Defending the fake punt

[Sciz]

He would've gotten the first down had he caught the ball. Good call by him, poor execution.

 

[pheenix11]

IMO, this call good or bad, was last on my list of things that upset me.

 

[RHbT76]

I keep seeing people say Chung would have had the 1st down like it was a sure thing but I disagree. From what I saw on the replay (I'm not going to look one up now because I don't really want to see it again!) just after Chung muffs the snap there is a Jet player running free past the LOS. It's definitely possibly he would have got it but I don't think it was ever a sure thing.

 

[VJCPatriot]

I don't understand the decision or how anyone can agree with it. Even if Chung doesn't drop the snap I don't think he would have picked up the first down which means the end result is pretty much the same. High risk for little reward, called for absolutely no reason.

I disagree with the fake punt, the offensive playcalling in the 2nd half and the first onsides kick. Very un-belichick/patriot game imo.

Gotta agree with you. There is NO need to take that risk when you're only down by 4. Going into half time down only 7-3 would have been the perfect situation for us. Instead we muff the play on our own side of the field and let the Jets turn it into a TWO score game. That two score difference is what made this game impossible to win or tie. If we're only down four, we easily come back in the second half. TRUST the defense if it only allowed the opponent 7 so far and punt the damn ball with less than a minute and a half to go. There is VERY little chance that Sanchez marches down and gets a TD in that timeframe. The Jets likely tack on a FG at the most. The Pats got a little too greedy and BB outsmarted himself on this call.

 

[SoonerPatriot]

Stunning that Chung made the call in game like this. Maybe BB will make him sit out the first defensive series of 2011. :bricks:

 

[The Dynasty]

I keep seeing people say Chung would have had the 1st down like it was a sure thing but I disagree. From what I saw on the replay (I'm not going to look one up now because I don't really want to see it again!) just after Chung muffs the snap there is a Jet player running free past the LOS. It's definitely possibly he would have got it but I don't think it was ever a sure thing.

I saw the same thing as you did and I saw the replay atleast 5 times in post game shows. I think it was Smith for the Jets who broke through and Morris was blocking him. Chung definitely wouldnt have got it if he ran inside of Morris, maybe there was room outside but Smith beat Morris and I dont know if he could have escaped. I think that was part of the reason for Chung taking his eye off the ball--because he saw Smith breaking through.

As for the call, it was a terrible one and changed the game. Usually the team that is calling plays like this feels like this are outmatched and need to search for ways to win. You would have thought the Jets would be the team to call a fake punt. The Jets were not going to score if the Pats indeed punted, in all likelihood the Jets would have been satisfied with the 7-3 lead and taken a knee going into the half and the Pats get the ball to start. Not getting the 1st down gave 7 points to the Jets and a double digit lead at the half that the Pats could not get back.