On a 3rd or 4th and inches play the vast majority of coaches are going to call a run up the gut by a RB the vast majority of the time. Yes, sneaks work, as do sweeps and screens on occasion but the fact is, as someone else pointed out in another thread that whole shortest distance thing.
The ONLY reason 99% of the people are bitching about this call is because it didn't work and if that is the ONLY reason you are bitching about it then it wasn't a bad call. Occasionally there are stupid plays that will make you say "We dodged a bullet on that one, the play worked but it still wasn't a smart play" this is not one of those times. If Franklin makes those few inches we win this game and no one says boo about it.
I generally don't like to play the "what if" game but when that "what if" would have totally changed the way people look at a single play I think it is valid.
Originally Posted by: sschind