maas to go for it? Or the Assistant Coaches?

Definite brain cramp. The hot head choked.

Close Hondo but not quite…[see bolded highlight in your answer] A single point converted TD would have tied the game. Edmonton kicks off [with the wind at their backs] and tries to pin Calgary deep with time remaining. They would still be tied with Calgary.

I know even coaches are human and they too make mistakes but if Maas was not aware of the score and thought there was only a 6 point difference then he was the only one in the entire stadium if not the entire country who thought that! I don’t buy it. lol

So did Glenn Suitor. Go watch/listen to the replay on watchespn.com when they post it shortly. Evidently Suitor was the one who didn’t know the correct score and he eventually tried to play it off onto Maas.

Thanks Idealsheldon. Okay…so if Maas said all of that then you an excellent question: “Where the heck was the confidence in his Offense to get 4 yards!!!”

The guy goes 3rd and 10 just a few plays earlier which had they not succeeded would have likely finished the Esks off. They succeed! You are down on the Calgary’s 13 yard line with 4 yards to go but kick a stupid FG? How many times have Esk fans watched Reilly take matters into his own hands and scamper not just for the necessary yardage but score a TD?

Yeah, I realize that. You score, kick the convert (hopefully) and play for overtime. I should have said “need a TD to tie and give yourself the opportunity to win.”

Exactly!