2:40 left in Half: Pats 4 and 3 on the Jets 23

[The Dynasty]

The Pats were down 24-6 at this point and they went for it and Cassel got sacked turing the ball over to the Jets. Anyone think they should of kicked the FG making it a 24-9 game and the Pats getting the ball to start the 2nd half. Even though we did score to end the half I still think we should of kicked the FG, played some D (we had one timeout) and maybe got the ball back before the end of the half.

I just think we should of kicked the FG taking the 3 points.

 

[Yorkshire Patriot]

Was happy with the decision at the time, but in hindsight that couldve been an option.

 

[upstater1]

I was saying, KICK THE FIELD GOAL.

That way you're down 2 scores with a full half to play.

This was an example of desperation and panic in the coaches.

Then again, they played with a sense of panic the rest of the game and it worked to their advantage.

Right there, though, I kick a field goal.

 

[italian pat patriot]

i have to admit too i would have prefered a FG try

but after the game is always easy...

bad loss infortunely but i love these Patriots - proud to be their fan

 

[The Dynasty]

I agree, watching the game I really didnt have a problem going for it, but looking back I would of kicked the FG taking the 3 points.

 

[TheComeback]

Live and learn. On the one hand, kicking a field goal when you need a touchdown isn't good for momentum. On the other, neither is getting sacked on 4th down. Maybe now the coaches will learn to take every point they can get before the half. Who knows if we still score a touchdown after that drive, or if we even get the ball back.

At the time, I was pleased with the call. Turned out to be the difference in the game.

 

[Two Eight]

I thought it was a good decision with a bad outcome.
They needed to get TD's to have any chance at winning the game, continuing to settle for FG's was going to lead to a certain loss.

 

[condon84]

It was panic time at that point. That's the only logical explanation .

I was more upset at the 3rd and 1 Heath Evans up the middle play call. Collinsworth was right on when he said why would you run up the middle into Kris Jenkins who is getting blocked one on one.

 

[PATSYLICIOUS]

It's hard to pass up a 4th and short when you're down 18. The way our defense was getting scored on at will, you feel you need to get that TD.

 

[Mack Herron]

It is a legitimate question, but the defense had their butts handed to them all half with no sign that they could stop Favre (and they never really did). I cannot criticize the coach based on hindsight.

 

[upstater1]

I thought it was a good decision with a bad outcome.
They needed to get TD's to have any chance at winning the game, continuing to settle for FG's was going to lead to a certain loss.

But, your premise proved false. They didn't need a TD there to have any chance of winning the game.

If it were a 3 score difference, I agree with you, but a field goal there puts you down 2 TDs with more than a half to play.

Not time to panic yet.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

this is all hindsight. if they kicked a field goal then people would say we never scored td's and only get fg's.

i thought right before half was a big growing moment for cassel and at the end of the game was too.

in reality we will probably have to run the table to get into the playoffs IMO.

 

[363839]

I thought it was a good decision with a bad outcome.
They needed to get TD's to have any chance at winning the game, continuing to settle for FG's was going to lead to a certain loss.

Ironic that you should say that when you consider that if they had kicked and made that FG, Randy's awesome catch in the final seconds wins the game instead OT.

 

[Two Eight]

Ironic that you should say that when you consider that if they had kicked and made that FG, Randy's awesome catch in the final seconds wins the game instead OT.

I think the ironic thing is that if they had kicked the field goal and the ensuing kickoff, instead of turning it over on downs - they would not have had time for Gaff's TD with 20 seconds left in the 1st half. So Randy's TD would have meant a 31 - 27 loss in regulation.

 

[The Dynasty]

I think the ironic thing is that if they had kicked the field goal and the ensuing kickoff, instead of turning it over on downs - they would not have had time for Gaff's TD with 20 seconds left in the 1st half. So Randy's TD would have meant a 31 - 27 loss in regulation.

Pats could of got the ball back before the end of the half and potentially have scored, so you cant assume that.

 

[wiggins!]

i liked the call at the time and I still think it was a good call. Needed a spark. I know hindsight is 20-20 and yada, yada, yada but at that point, i thought they needed a touchdown to get back into the game - and it looked liked the coaches thought the same thing.

HOWEVER, given the fact that Cassel did something no one had ever seen him do, rally his team from a BIG deficit, I wonder if this changes the coaches thinking going forward.

Meaning, now they know the kid has it in him to pull off a comeback (although it's not suggested they play the rest of their games this way!). BUT, since they know he can lead a comeback, I wonder if presented in a similar situation again, they now take the 3 and play with the same sense of urgency.

I wouldn't mind if they're not presented with this type of situation again though!

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

That decision was a vote of confidence in the offense - sucks to have your Pro-Bowl O-lineman get blown up and embarrassed.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

I was saying, KICK THE FIELD GOAL.

That way you're down 2 scores with a full half to play.

This was an example of desperation and panic in the coaches.

Then again, they played with a sense of panic the rest of the game and it worked to their advantage.

Right there, though, I kick a field goal.

There's actually a pair of computer scientists that wrote a program called ZEUS that simulates tens of thousands of games to determine if a coach made the right call. The basic upshot of that program is that, unless you absolutely need the points, or you're in fourth-and-forever, going for it is almost always better than kicking.

 

[jmt57]

At the time I wanted the Pats to kick a Field Goal, yes.

But before you add three points on to the Pats total score and start to think they would have won the game, you also need to remember that everything after that changes too, such as play calling on both sides with a different score, how the Jets would have defensed the last drive of the game, where would the Jets have had the ball to start the next drive following the kickoff and would they run different plays, etc. It's not as simple as saying 'kick the field goal, three more points, the Pats win the game.'

 

[KillEM]

The game was looking like a shootout at that point and we definitely needed more points.

I dont blame that decision to 'go for it'