DownSwinging.com

Now before you laugh and tell me I’m a gamer and that I simulate NFL games by playing a video game, hear me out. Yes, I do love Madden, and yes, I do believe that NFL coaches, NCAA coaches, and for all I know high school football coaches can learn from the “awesomeness” that is Madden.

So let me ask you this question: how many times have you found yourself watching a football game thinking to yourself, could (insert coach’s name here) possibly manage the clock any worse than he just did? I’m no stranger to coaches mismanaging the clock late in games or during the closing minutes of the half, but sometimes there are cases where football coaches display such atrocious clock management (cough, Herm Edwards, Norv Turner) that it’s nearly inconceivable that aforementioned coach even knew how much time he had left.

Now let me preface this by saying that most coaches manage the clock correctly most of the time, either giving themselves as much time as possible to score or the opposing team as little time to score. However, it seems like, at least once a week, one coach makes a major blunder during a critical time in the game. And can I please be the first one to say; adept clock management really isn’t that difficult. Especially when you consider all the other immensely more difficult things that head coaches deal with on a daily basis, clock management really shouldn’t be a problem. And despite my consternation, coaches continue to make simple mistakes with major consequences.