Snarf

I can't believe the Cowboys kicked the FG instead of trying for the touchdown in the 4th. Stupid play. They needed to risk it then and there to have any chance and to gain some momentum.

They seriously thought that they could hold Brady to zero points for the rest of the 4th quarter???

Dumb call, Wade.

scout

I was relieved on that call, maybe the Pats stop them, but on the five yard line they should have gone for it. Its not like they were stopping Brady when they wanted to. Quite the opposite, I thought Brady was playing with them at times (3 bombs to Moss). How many 3rd down completions did the Pats make? Did you notice the handshake to Wade. That last TD was a big FU.

RayClay

I don't think it was a bad call. TD +2 points and a FG ties it.

Otherwise, if you miss you need two touchdowns.

So you still need a TD or

Need a TD, conversion and FG

Or need two TDs

Plus if the Pats have a FG, it's still two scores.

Miss it and it's a three score game.

Can somebody check me on this?

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letekro

In that spot, the 50% chance of converting the TD + the 50% chance of not converting and backing the Pats up at the 5 outweighs the small benefit of making it an 11-point game. BB, Shanahan, Dungy, Cowher, and any coach with a brain and a sack goes for it in that situation. In fact, it's almost bolder to kick the FG. I mean you want to leave it to your tired D to stop us twice, instead of going for the touchdown and maybe, with a little luck, stop us once?

xmarkd400x

I agree with the OP. It is a stupid, stupid call to kick that field goal when down by 14 pts in the 4th quarter.

On going for it, you have 2 probable outcomes. Make the TD or not make the TD.

IF YOU MAKE THE TD: You only need 1 more TD to tie the game. This is better than being down 11.

IF YOU DONT MAKE THE TD: You still need 14 points. In either case you would need at least one more touchdown. After missing it is still a 2 score game, JUST LIKE IT WAS AFTER KICKING THE FIGGIE.

BY KICKING THE FIELD GOAL: You need a TD, 2 pt conversion and another FG to win. If you miss the 2 pt conversion, YOU STILL NEED ANOTHER TOUCHDOWN! You have gained nothing! If you make the 2 point conversion, you are making the gamble that you can get that onsides kick and kick the FG, or you are assuming you can stop the Pats. Lol.

CONCLUSION:

You need 1 TD and more any way you play it. By electing the field goal, you believe your team has a better chance to get an onside kick recovery and create a scoring drive than to score on 4th and goal.

Hm... Onside Kick recovery or TD attempt from 4th and 1... Easy decision. Good coaches make it.

MetalBleachers

I, too, was relieved. Time had become a factor by then, so that by conceding a two-score lead to the Pats and kicking off to them, they started closing their own window. If they'd missed, they were still two scores down but with the Pats 95 yards away (which would have meant more conservative play calling).

If you trust your D to get the ball back after a FG, why not trust them to get it back after a failed 4th down? What amazed me was the silence of the crowd after the field goal: they knew their coach had made the wrong call.

FrontSeven

Bum must have swallowed his cigarette.

Sundayjack

The sort of coaching blunder that makes one understand why Wade was a coaching free agent for so long.

Herm Edwards-esque

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patchick

I was stunned, then joyous. The game was over at that moment.

Giving up and accepting a 2-score deficit had to be deflating for the players. If they'd made the TD, obviously, the whole complexion of the game would have changed. And even if they hadn't, the Cowboys' defense was running on fumes. They needed some help, and pinning the Pats inside their own 5 would have been just that.

Horrible, horrible, gutless call IMO. Wonder how Cowboys fans see it?

PatsFanDan

This is another great argument on both sides.

The Cowboys were on the 5 and the Pats D has not been great in the red zone this season but there was 10+ minutes left in the game.

The Pats had scored on the possession before. I don't know why Phillips would assume his defense was going to hold the Pats scoreless the rest of the way.

Bad call on his part I think. A TD would have put that much more pressure on Brady and the Pats O at that point. They really needed the TD to push it to a one score game.

Give credit to the Pats though. They came right back at them when in years past they may have tried to establish the run and kill the clock. Tough to do when your two top backs are out I know but I honestly don't think that is the mentality of this team anymore. With the offensive weapons they have, they go for the jugular.