Flutie's drop kick

[stcjones]

After sitting around with several friends of mine today who ALL stated "What the he** was up with Belichick going with a questionable and ridiculous Drop kick circus side show with Flutie, when IF HE REALLY WAS TRYING TO WIN....he could have sent in Vinatieri to get the 1 point EASILY!!!! Since they had a VERY GOOD POINT.......I submit the same question to you.

Why would Belichick go with a potentially low percentage (alright even circus act/joke move that had no purpose whatsoever) play that was a MUST in order to stay within 5 points of the doofins.....if he was TRYING to win the game??? I guess what I am saying is why not go with the SURE THING viniateri for the extra point.......rather than risking a shanked or deflected "drop kick"? BB is not generally that liberal during a game.........

IS he trying to give Flutes a nice send off by doing something that hasn't been done in 60 years (WHY? Because no one has even BOTHERED doing it because there is a much more accurate and "almost guaranteed" way to score the extra point?) Does he plan on "pulling this little trick" during the playoffs? What is next? The old statue of liberty play? Center sneak? Three stooges hide the ball under their shirt and run the wrong way into the other teams endzone???????

Seriously, in YOUR opinion.....what was BB thinking/what was the motive....if in fact, he was still TRYING to win the game yesterday with the 2nd and 3rd "teams".............

PS.....this could also explain the "Matt Cassel missed a wide open WR in the endzone which would have sent the game to OT....because BB told him to airmail it" theory.....composed by a guy that was seated behind the grassy knoll

appreciate your insight on this.....

 

[spacecrime]

Why would Belichick go with a potentially low percentage (alright even circus act/joke move that had no purpose whatsoever) play that was a MUST in order to stay within 5 points of the doofins.....

1) What percentage of drop kicks does Flutie make? Is the percentage that much different than a PAT? How do you know? If BB wanted to lose the game, he would have tried for TWO points, which is a low percentage play. Most good QBs don't make it. Hard to expect a rookie QB who hadn't played in college and is playing his first NFL game to accomplish it.

2) Explain the difference between being down 4 points and 5 points as you near the end of the fourth quarter, and why you MUST be four points down and not 5.

3) How did you feel about BB taking an intentional safety during that Denver game? Fake field goals and fake punts dometimes don't work. It doesn't mean you shouldn't ever do them. When you do things differently than everyone else, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. To always do the same thing in the same situation is not coaching, it is running a computer program.

4) Flutie's kick had alot less to do with our losing the game than plying Larry Izzo at LB, and playing guys like Tucker, Yates, etc etc and pulling Brady-eymour-Vrabel-Branch-etc etc etc.

These are my thoughts, supplied because you asked for them.

 

[stcjones]

Yeah.......

1) What percentage of drop kicks does Flutie make? Is the percentage that much different than a PAT? How do you know? If BB wanted to lose the game, he would have tried for TWO points, which is a low percentage play. Most good QBs don't make it. Hard to expect a rookie QB who hadn't played in college and is playing his first NFL game to accomplish it.

2) Explain the difference between being down 4 points and 5 points as you near the end of the fourth quarter, and why you MUST be four points down and not 5.

3) How did you feel about BB taking an intentional safety during that Denver game? Fake field goals and fake punts dometimes don't work. It doesn't mean you shouldn't ever do them. When you do things differently than everyone else, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose. To always do the same thing in the same situation is not coaching, it is running a computer program.

4) Flutie's kick had alot less to do with our losing the game than plying Larry Izzo at LB, and playing guys like Tucker, Yates, etc etc and pulling Brady-eymour-Vrabel-Branch-etc etc etc.

These are my thoughts, supplied because you asked for them.

Tom I was never talking about BB going for two with Flutie...I'm just wondering why he "gambled" with a joke play in order to get the extra point....if he in fact WAS OUT TO WIN the game.........just food for thought......I'm guessing that he was trying in a way to get the 4th seed.....and to get flutie some kind of "recognition" before he retired........hard one to explain when one looks at the usual approach of BB.......

Thanks alot for your reply....appreciate your opinion

 

[flutie2phelan]

....
Seriously, in YOUR opinion.....what was BB thinking/what was the motive....if in fact, he was still TRYING to win the game yesterday with the 2nd and 3rd "teams".............

....
appreciate your insight on this.....

To me, it was merely an incident ... within a consistent strategy of preparing for the playoffs. Consider:

* There was no seeding advantage to winning ... so look to other objectives.

* Rest your starters, who otherwise enjoy no bye week. Also, preserve them.

* I'm confident that BB didn't PLAN to do it; but he was PREPARED to do it. By the time the dropkick opportunity arrived, the jv had acquitted itself very well. This has to encourage the entire team ... imbue them with confidence. By pulling the exotic PAT ... coach underscores to the whole team the message, "This time forget the scoreboard; we have come out on top in this game!"

* By fooling around that way, he signals that his self-assured team is at the top of its game ... and ready to begin the second season. Gangway, league!

 

[stcjones]

imbue.......

To me, it was merely an incident ... within a consistent strategy of preparing for the playoffs. Consider:

* There was no seeding advantage to winning ... so look to other objectives.

* Rest your starters, who otherwise enjoy no bye week. Also, preserve them.

* I'm confident that BB didn't PLAN to do it; but he was PREPARED to do it. By the time the dropkick opportunity arrived, the jv had acquitted itself very well. This has to encourage the entire team ... imbue them with confidence. By pulling the exotic PAT ... coach underscores to the whole team the message, "This time forget the scoreboard; we have come out on top in this game!"

* By fooling around that way, he signals that his self-assured team is at the top of its game ... and ready to begin the second season. Gangway, league!

Imbue......I love that word........thanks for your opinion.........GO PATS!!!!!

 

[JoeSixPat]

This was discussed quite extensively in another thread - bottom line: if the Patriots TRULY felt that winning the game and getting the 3 seed were important enough, they would not have pulled their starters

Once that was done this became an exhibition game - and while the NFL certainly frowns on teams "throwing" any game, the 49ers Texans game is probably more worthy of debate as they were truly "losing" for a cause

 

[Box_O_Rocks]

In addition to f2p's confidence, look at the shots of the Patriot players after that kick - they were relaxed and happy - in football terms: loose. As your team prepares for the first playoff game, just how do you want them, relaxed or tense? BB allowed his team, through the dropkick, to show the NFL that New England was having fun and feeling good about themselves - frightening that.