Monday, September 24, 2012

Dolphins 'icing' timeout backfires against the Jets

Hopefully Miami Dolphins head coach Joe Philbin's decision to "ice" the kicker at the last second will be a lesson to all coaches who plan on using a spare timeout to make an opposing kicker "think" about making a game-winning kick right before the snap.  But, after yesterday's strategy backfired, I still don't think it will stop anyone from using the annoying bush-league tactic.

Philbin tried it yesterday to devastating results when the New York Jets kicker Nick Folk was staring at a 33-yarder in overtime.  Philbin waited, then waited some more before calling the timeout — about a half-second before the Jets snapped the ball.  Too bad it was a second before the Dolphins' Randy Starks busted through the line and blocked the kick — which officially was not a play since Philbin had already formed a "T" with his hands — nullifying the play.

Folk's second attempt sailed through the uprights and gave the Jets an ugly 23-20 win with 6:04 left in OT.

Even if you aren't a Jets fan, you had to like the karma of the whole thing.


"I thought it was the right call," said Philbin, the rookie head coach. "I was planning it all along to call timeout right before he kicked the ball.  I really had no reaction whatsoever on that.  I knew that was the plan, that was the thing to do, and we did it."

The Jets themselves called an icing timeout five minutes earlier when Miami's kicker Dan Carpenter lined up for a game-winning 47-yarder and he missed.



The Dolphins looked dazed after they had — and blew — two chances to win the game in overtime.

"You never see that happen," said Miami quarterback Ryan Tannehill.  "I've never even heard of that happening before.  It wasn't meant to be."

Hard Knocks continues for the Dolphins.

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