Name your favorite WTF moment?

[Pats Fanatic]

 

[SammyBlueCat]

Just witnessed almost 3 hours worth of such moments

 

[Soliel]

Right. An entire WTF game really

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

If this were at Foxborough, the NFL would want you to NEVER forget

 

[1960Pats]

With the talk of Troy Brown playing DB, do we forget that Julian did the same for a few games? And I would posit that he was a better DB than Brown. Not a WTF moment, I just wanted it to be noted.

How many INTs did Jules have? Troy only had three.

 

[1960Pats]

Just witnessed almost 3 hours worth of such moments

It started with the kickoff and got worse from there.

 

[1960Pats]

One of my favorites...

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

One of my favorites...

Mike Curtis is a badass, also one of my favorites

I wish he'd been a Patriot

 

[DaBronxPats14]

Yesterday was a WTF and not in a good way.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

No need to overthink this. It’s the Colts fake punt. Many plays spontaneously turn into gaffes because one person makes a laughable mental error. This was a spectacular mental error from so many involved. They practiced this. They designed it, practiced it, and actually ran it. I don’t think you can top (or is it bottom?) that one.

 

[Soliel]

No need to overthink this. It’s the Colts fake punt. Many plays spontaneously turn into gaffes because one person makes a laughable mental error. This was a spectacular mental error from so many involved. They practiced this. They designed it, practiced it, and actually ran it. I don’t think you can top (or is it bottom?) that one.

It will never be out done. There can’t be enough imbeciles to top that otherwise the human race is doomed

 

[QuantumMechanic]

You should see the link to a Pat McNally radio show where he talked about the play.

It was never designed or intended to be snapped for real. Its main goal is to try to get the opposition to think a fake is coming, start swapping out the punt team for actual defenders and hopefully (from IND’s point of view) catch the D with 12 men on the field and snap it to get the free 5 yards. A secondary goal if that fails is to try to get the defense to jump early with a hard count. It was never, ever supposed to be run “for real”. However, the get them to jump bit wasn’t in the standard playbook but was added that week.

Problem was that the player who was supposed to be the center (and who knew about the jump early option) got injured in the game. They player they had to use as center knew about the “try to get 12 men” aspect of the play BUT WAS NEVER TOLD about the jump early aspect. All he knew was that if the QB called for the snap he was supposed to snap it.

So the hard count failed to fool NE but fooled their own player (who to be fair was screwed by his own coaching staff). And of course the rest of the Colts lined up in the wrong place relative to the LOS so if NE had jumped it still wouldn’t have worked.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

And of course the rest of the Colts lined up in the wrong place relative to the LOS so if NE had jumped it still wouldn’t have worked.

But this is exactly why it’s inexcusably dumb. The formation itself was so idiotic, and the formation was by design, not a bunch of players lining up wrong. They were clearly in the positions they were told to go to.

A. Putting a long snapper there alone as the sole blocker is moronic, and any intelligent species would immediately see how to destroy the play.

B. As you alluded to, it wouldn’t work anyway. Even a 12-man penalty would offset by illegal formation.

Perhaps the snap itself was just s mental error, but the actual design of the formation was so asinine and lacking basic football knowledge that the play should still be considered the worst ever.

Added bonus: no shotgun formation or even taking advantage of a long snap to by time against the unblocked pass rush.

 

[QuantumMechanic]

But this is exactly why it’s inexcusably dumb. The formation itself was so idiotic, and the formation was by design, not a bunch of players lining up wrong. They were clearly in the positions they were told to go to.

I very much doubt that even the Colts practiced lining up illegally. I bet what happened is that the widest man screwed up and set himself wrong relative to the line and everyone set himself off that guy.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

I very much doubt that even the Colts practiced lining up illegally. I bet what happened is that the widest man screwed up and set himself wrong relative to the line and everyone set himself off that guy.

No, just no. Watch the players all immediately run into their pre-established positions. This was absolutely, 100% designed exactly as it played out. You can acknowledge this after seeing the video, right?

 

[QuantumMechanic]

Fair point. Still, there's no way even Pagano would have his team deliberately practice lining up in an illegal formation.

One thing I noticed in that clip is that the 4 or 5 guys who would presumably have been the other "linemen" in the formation all lined up right on the 35. Right on top of it. I really do think they got confused and lined up on the yardline instead of on the real LOS.

 

[Actual Pats Fan]

You should see the link to a Pat McNally radio show where he talked about the play.

It was never designed or intended to be snapped for real. Its main goal is to try to get the opposition to think a fake is coming, start swapping out the punt team for actual defenders and hopefully (from IND’s point of view) catch the D with 12 men on the field and snap it to get the free 5 yards. A secondary goal if that fails is to try to get the defense to jump early with a hard count. It was never, ever supposed to be run “for real”. However, the get them to jump bit wasn’t in the standard playbook but was added that week.

Problem was that the player who was supposed to be the center (and who knew about the jump early option) got injured in the game. They player they had to use as center knew about the “try to get 12 men” aspect of the play BUT WAS NEVER TOLD about the jump early aspect. All he knew was that if the QB called for the snap he was supposed to snap it.

So the hard count failed to fool NE but fooled their own player (who to be fair was screwed by his own coaching staff). And of course the rest of the Colts lined up in the wrong place relative to the LOS so if NE had jumped it still wouldn’t have worked.

I've mentioned this one before, but can't help remembering August 17, 1969.

On the way to being blown out by the Falcons at Alumni Stadium in a preseason interleague game, coach Clive Rush ordered his kicker (don't know if it was Gino) to do an onside kick.

Just one thing: nobody else on the team knew.

So, as the Pats sprinted downfield, a huge Atlanta lineman scooped up the ball and rumbled the other way for a touchdown.

Ah, memories.

 

[Huckleberry1]

Butler’s Interception.

 

[sean10mm]

Butler’s Interception.

The play call was baffling and the pick was fantastic/hilarious, but things like "throw a slant" or "make an interception" are normal things that happen within the sport of football.

There is no scenario where "run into an ass face-first" is "normal." At least in FOOTBALL anway.

 

[Tony2046]

With the talk of Troy Brown playing DB, do we forget that Julian did the same for a few games? And I would posit that he was a better DB than Brown. Not a WTF moment, I just wanted it to be noted.

Posit denied.

Troy Brown - 3 interceptions. Jules - 0