Why I like the fake punt, why it didn't work

Not as if that was the play that cost us the game but I had no problem with the call. It's a great call at EXACTLY that time because no one is expecting it which is what you want. It was a ballsy move by a coach who wanted to keep the ball in the hands of his QB who was in a zone on this day. If we get the 1st down we make the Saints use timeouts and can win the game with a 1st down or 2, if not we punt, make them drive the length and have to score a TD to win. Plus we were on the road.....yep I like the call.
Now here is what went wrong. Nix took the ball and like a truck ran through what should've been a gaping hole. No one was going to bring down our Fullback for 20 plus yards EXCEPT #44 Matekavich got absolutely pasted by his man who not only knocked Dirty Red to the ground off the snap but in doing do he hot a hand on Nix slowing his momentum. In addition #56 Chickollo could not completely seal and pancake his defender. Instead he got stood up and pushed back slightly into the hole Nix was running through.
This wasn't a bad call by Tomlin, it was TERRIBLE execution on 2 players whom I've repeatedly questioned their worth on this team. It was a failure to win a one on one matchup. I wont tell you how many times I've called for the firing of coach Danny Smith in the last 3 years (most penalized ST)

 

My 11 year old son was watching from 1,200 miles away and said here comes the fake punt as the play clock was at 25. I told that would be stupid right now and it was.

 

Yeah, it was kind of obvious. Not sure if it's the way Berry sells it or what (not to mention the motion guy).

 

Again up by 4 with less than 5 minutes I like that call, keep it in the hands of your offense instead of having the Saints drive and score a TD with no time.

DO YOU SEE THE PICS, THAT HOKE SHOULDVE BEEN WIDE OPEN. If you're dirty red you can get stood up but you absolutely CANNOT miss the block, get pushed back or wind up on your rear end on that critical play.

 

4:15 left. With 2 time outs. Plus the 2 minute warning. Oh, and up by 4 points. This screams desperation. Not being aggressive. Being desperate. And actually the defense had some strong series. Loss. Fail.

 

Jerome Bettis used to run through the A and B gaps when everyone in the stadium knew he was getting the ball, the opposing team, our team, and everyone watching on TV and STILL we executed.
That play was there to be had, the hole was there to be had. One person dosen't do his job and boom!

 

The same Defense that gave up the 3rd and 20?

 

There was a one yard difference from that being a great call lol. Still it wasn't the call that missed the mark but as the photo shows poor execution, specifically by #44

 

My son still believes it was a great call also but he plays a ton of Madden.

 

Looked like he thought he was going to come left crashing down instead of him seeing the runner the entire way. Red Blew his assignment clear as day. Nix probably takes that at least 20 yards if he stands his man up!

 

Bad execution always looks like a bad call.

It was still a bad call.

 

It’s one of those calls if it works they say wow smart call. If it doesn’t well.. ya know. They want to send you back on the next cargo plane full of cargo dog poop back to Hong Kong.

 

If it works it’s a great call and if it doesn’t it’s a terrible call. That’s just the way things go. I personally didn’t like it in the fourth quarter and the lead, but it’s the call that was made.

 

That was nothing more than a slap in the defenses face...Just one of the many dumb ass calls Tomlin has made ...

 

I hated the call as it transpired, and even more so after it failed, but in hindsight I think it was the right call. If we punted there I think the Saints execute the 4 minute drill to perfection and not give Ben a chance to win.

 

It actually was a good call, but Matakevich and Chickillo didn't do their job, and got blown up. If those 2 guys make good blocks, Nix gets the first down.

 

The same defense that gave up a third and 20 to Ted freaking Ginn, at a crucial point in the 4th quarter.

 

I hadn't seen a replay, yet. Thanks for sharing. I think you are right. I didn't notice how the guard and tackle on the right got annihilated on the snap.

If Nix doesn't get touched at the line, then he gets a huge chunk of yardage on that play.

I was initially of the thought they should have punted. However, seeing this, and realizing that even with the turnover on this down the Steelers offense ended up with enough time to make a comeback drive, I have to wonder if Tomlin/Smith actually made the right call.

 

That play ended up giving NO a short field which they did score the winning points. So yes, to me that is the play that lit the fuse on our loss. Calls like this have to be weighed against the consequence of failure similar to going for it on 4th down. To me it was the wrong call at the wrong time against the wrong team in the wrong place.. 99 times out of a 100 teams punt the ball and get as much room between the ball and the goal line. Not us. I am not sure we do a lot of motion on punts so that may have tipped them off that something was up. Seems their line was playing overly aggressive for a punt. Lastly, its our ST's. which is the worst in the league and D Smith leading the charge. We'll never know what the outcome would have been it they punted it instead or even if they made the 1st down. Its another head scratching loss of a game we should have won. God only knows what other brilliant decisions will be made against the Bungles that will work against us. Go Browns. .

 

This is the exact reason why is was the wrong call. Don't put the game in the hands of a backup and expect a different result. You're acting like the only choices were to punt the ball or call a run play to be executed by the kicking team. How about leave the starting offense on the field with the two 100+ catch receivers (who were both having a fantastic game) and take your chances with them...

 

If that dumb fake punt doesn't happen then the 3rd and 20 doesn't happen. Amazing!

 

It was the wrong call , just deal with it and get on with your life !!

 

Much easier to move on when fanatics like yourself actually start to provide logic to failed execution as opposed to the call itself. If that play works we can ICE the game or at least make the Saints use ALL their timeouts so that if we punt they have to drive the length to score 7 to TIE. Again if it fails and the Saints score you more than likely can get the ball back WHICH IS EXACTLY WHAT HAPPENED.
The Ju Ju fumble was unfortunate but we were driving to either tie or WIN that game

Much like the game against the Chargers we EXECUTED a perfect hook n ladder but FAILED to hit a chippy FG. We got EXACTLY what we wanted which was FG position to tie at that point any people want to blame Tomlin for not taking a timeout....laughable.

Ben was hotter in this game than the Defense which has been suspect for several years ESPECIALLY late in games (Chargers and Denver this year, Dallas game a few years ago, Ravens last minute winning TD drive at Heinz before then, I could go on). I have no problem in trying to get the ball back in the hands of my QB.

Quick question: Doug Pederson on 4th and 2 against the Patriots went for it and scored a TD on an now infamous play. Some said how can he leave 3 pts on the field against the mighty Patriots by not kicking a FG. That play worked and even though it was the end of the 1st half it changed the complexion of that game, was that the wrong call as well?

Pete Carroll having Russel Wilson throw a short pass that was intercepted on the goal line instead of running Marshawn or bootlegging and RUNNING with Russel Wilson was the WRONG call, this was not If properly blocked by Matekavich this in my opinion would have been a dagger

 

I dont have time or the energy to set behind a keyboard .. and peck on the keys to explain to u why this was the wrong call... I
could care less what tiddly wink and tidddly dumb did in other games. . Bottomline was the defense was playing great in the 2nd half and only gave up a couple big plays ...4;06 left in the game and your leading, you punt and play field pos....