[BostonCard]

No, I don't think so. There was something like 1:33 on the clock. Two or three knees wouldn't have done it.

Seriously, you weren't surprised by the end-around? I was shocked.

I was surprised.  I assumed some one other than Shaw called the play.  More like Shaw was digging in to his playbook looking for perfect play and Costello called his own play in the huddle.

Three knees I think would have done it (there are 40 seconds between plays).  However, that play was run on second down, so we could have taken at most two knees (1 min 20 seconds, plus however long the actual play takes) before being forced to punt or attempt a field goal.  The endaround was a smart play, because in addition to surprising every one, the play itself took a few extra seconds off the clock.  If you figure a regular play takes about 4 seconds off the clock, then we could have taken 1 min 28 seconds off the clock before being forced to punt.  A punt in the end zone probably gives Pitt one play.  But the endaround probably took an extra couple seconds off the clock, enough where the clock would have expired with the punt in the air, or we could have had someone run around in the backfield for a couple of seconds and take a knee once the clock hit 0's.

It is precisely because Shaw's carefully cultivated reputation that these "trick plays" take everyone by surprise, and make them more effective.  It strikes me that there is an inverse correlation between how often you call "trick plays" and how effective they are at catching the defense off guard.

BC

[BostonCard]

No, I don't think so. There was something like 1:33 on the clock. Two or three knees wouldn't have done it.

Seriously, you weren't surprised by the end-around? I was shocked.

I was surprised.  I assumed some one other than Shaw called the play.  More like Shaw was digging in to his playbook looking for perfect play and Costello called his own play in the huddle.

Three knees I think would have done it (there are 40 seconds between plays).  However, that play was run on second down, so we could have taken at most two knees (1 min 20 seconds, plus however long the actual play takes) before being forced to punt or attempt a field goal.  The endaround was a smart play, because in addition to surprising every one, the play itself took a few extra seconds off the clock.  If you figure a regular play takes about 4 seconds off the clock, then we could have taken 1 min 28 seconds off the clock before being forced to punt.  A punt in the end zone probably gives Pitt one play.  But the endaround probably took an extra couple seconds off the clock, enough where the clock would have expired with the punt in the air, or we could have had someone run around in the backfield for a couple of seconds and take a knee once the clock hit 0's.

It is precisely because Shaw's carefully cultivated reputation that these "trick plays" take everyone by surprise, and make them more effective.  It strikes me that there is an inverse correlation between how often you call "trick plays" and how effective they are at catching the defense off guard.

BC