The 4th Down at the End

[BelichickFan]

4th and 2, not inches.

Did you want to kick the FG, go up by 5 and risk losing by a TD (or a FG if Gost missed).

Or did you want to go for it and win the game if we make it but risk having a FG beat us if we didn't.

Be honest, now, what did you want AT THE TIME ?

 

[BelichickFan]

FG all the way for me. I know we made it but, damn, I'd have hated to be stuffed and lose by 1 pont.

 

[patsfan13]

Play to win, show confidence in a running game that had been good all day.

 

[flutie2phelan]

4th and 2, not inches.

Did you want to kick the FG, go up by 5 and risk losing by a TD (or a FG if Gost missed).

Or did you want to go for it and win the game if we make it but risk having a FG beat us if we didn't.

Be honest, now, what did you want AT THE TIME ?

Oh, great question!

At that moment, i was geatly conflicted ... and indecisive.
But i knew exactly what i wanted to do
as soon as BB sent in the offense.

 

[BelichickFan]

Play to win, show confidence in a running game that had been good all day.

4th and inches, I'm going. 4th and 2 - I'm kicking.

As I told my wife after they made it - Belichick has bigger balls than I do.

 

[Bella*chick]

I said I would go for it, but boy, not feeling especially confident about it.

 

[BradfordPatsFan]

I said kick it. I admit it. I diverged from the path of BB until the offense lined up. Then I was right back with him.

 

[PYPER]

I thought the FG was the way to go at the time. I'm curious though. Does going for it better illustrate the confidence BB has in our running game or the lack of confidence he has in our kicking game and defense?

Hopefully it's the former.

This is the best type of early season win b/c it gives BB a lot to yell about and it keeps the players focused on improving.

I liked what I saw out of the running game but I am concerned about the pass protection. Those guys can't let Brady get hit like that.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

I'd say go for it for three reasons.

1. You are able to put the game away right there.

2. Putting undue pressure on the rookie kicker. If he misses it, that's all we'd hear about all week. Bring the kicker along as slowly as you can and give him confidence with easy kicks.

3. If you miss the kick, they get the ball where the kick was taken. If you don't get the 4th down conversion they get the ball at the line of scrimmage.

And it makes a statement to your team as a vote of confidence in the line, not that it couldn't be perceived as lack of confidence in the kicker

Plus McGee is a dangerous kick returner

 

[RAWKY]

I think BB made the correct choice.

Everything during the game said we could make the first down with our running game.

I think this also was a typical example of BB's wise coaching style, when coaches do things like this it provides a real shot in the arm to the offense that HE trusted them to win the game for the team.

Most coaches in the NFL would have gone the safe way and kicked the field goal so they did not have to explain if they failed and it came back to bite them.

But BB saw more then his having to explain what everyone would see as a mistake.

BB saw a chance to build the teams morale and cohesiveness he took the chance to allow the team to take a step forward in coming togeather as a T E A M and he took the risk as a calculated one.

After the tough time the offense had during the game a little confidence from the MAN is a wonderful balm for the offenses confidence and it helps them to feel like they contributed to the win rather then that the defense won the game all by themselves.

It will pay diviends all season long. It is typical of BB making the right decision for the T E A M even when he is ego may be at risk.

I think this is one of the little things that BB sees and does that most people miss.

 

[shakadave]

Oh, great question!

At that moment, i was geatly conflicted ... and indecisive.
But i knew exactly what i wanted to do
as soon as BB sent in the offense.

Yes, great question. I had no idea at the time. I think we would have won either way, but I think the right call was to kick the FG.

The Bills had to go 33 yards farther for a TD than for a FG, so if we kicked the FG that would be like gaining 33 yards of field position.

 

[MrBigglesWorth]

Yes, great question. I had no idea at the time. I think we would have won either way, but I think the right call was to kick the FG.

The Bills had to go 33 yards farther for a TD than for a FG, so if we kicked the FG that would be like gaining 33 yards of field position.

Unless McGee had a monster return on the kickoff, but luckily we didn't ahve to see that.

 

[BelichickFan]

I'm curious though. Does going for it better illustrate the confidence BB has in our running game or the lack of confidence he has in our kicking game and defense?

As Gost still hasn't missed a kick and we shut the Bills out in the second half, I think it's the former, not the latter.

 

[QuiGon]

4th and 2, not inches.

Did you want to kick the FG, go up by 5 and risk losing by a TD (or a FG if Gost missed).

Or did you want to go for it and win the game if we make it but risk having a FG beat us if we didn't.

Be honest, now, what did you want AT THE TIME ?

I'll tell ya this... Charlie Weis had a very similar situation last week against GA Tech and he went for the first down - and it worked for him too.

 

[QuinielaBox]

Patriots made a nice statement at the end of the game. We are going to run the ball down your throat this year. Get used to it NFL.

I loved the call.

 

[PatsFaninAZ]

From a risk/reward perspective, I think BB made the right call, just barely.

If the Bills had one more time out or if the rule were not that you tack on the extra yards on the changeover after a missed FG, I think it sways the other way.

If you kick, you have one doomsday scenario -- block and run back, and one very bad scenario -- miss and give up the extra yards on the turnover. Even if you make it, you still haven't won the game. You have a kick off return to worry about and then a team with 2:00 knowing what it needs to do.

Figure you convert a 4 and 1.5 yards about 55 to 60 percent of the time. So that's a 55 to 60 percent chance of winning the game right there. Even if you don't make it, you can still win with a defensive stand about half the time. In short, if you go for it, I think you give yourself about a 75 to 80 percent chance to win.

If you try the field goal, I think the chances go down to something in the 60s.

 

[patchick]

From a risk/reward perspective, I think BB made the right call, just barely.

If the Bills had one more time out or if the rule were not that you tack on the extra yards on the changeover after a missed FG, I think it sways the other way.

That pretty much sums it up for me too. One of the toughest judgment calls in recent memory...would have been hard to fault either decision.

 

[brady2brown]

Going for it was the right call for the Bills, and it was the right call for the Pats.

The fact that the Bills did not execute does not mean it was the wrong call to make at the time.

I think Jauron is a better coach than the Bills are used to lately (since Marv).

 

[jaychamp]

4th and inches, I'm going. 4th and 2 - I'm kicking.

As I told my wife after they made it - Belichick has bigger balls than I do.

I was torn but definitely leaning towards kicking it, and I agree regarding BB's balls and want to also add that they are made of iron.

 

[Jacky Roberts]

You have to go for it. If Gost misses it, Buffalo gets the ball in great field position. The o-line was abusing Buffalo the entire 4th quarter. BB made the right call.