The Longest Minute

Jason Moyer
Tuesday June 17, 2008

Burt Reynolds and Adam Sandler had their versions of The Longest Yard.  Each week in the Arena Football League, the head coaches have their own editions of The Longest Minute.

The last minute of each half in an Arena Football League game is where the head coaches earn their paychecks.  Much like a Major League Baseball manager trying to gain the upper hand in a late inning pitching or hitting match-up, an Arena League coach is working toward having the last possession or trying to force the other team to use up their time-outs in order to control the clock.  

When it works both of these goals can be accomplished, but when it doesn’t it could cost his team a victory. 

There are two basic strategies that coaches use:

1) March the ball slowly down the field forcing the other team to use their time-outs, after which the offensive team can run the clock down and control it with their own.

2) Score quickly, hoping to get a two-for-one possession similar to a basketball shot clock.

In Week 16 during the Philadelphia Soul and Cleveland Gladiators contest, Philadelphia Head Coach, Bret Munsey, employed both of these tactics.  Although each was implemented correctly, neither of them worked effectively.  Confused?  Let me explain.

At the end of the first half, Philadelphia attempted to run the clock and force Cleveland to use their time-outs.  Everything was going along just fine, even being helped by a roughing the passer penalty against the Gladiators giving the Soul a fresh set of downs.  The Soul had forced two time-outs and were in control of the situation.

However, Philadelphia fullback Wes Ours failed to allow himself to be tackled and instead scored a touchdown with too many seconds remaining. Cleveland took advantage by scoring in the waning seconds, and then receiving the second half kickoff en route to 20 unanswered points.

During the final minute, with the game tied at 55 and the Eastern Division and Conference lead hanging in the balance, Munsey and the Soul attempted to score quickly.  

After three consecutive incomplete passes, Philadelphia converted a fourth down for a touchdown, but the clock had run down to 37 seconds.  Now Munsey had to decide to kickoff and allow Cleveland the last possession or attempt an onside kick in order to try to create a last opportunity for his offense.

“You know 37 seconds is what was left on the clock and its right there in that gray area,” commented Munsey.  “I think personally that we wanted to kickoff.  You never know, you could get a bar ball, you could pin them deep, and we were playing a little better defense.”

So, the decision was made to kickoff.  Cleveland took the ball and drove to a score with five seconds remaining.  On the road, the Gladiators chose to go for the win with a two-point conversion.  

Luckily for Philadelphia and Coach Munsey, defensive back Eddie Moten intercepted the pass in the end zone preserving a 62-61 victory.  

While there were things done correctly in this edition, everything was also done incorrectly.  Showing us that right isn’t always correct and wrong isn’t always ineffective in The Longest Minute.