Belichick's Bodacious Brain-Cramp
Oh, what a game last night between the Patriots and Colts! Oh, what an amazing finish, the 1-yard dart Peyton Manning threw to glue-handed Reggie Wayne with 13 seconds left that pushed Indianapolis to a 35-34 win!
Oh, what a mental meltdown by Bill Belichick!
What in the world was New England's resident sideline genius thinking?
With the Pats leading 34-28 and 2:08 remaining, the Hoodie Master went for a first down instead of punting the ball on a fourth-and-two situation from New England's 28-yard line.
Yes, his own 28-yard line!
Who did Belichick think was quarterbacking the Colts: Kyle Boller?
You can't give Peyton Manning, maybe the best quarterback of all time, the ball on your 28-yard line with the game on the line.
"PUNT IT AWAY! PUNT IT AWAY!" -- that's what every Patriots fan with half a brain was screaming. "AT LEAST MAKE MANNING GO THE LENGTH OF THE FIELD!"
But the Hoodie Master had other ideas.
Or maybe no ideas.
The Pats went for it, Kevin Faulk was stopped inches short of a first down, and Manning took over a whole 28 yards from paydirt.
Cue the theme from "Jaws." The Patriots were chum in the water.
Which is what Coach Hoodie is this morning to the Boston media. They're killing him. And with good reason.
His arrogance -- or his brain-cramp -- cost the Patriots a win and the conference title.
Unbelievable.
Comments
proof that karma is a real b!tch. this complete implosion couldn't have happened to a "nicer" guy...
Posted by: JonBoy | November 16, 2009 8:56 AM
Nice to see the Big B make the wrong decision. Had it worked, the legend of his genius would have grown.
Can anyone beat the Colts? You've got to have a 3 TD lead with 2 minutes left to feel safe and then that isn't enough
Posted by: GHTpdx | November 16, 2009 10:41 AM
It was a good call. If they make it, they win the game.
If you don't make it, they need a TD.
If they punt, you are still giving the ball back to "maybe the best quarterback of all time".
If you think he can score from 28 out, then you've got to think he can score from anywhere with 2 minutes left.
Posted by: Jerry | November 16, 2009 10:57 AM
I couldn't believe it while I was watching it. Even the time-outs leading up to the 2 minute warning had me screaming, "Idiot! You're ahead, not behind!" Then when he goes for it on 4th down, it convinced me that he thought he WAS behind. Brain-cramp is right.
Then maybe GHTpdx is right, too. Maybe if you're only up by 6 with 2 minutes to go, you are behind Manning.
Posted by: Bob | November 16, 2009 11:57 AM
I think Belicick showed a lot of balls going for it. I'd like to see more play like this in the NFL.
Posted by: leon | November 16, 2009 12:34 PM
It was the right call. The upside? Brady has converted 63.5% of 4th and 2s, and the NFL rate is around 60 percent. If they convert, the game is over. You put the game in the hands of your offense, which had easily outperformed the defense this game.
The downside? If you don't convert, Peyton has to only go 30 yards instead of 70. Nobody does the 2 minute drill like Peyton, giving him 4 downs with time not being an issue, he would be very tough to stop.
Some people say "Defense wins championships." I say "If Peyton has the ball for the last possession down less than 7, you lose"
Posted by: J-Wiz | November 16, 2009 1:04 PM
Some stats to back it up, NOT EVEN factoring in the pace of the game and who was playing.
http://fifthdown.blogs.nytimes.com/2009/11/16/defending-belichicks-fourth-down-decision/?hp
Posted by: J-Wiz | November 16, 2009 1:24 PM
98% of the coaches in the nfl
would have punted. but bill
the "brain" bellichick thought
he could get the first down...
this was one of the worst
decisions in the regular season
in many years, the game costs
the patriots dearly...
they now will be on the
road possibly for a playoff game...
they were in the hunt for
home field in the playoffs
until bill pulled this
huge mistake....
nice going patriots.....
Posted by: bob m | November 16, 2009 1:33 PM
jerry, yea but why not give him the length of the field instead of possibly giving him 30 yds...
the colts had timeouts...there was no guarentee that the game would have been over...
also peyton aside, I would much rather (if I were a ugghh Pats fan) see any qb go 60-70 yds for a td rather then 30 for a td
Posted by: d | November 16, 2009 2:11 PM
d,
Obviously, but there is only a 35% chance, if even, that they would have that opportunity to go those 30 yards. It was a calculated risk, unfortunately for the Pats, it didn't work out.
Posted by: J-Wiz | November 16, 2009 4:07 PM
I knew in the 2nd down that they were in a 4 down situation. I thought they would run on 3rd and 4th down, but they threw. And God knows why he called that time out. I'd have done the same thing, only make it. Give him credit, he is exciting and always has been.
Posted by: Rich | November 17, 2009 12:24 AM