Clock Management and its effects

[Moorgan]

While the article isn't directly Panthers related, clock management is an underrated skill that many coaches screw up...and many fans, thanks to Madden, claim to be experts.

"The 2015 NFL season featured more games decided by seven or fewer points (131) than any season in history. And most of those outcomes can be directly attributed to clock decisions made in the closing minutes. Broncos assistant Joe DeCamillis, who coaches special teams for the reigning champs and aids in their clock management, was asked recently whether outsiders have any idea how hard it is to grasp the infinite scenarios presented by the clock, the score and the game situation—and then to make pressurized, split-second decisions. “No,” he replied, laughing. “I was talking about it with my father-in-law. The closest comparison we could come up with was an air traffic controller. You’ve got a thousand things going on, you’re watching 20 planes....”

...but we fans like to second guess...

"Stanford professor David Eagleman studies time and the way we perceive it, and he has something to say on the dark art of second-guessing: “I think there are two factors here. First, the armchair quarterback gets to see [the perceived flub] happen, watch it unfold and think about it. He’s not forced to make a rapid decision. The other issue is psychological. The way our brain works is: If the coach has three options to choose from and you, the fan, are 80% sure that Option A is the right call, when [the coach] calls Play A and fails, we tend to backtrack. ‘Come to think of it, I was only about 50% sure.’ This is true in every field, in every decision that gets made.”

I think we've all seen Rivera grow as a coach. Two time Coach of the Year validates his chops as a more than capable coach. But what does the huddle think of his clock management? Has there been improvement? Is there anything we should worry about? I, for one, hadn't really thought much about it until now.

http://www.si.com/nfl/2016/09/05/nfl-clock-management-andy-reid-homer-smith?xid=si_social

[SIGCHI222]

Last season was an outlier, for the league, for the Panthers.  We are really good but all drifts back towards the average.

Just win Thursday baby. 

[Moorgan]

12 minutes ago, SIGCHI222 said:

Last season was an outlier, for the league, for the Panthers.  We are really good but all drifts back towards the average.

Just win Thursday baby. 

I agree. Just win is certainly the order of the day. When I think back to the seminal win of last year, at Seattle, I think about that last drive and the clock seemed to be managed well. I don't remember specifics. But winning almost all of our games could make one gloss over things to improve. 

Don't get it confused. I'm not saying clock management was bad or that the sky is falling. I'm saying that I didn't pay attention to clock management last year because we were winning. In the end, it all takes care of itself but the article is interesting and worth a read. Shows how hard it really is and that everyone, not just the players, feel that pressure. Hats off for Riverboat even existing.

[SIGCHI222]

Just now, Moorgan said:

I agree. Just win is certainly the order of the day. When I think back to the seminal win of last year, at Seattle, I think about that last drive and the clock seemed to be managed well. I don't remember specifics. But winning almost all of our games could make one gloss over things to improve. 

Don't get it confused. I'm not saying clock management was bad or that the sky is falling. I'm saying that I didn't pay attention to clock management last year because we were winning. In the end, it all takes care of itself but the article is interesting and worth a read. Shows how hard it really is and that everyone, not just the players, feel that pressure. Hats off for Riverboat even existing.

I read it, word for word.  All I know is we never should have went 15-1 last year.  We are better this year but will lose at least 3 games yet be better than we were last year. 

The article speaks for itself, all I want is "win this week", like last year.

I know you Moorgan, I would not disparage you.

[General_Purr]

Denver will be a huge test for the entire staff down to the equipment guys.

 

I wonder if we have done any training for altitude? Or efficiency of getting players winded in and out? These small things are something I don't see Carolina top notch at for the past couple of years. But we usually fight through that. One thing that will effect time will also be the refs. We forget how they slug the game down and kill momentum 

[davos]

You know what they say, "You can't follow an albino *#$%"

[outlaw4]

From what I can tell for our team, most of our time management issues is a common issue league-wide; getting the next offensive play down on time. You can tell Cam gets upset every time we have to waste a timeout because of it but again, comes up regularly regardless of team. Otherwise, I'd say we do better than average running no-huddle and two-minute drills. Helps that we're able to hit big chunk plays to minimize time loss. 

Taking a wider perspective, I find it fitting the article mentioned Andy Reid. Unfortunately, he's the poster child of how not to drive down the field in the shortest time possible. You'd think all these years in the league and he'd learn to be better at not wasting clock by now. 

[GoobyPls]

We had very poor clock management at times last year. There was like 7 or 8  games in which we double digits leads and we decided to sit on the clock instead of scoring points.

[pstall]

Im surprised more teams don't have a go to 2nd play to bundle with the 1st call in key moments for the clock.

Example: end of half with 30 secs to go and you are driving for a FG. If you are in the other teams territory surely you have a next play that is a default and can be easily checked down based on coverage.

But winning masks all errors  lol

[Khyber53]

A good offense should always have a definite and simple set of 2 minute drill down and distance plays. But all it takes is one guy to be off or have slept through a meeting and it all falls apart. 

Getting guys on and off the field is the biggest one. At the two minute mark, I would make sure that every player I had already had their helmet on and was ready to go on the field. Drop the Gatorade cups and be ready.

 

[Moorgan]

6 minutes ago, Khyber53 said:

A good offense should always have a definite and simple set of 2 minute drill down and distance plays. But all it takes is one guy to be off or have slept through a meeting and it all falls apart. 

Getting guys on and off the field is the biggest one. At the two minute mark, I would make sure that every player I had already had their helmet on and was ready to go on the field. Drop the Gatorade cups and be ready.

 

Agreed. There are a ton of little things that require everyone to be engaged. All the way down to the assistant position coaches can do things to put the team in a position to win. I'm not saying our guys don't do those things. But it is something to watch. When the whole organization buys into the team, the team usually finds success. Last year seemed like a complete effort by the whole team...I even remember reading stories about the equipment managers last year. I see no reason that this focus won't continue. I wonder if we have a guy who focuses on clock management like the article speaks about.

[ShutDwn]

I'm tired of how liberally the offense uses the time outs.

They did it last year and continued in preseason. SAVE THEM. Once in a while, when the play clock is winding down, OK, but it happens nearly every game where they can't line up.

I'm of the opinion that time outs should be used for challenges, 2 min drives and on defense if someone like Luke sees a play coming that we can't stop. I'm paying extra attention this year. Going into ends of the half or end of game with one timeout is awful usage if we haven't even used a challenge.

Do I want delay of game penalties? No, but the penalty is 5 yards. If Cam sees a defense he doesn't like, do I want him to run us into a buzzsaw? No, but it's not like Luke seeing a play coming that could result in a TD. 

[pstall]

21 minutes ago, ShutDwn said:

I for one am tired of how liberally the offense uses the time outs. They did it last year and continued in preseason. SAVE THEM. Once in a while, when the play clock is winding down, OK, but it happens nearly every game where they can't line up.

I'm of the opinion that time outs should be used for challenges, 2 min drives and on defense if someone like Luke sees a play coming that we can't stop. 

Big pet peeve of mine. I hate a time out in the 1st quarter for anything. Ok take a delay of game. It's ok. But use all 3 in the 2nd.

Your net gain in the 1st is all of 5 yards due to a penalty or a few more yards or a 1st if a review play. 

[Khyber53]

Actually, I think not taking a time out is bad time management, whether it is in the fourth quarter with a minute to go, or in the first quarter three minutes in. A time out better be followed up by a score or an emergency first down, otherwise it is wasted, no matter which quarter it comes in.

If it's called because the QB has to keep calling the play to get everyone lined up properly, that's a waste. Or, and this does happen with us, if the QB was showboating a bit too much after a running play that didn't stop the clock, then it's bad time management.