Adventures in game management

This might become a weekly feature, because Brad Childress continues to infuriate me. Let's go over this week's oddities.

1-1-PIT 1 (5:41) 28-A.Peterson up the middle to PIT 1 for no gain (57-K.Fox, 51-J.Farrior).
2-1-PIT 1 (4:59) 4-B.Favre pass incomplete short middle to 18-S.Rice. Coverage by #57 Fox, #51 Farrior.
3-1-PIT 1 (4:52) 4-B.Favre pass incomplete short middle to 40-J.Kleinsasser [92-J.Harrison]. Coverage by #51 Farrior.

Yes that's right, the Vikings had 1st and goal from the 1 and threw the ball twice before kicking a field goal. That's why they spend a ton of money on McKinnie, Hutchinson and Peterson, so Favre can throw passes to Jim Kleinsasser, right? You've gotta figure running the ball up the middle three times will at some point result in 1 yard, and this odd play-calling cost the Vikings in a close game.

Timeout #1 by MIN at 03:45.

This was such an odd timeout I don't know what to think of it. Pittsburgh was facing a 3rd and 6 from their own 46. Most teams don't start using timeouts defensively until around the 2 minute warning. Otherwise you don't know how the game is going to go, and you might want that timeout later. It wasn't a two-possession game either, as Minnesota was down 3. Maybe not a bad call, but odd.

1-10-MIN 37 (:54) (Shotgun) 4-B.Favre pass short left to 18-S.Rice to MIN 48 for 11 yards (24-I.Taylor).
1-10-MIN 48 (:28) (Shotgun) 4-B.Favre pass incomplete deep right to 12-P.Harvin. Coverage by #26 Townsend, #22 Gay.

Notice how much time was wasted here? The Vikings were down 10 with under a minute left in the 4th quarter, and used approximately 20 seconds to get another play off. I don't know if they realize this, but every second is precious when you're down two possessions with under a minute left.

2-10-MIN 48 (:20) (Shotgun) 4-B.Favre pass deep left to 18-S.Rice pushed ob at PIT 36 for 16 yards (24-I.Taylor).

Here's a question I want to ask Brad Childress; if you're down 10 with under a minute left, how exactly do you plan on making up those 10 points? The correct answer is to try to get a field goal first, then recover the onside kick and have a chance at a TD. Unless there's some breakdown on defense that allows you to get a TD first, this is your only chance at winning. The Vikings reached the Pittsburgh 36 on this play with 13 seconds left. The ONLY way the Vikings can win at this point is to kick a field goal, recover an onside kick and then throw a hail mary. Is it unlikely? You betcha, but coming back when down 10 at this point is highly unlikely. It's your only chance. Of course you know the Vikings didn't do this, as they ran a couple more pass plays.

1-10-PIT 19 (:03) (Shotgun) 4-B.Favre sacked at PIT 27 for -8 yards (92-J.Harrison).

The nfl.com gamebook doesn't have this recorded for some reason, but Childress actually called a timeout before this final play. Why? I don't have any freaking idea. Do the Vikings have some magical 10 point play? Because with 3 seconds to go, that's the only thing that can tie the game. Maybe Childress wanted Favre to take one more hit, I don't know. But this was outrageous; Pittsburgh got another shot at Favre so the Vikings could...do what exactly?

I'll say this about Childress; he had a great challenge on a 3rd and 18 pass to Sidney Rice that was initally ruled incomplete. Otherwise he's an idiot with game management. He challenged a play in the first quarter that at no point looked to be reversable. Play-calling at the goalline was horrendous. His use of timeouts was odd, to say the least. And apparently he doesn't realize 10 points is two possessions, and a field goal is one of those possessions. Other than that, I think he's a helluva coach.