Sure seems to me that the attempt would be much more successful if SpaceX would just put a drogue chute on the thing to bleed off most of the speed, then let the rocket motor just deal with the last few feet per second.
Seems like they had at least a little fuel left?
I was thinking Damn!
Even if its on its side, they still got it.........BOOM!
The landing platform needs to be downrange of the launch point - else you need a LOT of fuel to stop the first stage from going east, turn it back west, aim for the coast, then stop and hover and go down slowly.
My preference? Throwaway ribbon parachute, then a gas-filled balloon to slow the descent waaaaaaay down. That rocket thruster was really cycling all over trying to aim at the landing platform.