Dak has been in the league long enough… he HAS to know the official has to set the football before the snap? But yeah that draw play, that’s on McCarthy..just bizarre play calling
It was the most bafflingly stupid coaching decision I've seen in a long time and I watch Mike Tomlin (the man who still doesn't know when to call a timeout) on a weekly basis. At least Tomlin gives a glib "the standard is the standard and we didn't execute to our standard" kind of answer when he fucks up and doesn't try to blame the refs though.
And it's not like they have an impotent pass game either...Dak and Cooper had one of the prettiest, most textbook pitch and catch tds of the year a few drives prior. You have 3 EXCELLENT wrs, a big bodied experienced TE coming off a breakout season, and one of the best pass blocking backs in the league to give you time if they blitz. Just run a 5 yard out, I promise they'll just let you have it to avoid a penalty at that point. And if you insist on running there, you have a guy who can get the edge or get out of bounds as well as anyone in the league in Pollard....theres just no scenario where running up the middle is the right move there.