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Whats the science behind 17-3?

Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:22 pm
Posted by GrizzlyWintergreen
Member since Jun 2025
2288 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:22 pm
Its the most commonly blown lead across both college football and the NFL.

This lead has been blown hundreds of times.

Its also among the most common scores seen in the sport, which may also directly cause it to be blown so much.

The seahawks are in very real danger of blowing it right now.

I found it interesting.
This post was edited on 1/17/26 at 8:23 pm
Posted by Lynxrufus2012
Central Kentucky
Member since Mar 2020
18767 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:26 pm to
It is a second order differential equation.

Posted by Nado Jenkins83
Land of the Free
Member since Nov 2012
65528 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:27 pm to
28-3 was the funniest ever
Posted by ColoradoAg
Colorado
Member since Sep 2011
26104 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:27 pm to
Being up two touchdowns is dangerous because the team has to not let up. So many do and cannot get the momentum back
Posted by 3down10
Member since Sep 2014
39292 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:28 pm to
Adjustments.

Posted by Nado Jenkins83
Land of the Free
Member since Nov 2012
65528 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:29 pm to
This and you get adrenaline exhaustion
Posted by GeauxBurrow312
Member since Nov 2024
5709 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 8:30 pm to
A lot of coaches like to sit on leads. The best coaches step on the other teams neck

Even 4 minutes left in a game is plenty of time to come back down 2 TDs
Posted by LSUgrad88
Member since Jun 2009
8667 posts
Posted on 1/17/26 at 9:18 pm to
quote:

28-3 was the funniest ever


That is correct!
Posted by Russianblue
Member since Nov 2007
1817 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 6:36 am to
quote:

28-3 was the funniest ever


I thought it was 38-3.
Posted by StringedInstruments
Member since Oct 2013
20660 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 6:42 am to
Just guessing:

17-3 indicates a few things. One, the leading team has already given up enough yards for the other team to get a field goal. Therefore, you can assume they have the ability to get more points later in the game. The 17 indicates the losing team has held the leading team’s offense to a field goal showing that they aren’t getting gashed for touchdowns every time. Football is a game of adjustments and there’s already evidence that adjustments are working well. 17-3 is just a two score lead, so you only need one touchdown and one stop to be playing for the tie.

Say the lead is 14-0. 14 means the leading team’s offense scored a touchdown on all or most of their drives. The 0 indicates the losing team has not accomplished anything on offense yet. Therefore, there’s no evidence of adjustments being successful for the losing team. You might see the 14 go to 21, and now the lead is getting out of hand.

I don’t know if any of this is statistically accurate but it makes sense to me.
Posted by Nado Jenkins83
Land of the Free
Member since Nov 2012
65528 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 8:35 am to
28-3 was falcons superbowl collapse
Posted by Jabontik
Houston
Member since Dec 2016
4264 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 8:40 am to
quote:


A lot of coaches like to sit on leads.


This is the issue. 17-3 is enough for most coaches to think, lets start working on the clock and call run after run after run. The best coaches just keep pouring it on
Posted by 1801
Charleston
Member since Aug 2012
8460 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 9:34 am to
quote:

It is a second order differential equation.



Posted by VADawg
Wherever
Member since Nov 2011
47936 posts
Posted on 1/18/26 at 9:46 am to
quote:

A lot of coaches like to sit on leads. The best coaches step on the other teams neck


Dan Quinn in the Super Bowl says hello.

Going into a soft zone prevent defense with a big lead allows the opposing offense to get into a rhythm, and it's really hard to get aggressive on defense again once you've turned that switch off.

Players themselves also tend to ease up a bit. When the Chargers blew that 27-0 playoff lead against Jacksonville a few years ago, it was because they started making mistakes when they were up 24-0. They dropped a TD pass, had a few unfocused penalties, and gave Jacksonville a tiny bit of life. Instead of going up 31-0 and putting the dagger in, they settled for a FG.
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