MNF moment #35. The intentional safety.

RayClay · Aug 4, 2014

Remember the Denver game where Belichick instructed the snapper to snap it out of the end zone to give up 2, but get the free kick? I was surprised, then thought it was brilliant. I wonder if other coaches would have thought of it?

Trailing 24-23 to the Denver Broncos with 2:51 left in the game, the Patriots faced a fourth-and-10 from their own 1-yard line. Belichick was unwilling to give the Broncos strong field position, so he ordered his long snapper to air one over his punter's head, giving the Broncos two points on the safety and possession.

The decision worked, as New England pinned the Broncos inside their 20 on the ensuing kick. The defense forced a three-and-out, giving Brady a little more than two minutes to do what he does best. It took him just six plays to connect with wide receiver David Givens for the game-winning touchdown.

MNF moments, No. 35: New England Patriots intentional safety at Denver - ESPN

dales804 · Aug 4, 2014

I remember it well. I couldn't believe they were on the verge of losing to Danny Kannel. What a win that was. It was just a microcosm of what those Patriots teams did back then; execute and find every way to win.

Zeus · Aug 4, 2014

That winning TD pass - a back shoulder throw to David Givens (I think) was a thing of beauty.

QuantumMechanic · Aug 4, 2014

And that game had one of the best opening skits ever.

Brady_to_Moss · Aug 4, 2014

Remember that vividly. What a great call

PATS16N0 · Aug 4, 2014

Slightly off topic, but I remember in the 90's watching a game between the Raiders and the Broncos. The Broncos kicker ran the ball back 20 or 30 yards to their own endzone to kill like 20 seconds off the clock and any hope of the Raiders getting the ball back.

The entire Raider special teams then surrounded the poor Denver kicker and started giving him a street beat down WWF faction style.

Anyone remember that?

Fencer · Aug 4, 2014

That play was also Lonie Paxton's second greatest moment as a Patriot, after the snow angel, or maybe third greatest after the fake snow angel.

Yes, I'm counting all the no-game-effect flair gestures above the plays he actually made. I don't think I'd do that for anybody except a long snapper ...

... except maybe Matt Chatham for laying out the streaker.

convertedpatsfan · Aug 4, 2014

The other thing that sometimes gets overlooked because we won on a TD is how that saved a potential point, meaning we only needed a FG for the tie instead of needing the TD.

Punting from the end zone would mean they would need maybe 15 yards for a FG attempt to go up 4, forcing us to march the length of the field. By giving up only 2 points and pushing them back (and what a punt that was), it meant we could still kick a FG to force overtime if necessary.

It wasn't necessary in the end, but it just made so much sense on so many levels. I'm surprised we don't see it more often.

Jackson 2 · Aug 4, 2014

The day of that game Woody Paige wrote a column for his paper, the Denver Post, contending that the Pats had no chance of winning that game. At the bottom of his column his business email address was listed. The next morning I sent him a message which read as follows: "Nice call, you dink." followed by my name and the words " Patriots Fan.". Within minutes, I received the following abbreviated response from Woody: "F### You.". I still have it.

LuRkeR1978 · Aug 5, 2014

RayClay said:
Remember the Denver game where Belichick instructed the snapper to snap it out of the end zone to give up 3, but get the free kick? I was surprised, then thought it was brilliant. I wonder if other coaches would have thought of it?

MNF moments, No. 35: New England Patriots intentional safety at Denver - ESPN

1993. Leading 7-0 late in the 4th qtr, with the offense deep in Bengal territory...Tuna calls for an intentional safety. Pats take the free kick, and the defense holds. Pats win 7-2 and begin a 4 game win streak to end the season. They also eliminated the Phins from playoff contention on a Bledsoe bomb in OT. These 4 games made me a Pats fan, and a football fan.

BB took that play straight from Parcells.

1960Pats · Aug 5, 2014

LuRkeR1978 said:
1993. Leading 7-0 late in the 4th qtr, with the offense deep in Bengal territory...Tuna calls for an intentional safety. Pats take the free kick, and the defense holds. Pats win 7-2 and begin a 4 game win streak to end the season. They also eliminated the Phins from playoff contention on a Bledsoe bomb in OT. These 4 games made me a Pats fan, and a football fan.

BB took that play straight from Parcells.

Not taking anything away from Tuna's call, but those are two entirely different plays. The Pats were already losing in Denver. It's a much easier play when you're up 7.

I think that when all is said and done in the end, Belichick will go down as the most innovative HC of his time. He stands alone.

Patjew · Aug 5, 2014

Boy I miss David Givens.

Off The Grid · Aug 5, 2014

RayClay said:
Remember the Denver game where Belichick instructed the snapper to snap it out of the end zone to give up 3, but get the free kick?

Safeties generally go for 2 Points, not 3.

We all remember that Move, of course: It's often been cited as The Quintessential Mad Bill Moment over the Years...and well it ought be!! To Mad Bill the Mad ~ Genius!!

Off The Grid · Aug 5, 2014

LuRkeR1978 said:
These 4 games made me a Pats fan, and a football fan.

BB took that play straight from Parcells.

01 ~ Being a Yankee ~ Link: a native of New EngLand ~ should've made you a Patriots Fan.

02 ~ Being a Man should've made you a FootBall Fan.

03 ~ Bad Fish ~ "Coach Parcells", to you Earthlings ~ was Great, but not Mad Bill's Equal.

04 ~ Count the Rings: Mad Bill taught Bad Fish far more than Bad Fish ever taught Mad Bill.

RayClay · Aug 5, 2014

Off The Grid said:
Safeties generally go for 2 Points, not 3.

We all remember that Move, of course: It's often been cited as The Quintessential Mad Bill Moment over the Years...and well it ought be!! To Mad Bill the Mad ~ Genius!!

My bad. It gave them a three point, instead of 1 point deficit.

Dillon46 · Aug 5, 2014

That play gave me goosebumps.......BB the "Master of Strategy"

Christopher Lloyd's opening skit was classic, LOL......"But there is hope brothers and sisters.......the Patriots!!!!"

MNF moment #35. The intentional safety.

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