Meriweather and Wilhite should have let Addai score

[WhiZa]

After Addai ran past the DL through a hole parted by moses himself I couldn't believe they tackled him at the 1 yard line, but if they ran the ball 4 more times I think we had a good chance of stopping it. Instead Wayne makes a "routine" diving catch on his fingertips.

 

[chrisfx811]

The smart coaching move would've been to alert your defense to let the Colts score in that situation. I'm sorry, but it's not 2003 anymore. The NFL doesn't allow defenses to rough up receivers like they used to, not to mention we had a DL that had to be gassed from playing the same 3 or 4 guys for 3 straight quarters.

 

[jbb9s]

I agree with the originating poster.

The game that comes to mind is Broncos / Packers in the SB about 12 years ago.

Thats actually one reason why I liked the 4th down call. I knew that they would actually have some time on the clock after Pay-ton scored (at least theoretically).

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

Sounds crazy but you're absolutely right. We weren't stopping them

 

[mayoclinic]

No way would I have condoned letting him score. We have beaten this team on a goal line stance in the past. You have to go down fighting. I thought the Jets were being weak when they tried to do it against the Jags. Belichick would have really been showing no faith in his defense then.Live bythe sword, die by the sword.

I disagree.

First, BB's decision to go for it means he didn't think we could stop Manning with 2 minutes left and the Colts starting from around their own 20-30. So why thing we could stop them starting from our 29? Better to let them score quickly and give TB the ball back with some time on the clock and only a FG needed to win it.

Second, we had given away our timeouts, which meant that if Indy scored we would have virtually no time left - we ended up with 13 seconds on the clock. So gambling that we could stop them inside our 10 was an all or nothing gamble.

Third, our run defense was obviously gassed at that point, and Addai was burning us. Our chances of stopping both the run and the pass at that point were about 0.

Baffling inconsistency.

 

[patsfan55]

No way would I have condoned letting him score. We have beaten this team on a goal line stance in the past. You have to go down fighting. I thought the Jets were being weak when they tried to do it against the Jags. Belichick would have really been showing no faith in his defense then.Live bythe sword, die by the sword.

Emphasis on we have stopped on the goal line IN THE PAST. Our defense is nowhere near what it was back then. Belichick had already admitted to his defense when he went for it on fourth and two that he knew the colts had a great chance of scoring if they got the ball back. So, why not let them walk in ONCE THEY BROKE THROUGH. I'm all for trying to stop them, but when addai had broken through and it was clear they'd be on or around the five yd line, it's time to let them walk it in.

 

[JFK]

If they let him score BB would have been mad at them. Players take instructions and don't make decisions for the team.
BB SHOULD have told them to let the Colts score.

 

[PatriotWarrior]

If they let him score BB would have been mad at them. Players take instructions and don't make decisions for the team.
BB SHOULD have told them to let the Colts score.

Do you really they would of thought BB would of been mad at them if they let him score. I am not so sure if BB would be mad or not. Considering how they ran down some clock time and the Pats had no TO's. Managing the time of the game is important and after they were stopped on 4th&2 they would of had a tough time preventing the TD, especially after Addai ran it close to the goalline on that run.

 

[Ice Cold Bruschi]

I felt the same way, we should have just let him score and taken the time to make up the 1 point

 

[Snarf]

Yep, agree. I was yelling "let them score" the second Peyton got the ball on that 4th down.

The colts scoring a TD was almost guaranteed.

Likewise, Brady getting into field goal range with 4 downs and 2 minutes is also pretty much guaranteed.

You want to give Brady the most time to do that.

Trying to defend that 20 yards with 2 mins to go was a complete waste of time, and IMO is the REAL Belichick blunder of the night.

 

[patsfan55]

Yep, agree. I was yelling "let them score" the second Peyton got the ball on that 4th down.

The colts scoring a TD was almost guaranteed.

Likewise, Brady getting into field goal range with 4 downs and 2 minutes is also pretty much guaranteed.

You want to give Brady the most time to do that.

Trying to defend that 20 yards with 2 mins to go was a complete waste of time, and IMO is the REAL Belichick blunder of the night.

It's weird, he always preaches "KNOW THE SITUATION." And, it seemed as though they didn't, and it cost us a CHANCE to win the game with our offense.

 

[hgelpke]

Agreed. Why not let them in and then try and get in field goal range. Ghost could have made it. Our D-Line was getting no rush on Manning and he was having his way with us by that point. BB was right to have no confidence in his D at that point. They gave him no reason to.

 

[JSn]

This thread is too long to read, but I hope it's been mentioned that mistrusting the D could have factored into the 4th down attempt in two ways:

Get it, and you win the game.

Miss it and Manning can score quickly (or not at all) and you can try and get a FG to win.

Sadly, neither worked out (as far as the refs were concerned).

 

[LiveShot]

Possibly they were told to but forgot.

 

[duce110]

Possibly they were told to but forgot.

he did hesitate before he brought him down... i was screamin at the tv, just let him go...

 

[HEY BRO! WHAT UP?]

I thought the same thing. When Merriweather tackled Addai at the 1 yard line I was like, "What the f*ck are you doing?"

 

[Triumph]

It's weird, he always preaches "KNOW THE SITUATION." And, it seemed as though they didn't, and it cost us a CHANCE to win the game with our offense.

It was the right move after missing the 4th and 2.

All you need is a FG to win. A decent KO return and 1 minute to get in FG range is almost money in the bank for Brady.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

They presented the scenario to Bill on WEEI and he said he never considered allowing a score. In fact he reminded them of the stop Willie made...ages ago.

He insists he didn't distrust his defense in going for it, just had utmost confidence in the offense to get the conversion based on personnel and play selection options, and that making it would have allowed them to run out all or most of the clock without giving back any control over the situation to the opponent.

 

[ausbacker]

They presented the scenario to Bill on WEEI and he said he never considered allowing a score. In fact he reminded them of the stop Willie made...ages ago.

He insists he didn't distrust his defense in going for it, just had utmost confidence in the offense to get the conversion based on personnel and play selection options, and that making it would have allowed them to run out all or most of the clock without giving back any control over the situation to the opponent.

The problem with that being we didn't have Willie McGinest at the peak of his powers yesterday.

 

[letekro]

The problem with that being we didn't have Willie McGinest at the peak of his powers yesterday.

Or Ted Washington, the guy who actually made the play there but never gets any love. (watch the replay again).