Explain This
I have watched a lot of football over the years, but I have never figured out why teams that get desperate late in a game, all of a sudden are able to execute plays that gobble up 10 and 15 yards at a crack. If they are able to accomplish this late in the game, why don’t they do the same thing earlier? If it is because the defense switches to a ‘prevent’ defense late in the game, why doesn’t the defensive team just use the earlier formation that kept that offense from working in all previous possessions?
If a team can march down the field so well at the end of a game, why don’t they do the same thing while the game is young? Is it possible that some athletes need that added incentive of coming from behind with little time left, in order to lift their game to the highest level? I honestly don’t understand why the game changes all of a sudden and an offense suddenly seems unstoppable. In the end, my gut tells me that it has more to do with what the defense changes that allows the offense to succeed, than what the offense does that makes the difference.
If this subject doesn’t resonate for you because you don’t watch any football, just switch out the terms relating to football and replace them with parents/teenagers, or husband/wife, or employees/management and you pretty much get the same effect.
And finally, do I love the fall because I relate it with the football season, or do I love football because it happens during the best season of the year? Both are pretty spectacular. Lately, we are enjoying some pretty fine late summer weather, but with just enough football happening, it still feels like fall.
Relative Something 
Well said, Reed. I can’t count the times I wished my defense would excel under pressure and shine by squashing the opponent’s late surge.
That is a lot of why we love to watch, isn’t it? Both team’s players are trying to notch it up one more level to influence the outcome. Will the O-line rule or will the Defensive End overcome it all and stuff the play, or will the QB duck the sack and step around to fling a bomb… then will the safety sprint fast enough to close the distance and get a hand up, or will the WR out-leap his personal best to slap hands on a game winner?
I’d watch that in the first quarter, too, if they wanted to show me the effort.
johnwhays
September 15, 2009 at 10:48 am
While it’d be fun to see, I imagine if they played that hard in the first quarter their wouldn’t be much energy left by the end of the game 🙂 It reminds me of cross country running in that you don’t sprint until the last 1/4 mile or so. Definitely have to pace yourself or it’s going to be a rough race.
Jake Moening
September 15, 2009 at 1:51 pm
Good point. I think this reveals my mindset coming from a sport like hockey, maybe. How many guys are there on the sideline? All ya gotta do is rotate your players to allow everyone to go full speed while on the field and recover while on the sidelines. Plus, with television timeouts, what, every 6 or 7 plays, they have a chance to have a cup of tea and visit while we watch beer commercials for things like “groolers”. Oops. Starting to rant there. Sorry.
johnwhays
September 15, 2009 at 2:05 pm
I think you hit it on the head when you talked about switching the terms football out for other things. I know when it comes to deadlines, if I start working on stuff early, it takes me significantly longer and the results aren’t as good. It’s when the deadline comes and I am under the gun, that I have a sense of clarity and am able to perform at the highest level. At the end of the game for players, The best excel under pressure, if you are good at something, this is your time to shine (Tom Brady, most NFL kickers, etc.). When it’s your time to shine and the pressures on, do you excel? The best do.
Reed
givingitstraight
September 15, 2009 at 10:13 am
There are so many games where I’d sure prefer to see that big last push really happen in the first 3 or 4 possessions. Jake, I think the best point you bring up is a defense choosing to force the other team to eat up clock time. I’m not sure it’s always worth the risk.
See 9/13 Green Bay win and 9/14 New England win…
johnwhays
September 15, 2009 at 9:51 am
I would imagine that it is mostly due to the prevent defense. I wouldn’t think that switching to a prevent defense would be good if you are in a close game but the advantage during a blowout is that you are forcing them to eat more clock by making shorter plays and taking away a quick touchdown. Also, the defense is getting tired and likely up against a hurry up no huddle offense that leaves them even more winded. I’m sure that the adrenaline rush during a last ditch effort helps the offense to some degree as well, but I’m guessing it’s the combination of all the items I’ve listed that makes the big last push really happen. It could be that at that late stage in the game the starters are out of the lineup as well. Lots of factors…
Jake Moening
September 15, 2009 at 8:42 am