Not to mention they just gave up a sack/fumble on the previous drive. Given that it was indoors and their kicker is really good. Just get stuffed for 1 yard each play and kick a 42 yard FG.

Except in this spot every yard helps the FG % - so it's worth the risk of a fumble.

This

It's all on the play calling. You run 2 more times, you get NE to use their TOs and you send out a kicker who has missed only 1 time under 50 for the season. It was bad to take the sack but even worse to be put in that spot.

it's true, nothing has ever gone wrong with matt bryant kicking FGs in the playoffs

I think if anything was indirectly proven last night beyond a shadow of a doubt it's that chip's system will never work in the nfl

Agree Quinn should be in the title, but petitioning for Pagano to be replaced by Buck. Buck should remain in the title forever.

Don't forget that face mask that wasn't called on Sanu.

I think people are being super results oriented on the sack/holding penalty sequence that knocked them out of FG range. If they went run-run-FG, I could imagine the entirety of SE losing their minds like "LOL SETTLING FOR THE 50 YARD FG LOLOLOL" and bumping this thread for that reason. Coaches are dumb, but I feel like they can't win with SE sometimes. Call a run? LOL STABLISH. Call a pass? LOL HOW DO YOU NOT RUN?

Idk, my .02

Re: Pats leaving time on the clock for ATL;

Perfectly fine. Seemed bad at me to first, but they need to plan for failing the 2PC since it's not a lock they convert. It's like when a team is down 15 late and scores a TD, they need to go for two now rather than "extend the game" and kick the PAT.

It was a 40-yard FG, not 50. Big difference.

Huh?

It was a 40 yard FG assuming 0 yard gains on the next 2 runs.

Thought it was closer to 50, than 40, but my bad. Still don't think passing in general is bad. What was terrible was Ryan taking a 17-step drop and losing 12 yards. Losing that much yardage in that situation literally should not happen.

I dunno, I'm all aboard the "coaches are too conservative train" but just run 2x there and let Bryant kick.

People always say "I'm fine with a passing play but not XYZ", well what do you think the defense is expecting? Pats were coming heavy with a blitz and I think Shanny thought he could get them, coverage was good and he was screwed. Outsmarted himself.

I thought maybe psychologically it was just tough to run 3x and 40 yard FG after 2 plays totaling 66 yards. They figured why stop at 40 and get closer or just end the game but ultimately that was hubris.

there's a difference between conservative play for no reason and just game theory optimal playcalling that happens to be conservative. passing some % of the time might be right based on defensive looks and randomization of play calling but the % is exceedingly low, and the pass plays you should call probably don't allow for sacks of that magnitude to be at all common.

Looked to me like Brady quick-snapped on second down to catch the Falcons off guard.

When you need a TD, get the TD by any means necessary and don't worry about the clock.

If you watch that play, Ryan had very, very little time to "just not take a sack".

And as far as the Pats running the TD play too quickly, it's not just about leaving time in case they miss the 2pc. Scoring from the 1 even with three chances is far from a given, as we've seen proven over and over. They had the Falcons D winded and on their heels. Not giving them time to rest and plan is hardly suboptimal.

Edit- even ponies can be 13 minutes slow sometimes...

grunge:

according to greg cossell on the 3rd and 1 strip sack ryan had a wide open TD if freeman didn't completely fail his block

Play call was fine. Matty not throwing it away was mind numbingly bad

The RB missed his blocking assignment

He didn't have much of a chance to be honest.

Fair enough, was watching from very far away so couldn't see the details of the play

bigger problem was Atlanta continually snapping the ball with lots of time left on the play clock. Somebody screencapped this on Twitter, just in the 4th quarter they could have killed another minute by taking the clock down to 1. Pats tied with 57 seconds left.

This thread is far more advanced in blaming quinn in addition to kyle than local atlanta media and fan base is. but that's probably cognitive dissonance with not wanting to diss our coach moving forward

local atlanta media are idiots. everything I hear on 680 is dumb. of course that is not unique to atlanta by any means

I just don't want a tech situation where the HC is immune from criticism on one side of the ball because he doesn't take responsibility for it

They didn't need to just run predicable plays up the middle. While that may get the job done look what New England did on the last play of regulation. It was a safe play that gave their RB a long shot at breaking something. Surely any good coach can come up with a better alternative than ultra conservative/aggressive.

Why didn't they just run a play action roll out or something on one of the downs with a guy on the sidelines where Ryan could easily throw it away out of bounds if no one was open? That's what i mix in my game in Madden Running the ball three times up the middle would have been fine as well but just saying if you want to get creative and mix a pass in, there had to be a safer option than the play they choose when they took the sack.