[Goose]

Toner didn't have enough distance on the kick from 50. That made it fairly certain he wasn't going to make it from 55 -- a long kick even for a pro -- so field goal attempt was off the table.

The field goal try was messed up. The ball was snapped out of rhythm and  unexpectedly because we we going to get a penalty (which we did). Toner can kick a 50 yard field goal if the play is on time and in rhythm. Why nobody called time out is the real question. You shouldn't get a delay of game penalty under those conditions.

The bigger contrast IMO is yesterday vs. last week. Reading into it, seemed that Shaw felt more confident in a first down despite the longer distance and let Costello make a play. The lower quality of defense certainly may have had something to do with it but the trust for a new QB was good to see.

Yes, but I think it was more like "The odds of making a 50 yard field goal are better than making a fourth and one, while the odds of making a 55 yard field goal are less than the odds of making a fourth and six". Not sure I would agree with those odds. Maybe it was just that Shaw was so angry about the penalty that he made an emotional choice. If so, good choice! I don't think that a coldly rational David Shaw makes that decision :)

[Goose]

Toner didn't have enough distance on the kick from 50. That made it fairly certain he wasn't going to make it from 55 -- a long kick even for a pro -- so field goal attempt was off the table.

The field goal try was messed up. The ball was snapped out of rhythm and  unexpectedly because we we going to get a penalty (which we did). Toner can kick a 50 yard field goal if the play is on time and in rhythm. Why nobody called time out is the real question. You shouldn't get a delay of game penalty under those conditions.

The bigger contrast IMO is yesterday vs. last week. Reading into it, seemed that Shaw felt more confident in a first down despite the longer distance and let Costello make a play. The lower quality of defense certainly may have had something to do with it but the trust for a new QB was good to see.

Yes, but I think it was more like "The odds of making a 50 yard field goal are better than making a fourth and one, while the odds of making a 55 yard field goal are less than the odds of making a fourth and six". Not sure I would agree with those odds. Maybe it was just that Shaw was so angry about the penalty that he made an emotional choice. If so, good choice! I don't think that a coldly rational David Shaw makes that decision :)