More Madness For Mike Martz
The San Francisco 49ers had one play to beat the Arizona Cardinals in their Monday night thriller. The ball was on the 2 ½-yard line with 3 seconds left to play.
So why would 49ers offensive coordinator Mike Martz call an inside running play for Michael Robinson in this all-or-nothing situation? Has Mad Mike gone completely insane?
The Cardinals stuffed Robinson, exposing Martz to relentless second-guessing. After the game, 49ers coach Mike Singletary carefully distanced himself from the play call.
What went wrong?
Martz told CBSSports.com that bad officiating, not poor play-calling, was the culprit.
Let’s boil it down:
Martz thought the line of scrimmage was actually the Arizona 1. He said he didn’t realize officials moved the ball back another 1½ yards after a replay review, ruling that Frank Gore had been down by contact.
“I didn’t know it was the [2½-yard line] until this morning,” Martz said. “I didn’t know. I left the stadium thinking we didn’t make it from the 1½- or 1-yard line. I couldn’t believe we couldn’t punch it in from the 1-yard line. I was upset with that. I couldn’t see from where I was.”
Really?
Even if he actually knew what the new line of scrimmage was, Martz said there was no time to change the play call. The 49ers were out of timeouts.
“We go to the 1 — or the half-yard line — then spike the ball when, all of a sudden, officials tell us they’re going to look at the replay,” Martz said. “While they’re looking at it, the ball stays at the 1. So we send in a play. Then, when they make their decision, they move the ball back to the 2½ and tell us they’re going to start the clock on the official’s wind.
“We couldn’t change the play. We had to go with what we called. If it would’ve been at the 1, we would’ve made it. But they moved it and didn’t give us any time. So what are we going to do? If they would’ve moved it to the 10 we still would’ve had to run the play that was called. We got screwed because of the spot, first and foremost.”
CBSSports.com contacted Mike Pereira, the league’s vice president of officiating, for a response. Among the counterpoints made by Pereira: The final play was run on third down. The 49ers had time to spike the ball one more time and change plays.
Some things never change. Rams fans watching the game suffered déjà vu watching San Francisco’s terrible clock management and lack of coaching command.
Before he retires from coaching, Martz must learn to spend less time staring at his play chart and more time watching the actual football game.
MYSTERIES OF THE UNIVERSE
Questions to ponder while the Rams attempt to relocate even a shred of their professional pride:
- Isn’t it about time for a Blues goaltender to steal a win for this struggling team?
- Will unbeaten Ball State muscle into a real bowl game?
- Should the Cardinals woo Trevor Hoffman away from the West Coast?
- When the University of Texas establishes its own sports network, how can Big 12 North teams compete against that?
RIVALRY OF THE WEEK
Cowboys receiver Terrell Owens was glad to see his old friend DeAngelo Hall land with the Redskins to shore up the Washington secondary.
“At the rate he’s playing, I’m looking forward to a big day,” Owens said at a New York City book signing, according to The Associated Press. “I’m no stranger to playing against him. I’ve had success against him just as much as everybody else has, so if he’s out there, I’m looking forward to playing him.”
UNFORTUNATE CHEAP SHOT OF WEEK
Was there really that much crowd noise at a Houston-Tulane game? Houston defensive end Phillip Hunt paved Green Wave quarterback Joe Kemp after officials blew the play dead.
Hunt later apologized for the hit, which left Kemp with a broken collarbone.
“I want to start by saying how sorry I am for what happened the other night against Tulane,” Hunt said in a statement released by the Houston sports information office. “I certainly did not try to hurt Joe Kemp. I never heard the whistle and I felt I was still being blocked so I continued on.
“It was third down and nine, my adrenaline was pumping and the crowd was really loud. It just happened so quickly, and I am truly sorry and apologetic for him getting hurt.”
QUIPS ‘R US
Here is what some of America’s leading sports pundits have been writing:
Jeff Schultz, Atlanta Journal-Constitution: “Charlie Weis played mostly with Ty Willingham’s players for two years. He went 19-6 with Fiesta and Sugar Bowl appearances. He has played with mostly his own players in the last two seasons. He is 8-13 and may not go to a bowl either year. Either he can’t recruit or he’s coaching them down. Or both.”
Elliott Harris, Chicago Sun Times: “Notre Dame football coach Charlie Weis said Tuesday he will call the offensive plays against Navy on Saturday. This, of course, was not his first choice. But the Coast Guard Academy is not on the Irish schedule.”
Dwight Perry, Seattle Times: “With Jimmie Johnson bearing down on NASCAR history — as in a third consecutive driving title — ABC-TV cut away from the final 34 laps of Sunday’s rain-delayed race in Phoenix to air ‘America’s Funniest Home Videos.’ As one Johnson team member told The Associated Press: ‘I knew we were in trouble when I looked at the monitor and saw a monkey scratching its butt.’”
Greg Cote, Miami Herald: “Jose Canseco has been sentenced to 12 months probation for attempting to smuggle a fertility drug into the U.S. from Mexico. A fertility drug!? That’s all we need. More Jose Cansecos!”
Mike Bianchi, Orlando Sentinel: “Glad Daunte Culpepper finally landed back in pro football. Well, sort of. He signed with the semi-pro Detroit Lions this week and then said of the winless and woebegone franchise: ‘I am encouraged by the commitment of ownership, the vision of management and the great potential of the talent that is on the team.’ See what playing for the Raiders did to poor Daunte? He not only lost his mojo, he apparently lost his sense of reality.”
Will Leitch, Deadspin: “Another reason the Eagles and Cowboys aren’t making the playoffs? The Falcons’ frighteningly easy schedule the rest of the way. If they can beat the Panthers at home in a couple of weeks, they could win out. And yes, fans of every other team in the NFL, you have a right to be annoyed that the Falcons just draft a dude, cold, who looks more poised and comfortable than any of your wannabes over the last 25 years. Just get your current QB to mutilate some animals, and this could happen to you.”
MEGAPHONE
“He had 41 and he made it look easy. We tried switching a little bit. My only real complaint would be that we’re still not aggressive enough on someone like that. The better players right now are putting up big numbers on us. LeBron is going to get his numbers—16 for 24—that’s a pretty easy night for him. A couple of times we did a good job on him, but he was finding other people because we had a couple of other guys asleep.”
Milwaukee Bucks coach Scott Skiles, after Cavaliers star LeBron James scored 41 on his team.
Martz and his excuses. That is why no one in the NFL wants to hire him as a head coach.
Notre Dame football is irrelevant.
Who could have guessed that lousy clock management would cost a Mike Martz coached team a game? He will never be a head coach again and this is the latest example of why.
I think the bottom of the barrel has finally been reached when the lead story on the Rams is about finding their pride. Has it really come to this?
A little hustle, energy and enthusiasm boys, I don’t think that’s asking too much.
Sad to say but it looks like more of the same from the Blues. They have enough talent to play at a higher level than the current.
What a stupid cheap shot at Martz, total par for the course from the likes of Gordon and other StL writers. If you merged the Cardinals and 49ers, you’d probably use 9 Cardinals and 2 49ers for your starting offense. And yet there the 49ers are putting up 17 points with their offense before Singletary obviously started trying to run out the clock with over a quarter to go. The 49ers continue to score points with players who have no business starting in the league. You’d think someone who’s been watching the Rams the last 2+ years would be impressed.
Roy—-Can you not remember how Martz was terrible with clock management and special teams—we can fix that—Get over him.
Gordo,
Just want to say thanks for all the work you have put into tipsheet over the years. Originally being from STL, I have lived in Florida for 5 years(currently working at Roger Dean Stadium in Jupiter) and read the tipsheet daily. It is the main reason I go on stltoday.com.
Keep up the good work.
I watched Ball State beat Miami of OH last night…they’re a good team..but Texas or Tech or Oklahoma or Bama would beat them like a rented mule…they simply aren’t at that level.
Too bad Mike is not as smart as all of you sports reporters. At least Mike has to make a difficult decision every now and then and isn’t hiding in an obscure cubicle out of harms way.
Mon - Absolutely right. Ball State and Utah and so forth every year are a nice story, but the reality is that they would get hammered by the top half of the Big 12.
S.W. - I have to agree on the Blues. Talent is there, and unlike the Rams the effort seems to be there, but they just aren’t putting it together, and I can’t figure out why. Like I said last week, maybe we need one more top five pick to get over the hump…
Martz was 56-36 as Rams head coach.
Rams are 13-28 since.
I’ll take Martz and his wacky ways over the GARBAGE taking place in STL the last 3 years
Hey Jeff, I’m sure if Mad Mike was the head coach during the Cards game, that last play debacle wouldn’t of happened. I’d still take my chances with Martz as head coach here, and give him 1 more try to build this franchise back into a Super Bowl Contender. Martz loved being a Ram, and you can’t dislike a guy like that. He brought a lot of good memories here. It would be awesome if the new owner here brought him back. And I know the media would love it too. Have a nice day!
Yeah, poor clock management once again bites a Martz-coached team in the butt. No story there. The real story is how the Cards did their best to give the game away - two defensive TDs called back on penalty, 6 penalties in the fourth quarter alone - but the Niners, even with a KO return TD, still couldn’t grab the silver platter laid out in front of them. This was a game the Cards should have won going away, but a fit of stupid mistakes made it close and nearly cost them a win. They have the talent to go deep into the playoffs this year, but if they can’t play with discipline and consistency they won’t make it out of the first round.
MARTZ last time I checked is not the coach singletary is martz calls the play’s singletary coaches the team , I didn’t hear no one blaming other asst. coaches around the league , I would take Martz as an offensive coordinator over any of these other guys , I would even take HIM as a head coach again , how many times did we not even compete under martz. Quit blaming Martz , blame the coach . like you would on any other team, you guys are a bunch of clones you just repeat or sat what they say on there radio shows or articles and I guess that makes you feel smart , Martz even as offensive coordinator has people play hard for him, and makes average players have great seasons , players that aren’t even in the league again after .he goes to another team. Get off Martz , or lets not blame haslett and deside to blams saunders
I would take Martz and the occasional clock gaffe back in a heartbeat over what passes for Rams football these days. At least the team had a pulse when Martz was here, irrespective of what some of the less observant posters here may think.
They play football at Notre Dame?
I have to agree with all the Martz supporters. This guy continually takes garbage and turns it into gold. Can someone please tell me his receivers names, besided bruce, or something pertinant about his qb? I could care less if no one got along with the guy cause he won games. Last time I checked I think it was up to the head coach to manage the clock not the OC. The writers at the post will one day say is the coach the one day its the OC. Im starting to get sick of this crap and I hope the post wonders why its circulation will continue to dwindle.
I don’t see Singletary, with his run-first agenda, getting along with Martz for too much longer. One will have to go at the end of the year and we all know who that will be. I am suprised that Singletary threw his coach under the bus like that. Thought he had more class. Maybe Mad Mike will be available at years end.
Anyone else suspect RAMS ROCK to be among the functionally illiterate?
Figures a guy who hasn’t been in town for years gets all you clowns worked up. Stop living in the past you goofs!
Looking at the bright side: The Rams did have timouts left at the end of the game. Can’t wait to see what Martz has in store for his buddy Haslett and the Rams defense.
Singletary is a psycho. He hates Martz and will get away with trashing him until he is gone. However, eventually Singletary will wear out his welcome and leave the Niner’s in even more disarray. Of course, that will be a good thing.
brings back memories of when martz forgot the score in a preseason game at oakland and kicked a field goal at the end of the game down 4 lol…
Jeff, if Mike Martz was still in STL, and Shaw and his ugly twin in the front office were not, we could be complaining about his game management skills in CLOSE games. At least they would compete. Where ever he goes the offense gets better; after he leaves it gets worse. The Rams were much better after he came and much worse after he left. What is so hard about this? Front office - write about them. Your MM comments are just sour grapes.
BTW - Is it still the fault of Martz’s offense that the Rams QB is sacked so often?
Let’s hope Greg Cote doesn’t get fertility drugs either. That’s all we need in America, more Greg Cotes!
Time to layoff of Martz as he has been proven correct. He was the only one involved with the Rams to realize that the talent was eroding, including the reporters covering the team. Ever since he left we have had nothing but bad, boring, football.