The kick that wasn't

[Mack Herron]

http://www.boston.com/sports/football/patriots/articles/2008/06/07/gostkowski_isnt_one_to_kick/

Just when I thought I had gotten over it....

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Great quote I may find use for in game threads this season...

"Coach Belichick has been coaching more years than I've been alive. There is no way I could ever argue with something he did."

 

[richpats]

"Coach Belichick has been coaching more years than I've been alive. There is no way I could ever argue with something he did."

We could say that about Rod Rust.

 

[ctpatsfan77]

We could say that about Rod Rust.

Except that, you know, five Super Bowl rings actually earns you the benefit of the doubt.

 

[BionicPatriot]

How far was the kick? Wasn't it within his range? It makes me question the FO's decision more than anything for keeping a kicker they wouldn't use in that situation. Or was the offensive calling so arrogant they thought for sure they could get it? Whatever, but one thing is for sure. If they make it, they're the genius's, they're perfect. Now here we are second guessing them, think about it folks. I think the coaching staff got a little happy with our offense, IMO.
like Go

 

[richpats]

Now here we are second guessing them, think about it folks. I think the coaching staff got a little happy with our offense, IMO.

Before the play I thought it was a stupid decision and if they had pulled it off it would have been damn lucky. 3 years ago in the AFC title game in Pittsburgh, Belichick sent AV out for a 48 yarder in -1 degree windchill on like 4th-and-3. And in SB42 on 4th-and-13 (in ideal kicking conditions), kicking isn't the way to go? Either BB lost faith in Gostkowski or he was a little overconfident with the offense.

And it's not blasphemy to question even the great Bill Belichick. He admits to his own mistakes all the time.

 

[MoLewisrocks]

Before the play I thought it was a stupid decision and if they had pulled it off it would have been damn lucky. 3 years ago in the AFC title game in Pittsburgh, Belichick sent AV out for a 48 yarder in -1 degree windchill on like 4th-and-3. And in SB42 on 4th-and-13 (in ideal kicking conditions), kicking isn't the way to go? Either BB lost faith in Gostkowski or he was a little overconfident with the offense.

And it's not blasphemy to question even the great Bill Belichick. He admits to his own mistakes all the time.

And yet he's never admitted that call was one. He had his reasons. What we used to do is irrelevant - different team altogether. I think he believed they should have converted, and would have had they executed. I believe on WEEI he mentioned instances where they had converted in similar circumstances. Face it, if they kicked and he missed all the naysayers would have been screaming about how they should have gone for it with this offence...

 

[signbabybrady]

And yet he's never admitted that call was one. He had his reasons. What we used to do is irrelevant - different team altogether. I think he believed they should have converted, and would have had they executed. I believe on WEEI he mentioned instances where they had converted in similar circumstances. Face it, if they kicked and he missed all the naysayers would have been screaming about how they should have gone for it with this offence...

What about punting and pinning them back in what was a field position game. 15-30 yards could have made a difference. As I remember the giants didn't do much on the ensuing drive and maybe we would have gotten the ball back with better field position. And instead of driving to midfield maybe we drive to the endzone or much closer to a field goal. IMO he didn't get ****y about his offense and he didn't have a lack of faith in Gost he just didn't realize how big field position could have been. And we will never know.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Great quote I may find use for in game threads this season...

"Coach Belichick has been coaching more years than I've been alive. There is no way I could ever argue with something he did."

Yup ... that says it all.

 

[hambone1818]

I don't see why it's blasphemous to say that Belichick made a poor decision in this case. I would imagine that 90% of the people watching the game--regardless of their rooting interest--were scratching their heads on that play. There was a very small percentage chance, as good as the offense had been all season, of that play working. Add in the fact that Brady was feeling constant heat, and a dropback bomb probably wasn't the best decision he could have made.

Everyone f's up...as the old saying goes, 'to err is human'. Belichick made a poor choice and it cost the team. It doesn't mean he's anything but the greatest coach in the game and one of the best ever, but come on...let's call it like we all saw it.

 

[richpats]

And yet he's never admitted that call was one. He had his reasons. What we used to do is irrelevant - different team altogether. I think he believed they should have converted, and would have had they executed. I believe on WEEI he mentioned instances where they had converted in similar circumstances. Face it, if they kicked and he missed all the naysayers would have been screaming about how they should have gone for it with this offence...

The '07 Pats never converted 4th-and-13, and if memory serves, Belichick's Pats have never converted a 4th-and-13 that wasn't a last-minute do-or-die situation. Whatever "his reasons" were, it doesn't excuse the fact that trying to go for 4th-and-13 in the NFL is risky at best (yes, even to the Patriots).

"This offense" had scored ONCE up until that point. The SB42 Pats offense wasn't the mid-2007 Pats offense. And even the mid-2007 Pats kicked on 4th-and-forever.

 

[richpats]

Everyone f's up...as the old saying goes, 'to err is human'. Belichick made a poor choice and it cost the team. It doesn't mean he's anything but the greatest coach in the game and one of the best ever, but come on...let's call it like we all saw it.

Belichick didn't receive as much heat because of his rings. Schottenheimer made the EXACT same call in the divisional playoff game and it indirectly cost him his job. Actually Belichick's call was even riskier as it was in the 3rd quarter of a defensive battle and Shoddy called it in the 1st.

 

[Disco Volante]

Odds would tell you going for the kick was the better move.

Odds would also tell you Eli Manning usually doesn't drive his team 86 yards down the field to defeat the previously undefeated Patriots.

It is what it is. Best non-championship season in NFL history and now moving on to #4.

 

[jbb9s]

The bigger issue for me having 3 time outs and not putting together some nice passes to tie the baby up with less than a minute left.

 

[Disco Volante]

The bigger issue for me having 3 time outs and not putting together some nice passes to tie the baby up with less than a minute left.

Same here. That's what gets at me more.

People say it's unfair to expect Brady to lead a scoring drive with such a limited amount of time, but he clearly missed a wide open Wes Welker on first down.

Also I've always wondered what this board was thinking as that drive started, how many of you expected Brady to lead us to at least 3 during that drive? All bias aside, I honestly did.

 

[IcyPatriot]

Balance out the risk that paid off and we are way ahead in the risk vs reward area.

 

[captain stone]

Richpats, Bionic and Hambone are right.

The play-call on 3rd/7 was ******ed; the decision on 4th/13 was brain-dead.

This belief, that BB is always right and everyone else is wrong, is really getting silly.

 

[dhamz]

I'm sure all the second guessers had full faith in Gostkowski after he kicked that kick off out of bounds and looked like a deer in headlights walking off the field.

After that, why does anyone think it is a surprise that BB didn't have the confidence to send him out to attempt a kick longer than any he had made all season?

Punting wasn't an option at the 32 yard line. If you don't think your kicker is going to make it, you might as well go for it and in the worst case, not give the Giants the additional 8 yards a FG miss would have.

 

[unoriginal]

Missing a kick from outside the 20 is like taking a 8 yard sack on that 4th and 13 play, and field goals over 45 yards have something like a 50/50 shot at being good.

Just something to keep in mind.

 

[godef]

How far was the kick? Wasn't it within his range? It makes me question the FO's decision more than anything for keeping a kicker they wouldn't use in that situation. Or was the offensive calling so arrogant they thought for sure they could get it? Whatever, but one thing is for sure. If they make it, they're the genius's, they're perfect. Now here we are second guessing them, think about it folks. I think the coaching staff got a little happy with our offense, IMO.
like Go

I believe it would have been 48 yards? Certainly not greater than 49. In any case, it was already established that points were going to come at a premium in that game and in hindsight (and hindsight only) it seems apparent they should have taken a shot at the FG.