Why did McCree catch the ball?

[sanvara]

Umm no, he should have known BEFORE the play that an incompletion is just as good as an interception. I realize that San Diego fans don't understand the concept of situational football because Marty Schottenheimer has been your coach for so long.

Comments like this are just stupid and meaningless. Way to look foolish.

 

[jcdavey]

You said it all....he was just not playing smart.

Probably comes from not being coached smart.

i think you hit it on the head, while i don't blame marty for the loss, i guess it's fair to, i witnessed stupid gameplay decisions by the chargers all season, literally like one mental screwup per game, and i assumed they'd be fixed by the playoffs...i guess they really are going to fire him after evaluating that part of his job

guess it's norm chow or cam cameron for HC in 07

 

[cclocke]

I don't think it is justified to call McCree an idiot for picking the ball off. I have seen many players, including Patriot players, intercept many passes on 4th down plays. It wasn't a deep enough pass to warrant lettign the ball go. The potential for a big run back by McCree may have been worth taking the chance.

 

[jcdavey]

He caught it for one reason - he said it himself - he's always looking to "make a play." In other words, he caught it to cover himself in glory. His urge to do so comes from a good place I'm sure, McCree wants to succeed just like every other NFL player. Unfortunately, and I feel badly for the dude, his aim is slightly misguided. Success is winning, plain and simple, the Patriots know this and the vast majority of the time in critical situations they react accordingly.

Leading by 8 with 6 minutes and change left, the 'play' to make is gaining possession. If he had swatted the ball to the ground he would have made a great 'play' that would have likely won the game. But a winning play wasn't enough. The team's success wasn't enough. McCree wanted to show his talent, putting himself before the team and, ultimately, the 'play' before the win.

McCree's exact words -"I was trying to make a play, and anytime I get the ball, I am going to try and score," McCree said.

A awful lot if I's in there, eh?

man that's really what marlon said? damn...way too many I's for a team sport lol

 

[jcdavey]

I don't think it is justified to call McCree an idiot for picking the ball off. I have seen many players, including Patriot players, intercept many passes on 4th down plays. It wasn't a deep enough pass to warrant lettign the ball go. The potential for a big run back by McCree may have been worth taking the chance.

i would almost agree with you but marlon saw what happened to clinton hart firsthand in buffalo, we're up by 10 late, hart picks one off then fumbles it without even getting touched and the bills score, and i believe a week after or before that game florence ints one and almost has the ball stripped by a raider wr

our dbs this season have just really sucked at ball security, which is kinda weird since we finished #2 in turnover ratio


it's odd that the top two teams in turnover ratio are eliminated, but that just goes to show you, they weren't the true teams, the true teams are the colts and pats

 

[Patters]

There was nothing wrong with McCree catching the ball. I think Asante would have done the same thing. There were still over 6 minutes left at that point. If he didn't catch the ball or didn't fumble, we still would have had plenty of time to win, but our D would have been tested again and our O would probably have had to go more yards. I don't think McCree did anything wrong. But, Brown did everything right.

 

[cclocke]

Asante would have done the same thing. Thats why he will get 8 mill a season.

 

[zippo59]

Comments like this are just stupid and meaningless. Way to look foolish.

You're right. Catching the ball on fourth down was the work of a genius.

I know the loss hurt, but you don't have to be a turd.

 

[Two Eight]

Originally Posted by Bella*chick
You said it all....he was just not playing smart.

Probably comes from not being coached smart

you're kidding, right?

She's not kidding, that's exactly the kind of situational awareness that Belichick constantly talks about.

I can guarantee you that the Pats DB's have seen that exact 4th down scenario in practice and were coached on knocking the pass down. It's similar to making an interception in your endzone and taking a knee instead of trying to run it out.

 

[Return of the Nizz]

I don't have a problem necessarily with catching the ball, it's instinct. but once you do, the only bad thing that can happen is getting stripped. Get your ass down on the field. It was a dumb play made by a dumb guy who wanted to be on Sportscenter.

You got your wish Marlon.

 

[jcdavey]

I don't have a problem necessarily with catching the ball, it's instinct. but once you do, the only bad thing that can happen is getting stripped. Get your ass down on the field. It was a dumb play made by a dumb guy who wanted to be on Sportscenter.

You got your wish Marlon.

that pretty much sums it up lol

 

[brady et al fan]

I don't agree with the instinct take on this. You learn this concept the first year of organized football. It becomes instinct to know the situtation and to just knock the ball down if its 4th down unless you know there is nothing but end zone in front of you. I played CB for years. Its not rocket science.

I think its about ego and about the money. These guys have a different mindset in the high powered world of the NFL and they can't resist the urge to be a highlight reel.

But McCree is not alone. I've seen Patriots DBs make these picks plenty of times. Dumb but that's what they do. Give Brown credit for being the well trained, all-around player that he is and stripping the ball. That play is why we won this game.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

A good example of the difference between the Pats' coaching and the Bolts' was when Hobbs knocked down the 3rd-and-11 pass to Jackson. I was thinking "He could probably have caught that"--until I thought for a second more and realized that catching it would have given the Pats the ball around the 5, while batting it to the ground would--at worst for the Patriots--give the Bolts a long FG attempt. Smart play by Hobbs there.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

I don't think it is justified to call McCree an idiot for picking the ball off. I have seen many players, including Patriot players, intercept many passes on 4th down plays. It wasn't a deep enough pass to warrant lettign the ball go. The potential for a big run back by McCree may have been worth taking the chance.

Really -- got an example of a patriot doing it under Belichick? Not saying it's never happened, but I don't remember it.

I think I can remember it happening at the end of a game maybe where the player made the pick and dropped like a sack of potatoes, but other than a play where it was a highly contested ball so catching it was the only way to keep the receiver from catching it, or a play where there was a clear path to the end zone and the points still mattered, I'm curious if you actually remember them doing this or are just saying it.

 

[NovaScotiaPatsFan]

Two Words: Greed.

Oh wait that's one word. Sorry the Colts trolls are already sucking the intelligence out of me.

 

[MagicMarker]

It's a bad idea in hindsight to catch the interception and run with it. I agree that you intercept the ball if you're sure it won't get tipped and caught.

What would people be saying if he knocked the ball down and the replay showed he DID have a clear path in front of him. Then, San Diego punts and the Patriots tie it and win. People in San Diego would have said -- "Why did he not intercept it and try to run with it".

A good example of smart football -- Rodney Harrison at the end of the Super Bowl against the Eagles. He intercepted the ball and then went down on one knee to prevent anything like this happening.

 

[Return of the Nizz]

A good example of the difference between the Pats' coaching and the Bolts' was when Hobbs knocked down the 3rd-and-11 pass to Jackson. I was thinking "He could probably have caught that"--until I thought for a second more and realized that catching it would have given the Pats the ball around the 5, while batting it to the ground would--at worst for the Patriots--give the Bolts a long FG attempt. Smart play by Hobbs there.

You ALWAYS take possesion if you can get it. You'd rather have the ball on the 5 then the other team having a shot at a FG, even a long one. If Hobbs could have caught it, he would have. I think he was surprised at how underthrown it was. That said, unless you're damn sure you can make the pick, knocking the ball down is the right play.

 

[spacecrime]

I agree, but at the speed of the game, its pretty tough to do much more than play on instinct.

I agree with you 100%, but that is the difference between very good teams and perennial superbowl contenders.

It is very normal to react instinctively, and very tough to do otherwise. But do you want to be a "normal" team, or to be a superbowl team? If it were easy, they'd be 32 teams equally qualified for the superbowl every year.

If you want to be the best team in football, you cannot fall back on, "Hey, it's instinctive, what do you expect?" because there are teams that WILL do the right thing, and over the long haul they will beat you.

I did not say it was natural, or easy. I only said the right move to make was to bat the ball directly on the ground and take possession on the original LOS. Second best, if you do catch the ball, immediately drop to the turf and take possession where you fall. Worst option is to try to fight for yardage because you could lose the ball. It is unlikely that you will be stripped, but if you are, it could cost the game.

The potential for a big run back by McCree may have been worth taking the chance.

It wasn't worth it because there was risk but little reward. You were already ahead and only needed to keep the Pats out of the endzone to win. There would have been a huge shift in momentum when we failed to convert a fourth down. Your team would be pumped up. Tomlinson (sorry, LT is forever Lawrence Taylor to me) averaged 5 ypc all game. Surely you could have run the clock down. You'd be looking forward to hosting the Colts, and I'd be bummed. (Not too bummed because by the time of that fourth down play I was resigned to the fact that our season was about to end. )

 

[AzPatsFan]

yeah mccree is an idiot...basically lost us the game

amazing that our smartest db would make the stupidest gameplay decision

It may be more than that. Lots of Teams are stupid about monetary incentives. Players contracts are written to rewards playing time, sacks, INTs and other individual honors.

It provides EXACTLY the wrong incentives.

I recall an interview with the guy who negotiates most of the players contracts. He has been told by BB to de-emphasize individual accomplishments and reward Team incentives.

The Patriots players get lots of Team incentives in their contracts. If the TEAM wins so many games, Division titles, playoff games, et cetera, they get incentive money. Similarly if they platoon at a position taking advantage of situational substitution, as belichcik frequently does. With lots of individual playing time and incentives Players would likely ***** and not cooperate in these cases.

It rewards Team play and discourages selfishness. I wonder how McCree's contract is drawn?

 

[zippo59]

If he really did think that he could get a touchdown then that is just another example of the type of poor judgement that cost the Chargers. He didn't have a chance. He was absolutely surrounded within three yards of making the interception. I don't know what he was looking at because it wasn't even close.