The 3rd Down Punt was a statement

[PittPatriot]

The second Brady was in the shotgun, I knew that play was coming. He was 7-8 yards past the LOS. Normally Brady is 4-5 yards behind the LOS for a shotgun snap.

Good eye by you. I was surprised but delighted.

Why not get Hoyer some reps in that game?

 

[NinjaZX6R]

Good eye by you. I was surprised but delighted.

Why not get Hoyer some reps in that game?

I assume it's to keep every one ready to go vs the Ravens or Texans. Two tough physical teams.

 

[Patspsycho]

The 3rd down punt was to protect Brady from getting hit.

Part of it is that BB does have respect for John Fox.

I think the punt was a statement and Belichick having some fun. I also think that not having Brady/Gronk go for the records was a statement by Belichick. My thoughts are that he was stating that going for records was something you do in the regular season, not the playoff (unless your record is for wins of course...).

BB has absolutely no respect for Fox (who respects a ref-baiter?), that's why he declined a 3rd down penalty back in Denver because he knew Fox didn't have the balls to go for it on 4th down, deep in NE territory.

If the intention was to protect Brady, all he had to do was call a run.

Calling for a 3rd down punt was more of a time-burning tactic than anything else. There were three minutes left in the game, and as I mentioned else where that call caught the Broncos completely off guard and I believe a good 30-40 seconds would have been burned, because it doesn't appear to have occured to the Broncos players that they had to touch the ball then be tackled to kill the clock.

 

[jbb9s]

Calling for a 3rd down punt was more of a time-burning tactic than anything else. There were three minutes left in the game, and as I mentioned else where that call caught the Broncos completely off guard and I believe a good 30-40 seconds would have been burned, because it doesn't appear to have occured to the Broncos players that they had to touch the ball then be tackled to kill the clock.

A bit confusing. Do you want to "rephrase" this before it is completely debunked? For starters, a run on 3rd down would allow the Patriots to run down the subsequent play clock.

 

[RobertWeathers]

BB has absolutely no respect for Fox (who respects a ref-baiter?), that's why he declined a 3rd down penalty back in Denver because he knew Fox didn't have the balls to go for it on 4th down, deep in NE territory.

If the intention was to protect Brady, all he had to do was call a run.

Calling for a 3rd down punt was more of a time-burning tactic than anything else. There were three minutes left in the game, and as I mentioned else where that call caught the Broncos completely off guard and I believe a good 30-40 seconds would have been burned, because it doesn't appear to have occured to the Broncos players that they had to touch the ball then be tackled to kill the clock.

Your points do not disprove my statement.

Both coaches got to know each other well in NY. As DCs for the NY teams had dinner together on a few occasions. Read p35, "Management Secrets of the New England Patriots".

John Fox- "Bill and I have been close friends for a long time.".

He may not "respect" him as a "gutsy" coach but as a person he sure does.

I believe BB respects Fox- enough not to run up the score on him to belittle him or his team.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

"Game's over and we don't want to risk a blocked punt or injured punter" was the statement I got out of that.

Spot on

We have 2 back up QBs but no viable back up punter, so let Brady punt it

 

[Deus Irae]

Belichick talked about it in his post-game. Denver wasn't looking for the quick punt on 3rd down. They'd obviously have been looking for a punt with Mesko back there on 4th down.

Could BB have been lying? Sure....

 

[zipster9]

Spot on

We have 2 back up QBs but no viable back up punter, so let Brady punt it

It was an interesting play. But, why didnt they just put in Mesko and just punt the ball? What difference is there between the 2 plays??

 

[jbb9s]

when it comes down to these things, the media is not getting anything out of BB. He did it because he wanted to do it and he's not going to explain it to anyone.

Occasionally I'd like to see BB get challenged just a little bit by the press. Like this whole deferment because of an "extra possession". That's just not mathematically true but it's his response, and we have to accept it.

 

[Lavictoire]

I think it was just a way to punt the ball and catch them by surprise so there would be no punt return. The Pats obviously did not want to score anymore.

 

[Patriots2001]

Phil Sims Loved the play...



Tom Brady Punt / Patriots Broncos Fight - YouTube

 

[ahmed]

One of two things I did not like in this game, the other being continuing to run Hernandez long after the game was in the bag. I was also unhappy they did not go for a couple more touchdowns.

Lots of frustration built up in me over the last few years of playoff results, I want us to obliterate every team we play on our way to hoisting the Lombardi.

 

[KDPPatsfan85]

I dont think that punt was a statement. From a coaches POV(I am a football coach). It was 3rd and 10. Broncos were coming with an all out blitz. Why would you sacrifice your QB? No one was down field which made it easier to give the broncos bad field position. It was a smart play. Save your QB and give your opponent bad field position.

 

[Patspsycho]

A bit confusing. Do you want to "rephrase" this before it is completely debunked? For starters, a run on 3rd down would allow the Patriots to run down the subsequent play clock.

Please go ahead and "completely" debunk it. I'm willing to see it from your point of view.

 

[Ring 6]

If they run up the score they are called classless. If they show mercy and punt on 3rd down...they are called classless. Apparently you can't win the argument, and Pats proved it tonight. I wonder what fans think is more embarrassing to have happen to their team. Getting passed on all night or getting the ball back early because the other team feels bad.

Who do you think BB is trying to send a statement to with a 45-10 lead?
Have you not figured out that he could care less about the opinion of anyone who would perceive that as a statement?

 

[Patspsycho]

John Fox- "Bill and I have been close friends for a long time.".

Doesn't necessarily mean it's being reciprocated.

 

[Ring 6]

BB has absolutely no respect for Fox (who respects a ref-baiter?), that's why he declined a 3rd down penalty back in Denver because he knew Fox didn't have the balls to go for it on 4th down, deep in NE territory.

That has nothing to do with respecting him or not. He just understands his philosophy.

If the intention was to protect Brady, all he had to do was call a run.

Calling for a 3rd down punt was more of a time-burning tactic than anything else. There were three minutes left in the game, and as I mentioned else where that call caught the Broncos completely off guard and I believe a good 30-40 seconds would have been burned, because it doesn't appear to have occured to the Broncos players that they had to touch the ball then be tackled to kill the clock.

He decided to punt on 3rd down instead of run on 3rd and long and punt on 4th.
I cannot imagine it was a tactical decision given that the game was over. I suppose it was either thought to lessen the chance of injury, practice in a game situation, or something they worked on and when Brady came over to the sideline, he asked if they could do and BB said WTF why not.

 

[AzPatsFan]

BB loves history and he lets his players become a part of it..

Remember the pooch kick from Flutie

I think the players love thae fact that the coach will do things outside the lines at times..

GO PATS !!!!

That Fflutie kick was not a pooch punt. It was a drop kick field goal, and a scorinfg play but with a different technique from a usual afield goal and different technique from a punt.

On a punt you kick it as it falls to the ground. The drop kick must bounce on the ground before being kicked, or in reality just as it touches the ground, jusut as the during the field goal, the ball is placed on the ground first.

Since the grounding must happen first, what if a punt coverage guy were to arrive at the punted ball and kick it through the goalposts while it was lying there, instead of downing it by touching it with another part of his body. Would that be the equivalent to a drop kick field goal???

 

[Ring 6]

That Fflutie kick was not a pooch punt. It was a drop kick field goal, and a scorinfg play but with a different technique from a usual afield goal and different technique from a punt.

On a punt you kick it as it falls to the ground. The drop kick must bounce on the ground before being kicked, or in reality just as it touches the ground, jusut as the during the field goal, the ball is placed on the ground first.

Since the grounding must happen first, what if a punt coverage guy were to arrive at the punted ball and kick it through the goalposts while it was lying there, instead of downing it by touching it with another part of his body. Would that be the equivalent to a drop kick field goal???

No, you have to have possession.
Interestingly there is a little known rule that you can punt at any time the ball is live. So, you could catch a punt and turn around and punt it back, although I have never figured out why you would do that.

 

[convertedpatsfan]

No, you have to have possession.
Interestingly there is a little known rule that you can punt at any time the ball is live. So, you could catch a punt and turn around and punt it back, although I have never figured out why you would do that.

When your starting QB is Mark Sanchez.