Useless Field Goals; Tim Tebow; Historic Runners

[LeonardRachiele]

I admire teams that never give up trying to move the ball even though they are hopelessly down.  There are issues with quarterbacks who consume time with short passes and score a touchdown.   All the players, especially the quarterback,  are doing is making their pass  completion percentage and yards gained look better;  but the teams are at least  not content  until they cross the goal.

It is bad  sportsmanship kicking a field goal late in the game.  In this case, the losers moved except when defense tightened up.  Three examples:

Both of the first two games were against the Philadelphia Eagles at Lincoln Financial Field

2008 vs the St. Louis Rams.  Josh Brown kicked a field goal with just under three minutes left.  The Rams avoided a shut out.  Eagles 38 Rams 3.

2008 vs the Dallas Cowboys.  Trailing 44 to 3 with six minutes left , Nick Folk booted a 42 yard field goal.  Brainless Eagles 44 Dallas 6.

2011 Playoffs-Denver at New England.  New England  was leading 42 to 7, late in the third quarter.   The Broncos' Matte Prater kicked a 41 yard field goal.  New England countered with another and won 45 to 10.

To me, there is nothing wrong with the certain winners running up the score provided it is with the second team.  Andy Reid has passed up many chances, mainly with Kevin Kolb, to gain the experience.  Why not experiment when the opportunity exists?

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John Henry Johnson, as mentioned, was originally part of the Million Dollar Backfield with the San Francisco Forty Niners.  The other backs were Y.A. Tittle, Hugh McElhenny, and Joe "the Jet" Perry.  When Johnson retired,  he was fourth on the All Time Rushing list behind Jim Brown, Jim Taylor, and Perry.  John Henry and the Jet died with a month of each other in 2011.

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The Denver Broncos were not mesmerized with Tim Tebow.  After winning win six straight,  they staggered in to the playoffs losing the final three games.  They were in the playoffs but not a playoff team.  Sacks were the  factor in beating Pittsburgh in the Wild Card game.  The Broncos sacked Ben Rothlisberger five times for 45 yards.  The Steelers  never got near Tebow.