BB did a great job of clock management?

[PatsDeb]

That ignores the fact that the 4th down play the coaches called worked. BAD drop by #17.

It ignores the strategy of making whatever the Saints did on offense occur quickly by leaving a short field. Whatever they did the Pats would have time for a TD drive. The Saints run game was cooking and they with any brains and good execution could have run out the clock had we punted and they started from around their own 30 or so.

Brady's pick was bad. He said so. Under threw. It happens. Maybe it's just me but he made up for it.

That's true, but is a BAD drop such a surprise these days? I say, no, and they should have accounted for that when thinking about going for it.

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

That's true, but is a BAD drop such a surprise these days? I say, no, and they should have accounted for that when thinking about going for it.

Why call ANY pass play ever if you're accounting for drops?

 

[PatsDeb]

Why call ANY pass play ever if you're accounting for drops?

Not any pass play. 4th and 6 deep in your own end throwing to a rookie who you know has the dropsies. Too much pressure on the rook. In hindsight, should have tried to get it to Collie who has surer hands. But, I agree that they must have thought the D had a good chance of holding them to a quick Figgie. More faith than I had as I was sure (because NO was hot at that point) that they were going to get a TD. But, I also acknowledge that even if they scored a TD, it still would have been an 8 pt. game then. Then it would have put a lot of pressure on the O. As I said, I am glad it worked out, but I thought it was taking stupid chances.

 

[SB39]

What did you think of BB's clock management against the Saints?

It was atrocious. The defense bailed him out by producing a couple 3-and-outs. He should realize that, for the first time in years, the defense is this team's strength.

I wonder how many times he will have to make that same stupid mistake before he realizes it is the unwise decision.

 

[TruthSeeker]

Monday Musings: Tom Brady bails out Bill Belichick's bad decision - CBSSports.com

Prisco doesnt agree .

But i listened to guys on WFAN new york today and both benigno and carl banks
LOVED the call for the same reasons cited above.

I learned long ago that people don't really care about statistical analysis and percentages - they believe what they want to believe. Personally, I like to more objectively seek the truth and do rely on percentages and statistical analysis (amongst other things).

The percentages, like 'em or not, show that going for it on fourth down is typically the right thing to do. I won't bother to argue with those who disagree since it never seems to get anywhere. But I am very glad that we have a coach who is the most aggressive (although not aggressive enough) on fourth down in the NFL.

 

[JMC00]

It was atrocious. The defense bailed him out by producing a couple 3-and-outs. He should realize that, for the first time in years, the defense is this team's strength.

I wonder how many times he will have to make that same stupid mistake before he realizes it is the unwise decision.

Atrocious? Come on.

If Dobson catches the ball on 4th down, who knows what happens.

2nd drive is not on him at all, McDaniels called the play and Brady made the decision to heave it up to Edelman who was double covered.

 

[Kontradiction]

Usually I can't stand going for it on your own end of the field but, in this case, even failing to convert would have gotten us the ball back quickly. Regardless of whether or not it ended up as a TD or a FG, the Pats still would have been within striking distance of winning or tying the game. This one was a good call.

 

[Oswlek]

I seriously doubt it was intentional, but in some ways, the 4th and 6 failure actually contributed to NE's victory. Already being in FG position gave NO's enough false confidence to settle for the points and they probably wouldn't have been as content to sit on a one point lead on their final possession.

 

[Canuck]

Just thank the defense that we are even having this conversation. Without them, the Media and Patriots haters would have had a field day saying Brady choked throwing the int and Belichick was an idiot for going for it on 4th down.

I thought it was a great job of clock management. Punt the ball on 4th down and the possibilities were Saints run out the clock or Saints score a FG and Patriots have one chance to make a game winning drive down the field with little time remaining. Even if Saints scored a TD, Pats would have a chance to tie it with a 2 point conversion. As it turned out, we had 3 cracks at a game winning drive.

I think most coaches would have punted, hoped the defense would make the stop and their team would have a chance to make their 2 minute drive to either win the game with a FG or TD. Bills strategy just eliminated the chance of having no way to win. I think the score was the deciding factor. If the Saints were up by 2 points instead of 1 point, Bill would have punted.

 

[Brady_to_Moss]

It was a lot better than the Saints clock management, some genius pushed Dobson out of bound at the end of the game:singing:.

 

[PatsDeb]

It was atrocious. The defense bailed him out by producing a couple 3-and-outs. He should realize that, for the first time in years, the defense is this team's strength.

I wonder how many times he will have to make that same stupid mistake before he realizes it is the unwise decision.

I didn't like the play calling (on 4th & 6th and on the bomb to Edelman), but you've got to admit the clock management was masterful. Getting Brady the ball back with over a minute to go allowed him to throw down the middle to get down the field on the last drive.

 

[JFK]

Thank the D for stopping an elite defense and giving us 3 chances to win. That's all. If the D didn't do more than their part, we would be questioning BB and Brady. No doubt.
I wanted us to go for it on 4th and 6 but that's just the person I am. It doesn't mean it was a sound decision. if we went for it just outside FG range it would have been a better decision. We risked the Saints scoring a TD. If we didn't score the TD we would be furious because we may have been able to win with a FG....
It's a deep science. I don't know what BB saw for him to decide to go for it on 4th and 6.

 

[Oswlek]

I didn't like the play calling (on 4th & 6th and on the bomb to Edelman), but you've got to admit the clock management was masterful. Getting Brady the ball back with over a minute to go allowed him to throw down the middle to get down the field on the last drive.

Considering that 40 of those seconds were only there because the Saints saved NE a timeout with an incomplete pass, and NE was also very fortunate that Tom's pick came on the first and only play of game winning drive attempt #2... I'm not sure how much credit anyone deserves for "clock management." It was more excellent defense and luck than anything else. :confused2:

 

[SB39]

Atrocious? Come on.

If Dobson catches the ball on 4th down, who knows what happens.

But he didn't catch the ball. And the fact that the Patriots have far better players on defense than they do catching the ball should have been the primary factor in the decision making process.

2nd drive is not on him at all, McDaniels called the play and Brady made the decision to heave it up to Edelman who was double covered.

Oh, I am not blaming him for that. I'm talking purely about 4th and 6 deep in your own end.

 

[PlainOldEd]

The 4th down call was the correct move.

The Saints rushed for 130 yards, Talib was out and Mayo had just got hurt and was out. The defense was beat up and tired. Punting there allows the Saints to play field position assuming their drive stalls at their end of the field burning precious clock.

BB gave them 3 or 7 points on a silver platter.

On 4th and 6th, with 3:29 left, its NE 24 - NO 23 at the NE 24 yard line. Even if NO scores a TD, its still a 1 TD victory for NE at NO 30 and NE 24 with lots of time remaining for NE to drive the field.

Absolutely perfect clock management by BB vs NO and last week vs Cinci.

Id also like to give a shout out to Keenan Lewis for throwing Dobson out of bounds and stopping the clock for NE on the game winning drive. Typical moron undisciplined Ryan brothers defense.

This would be true except for one thing.... it was NO 24 NE 23 at 3:29, if NO scored a td NE would have needed a TD with 2 pt conversion just to tie....

 

[PatsWickedPissah]

This would be true except for one thing.... it was NO 24 NE 23 at 3:29, if NO scored a td NE would have needed a TD with 2 pt conversion just to tie....

So what? That was the MAX downside. It would still have left the GOAT time to get 8 points.

The MAX upside was convert 4th down and go on to score 7 for the W.
HELLO Dobson!

 

[Robdude]

It was atrocious. The defense bailed him out by producing a couple 3-and-outs. He should realize that, for the first time in years, the defense is this team's strength.

I wonder how many times he will have to make that same stupid mistake before he realizes it is the unwise decision.

So many people keep saying this.

The defense HAS to bail out the team regardless of what BB does in this case. If they punted they would need the defense to hold and if they go for it and miss they need the defense to hold. Either way they needed a 3 and out. With the way it worked out they had a legitimate chance to get the first down and then they got the ball back with plenty of time to march down the field. I do not see how it is a bad call. Amazingly they got two more chances. The defense deserves a ton of credit.

If they punted and the defense didnt hold people would be saying they should have gone for it. If NO scores a TD and not a field goal people would say they should have punted.

To win this game you had to make a major assumptions. You have to assume the D will hold and go from there.

 

[PlainOldEd]

So what? That was the MAX downside. It would still have left the GOAT time to get 8 points.

The MAX upside was convert 4th down and go on to score 7 for the W.
HELLO Dobson!

I'm not saying that it was a bad decision, just that his scenario where the Pats still win with a TD if they allowed a TD wasn't true.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

Thank the D for stopping an elite defense and giving us 3 chances to win. That's all. If the D didn't do more than their part, we would be questioning BB and Brady. No doubt.
I wanted us to go for it on 4th and 6 but that's just the person I am. It doesn't mean it was a sound decision. if we went for it just outside FG range it would have been a better decision. We risked the Saints scoring a TD. If we didn't score the TD we would be furious because we may have been able to win with a FG....
It's a deep science. I don't know what BB saw for him to decide to go for it on 4th and 6.

Did you read the OP? It's explained in the OP why he went for it.

 

[MrNathanDrake]

I'm not saying that it was a bad decision, just that his scenario where the Pats still win with a TD if they allowed a TD wasn't true.

TD +2 point conversion wouldve tied it.

It still gave us a chance.


Punting it down the field wouldve let the Saints run out the clock. Going for it made sure we would at least get a chance.