Out of curiosity, I went looking for candidates for the WOAT NFL punting decision, or at least as far back as pfr's play index goes (like 1995-present). Within 1 minute of sorting by yardage to go from the opponent's 36 or closer, it turns out there have been only 8 instances where teams have punted on 4th and 1 in that spot over the last 20 years (obv there are more where teams took DOG penalties, but whatever).

Imagine my amazement to discover that TWO of them occurred in the same game! And it was a playoff game! In fact it was a conference championship game! With the GOAT QB! Anyone know it?


Unfortunately for the world, the Pack held on that game and went on to win the SB, thus allowing him to blow multiple other title chances, especially that dreadful NFCCG vs. the Seahawks when he kicked two 4th and goal <19 yard FGs and another 40 yarder on 4th and 1. And we're still not even close.

And just to make sure I wasn't misremembering some crazy wind conditions or a hurt kicker, I looked up the 2p2 game thread and it delivered the expected lols. Reactions to the FGs start around posts #1307 and then #2565, pretty funny.

Eagles score with 9:21 left in the 3rd to make it 16-21, kick XP to make it 17-21. Plenty of time left but am I wrong that going for 2 here seems better?

The WSU Cougars have not hit a field goal all year.

The Stanford Cardinal could not stop the WSU Cougars.

Mike Leach kicked a field goal on like 4th and 4 in a spot where a touchdown probably gives us an insurmountable lead.

It missed.

#neverkick

This annoys me a lot because Leach will go for it on 4th down most of the time, but it almost seems like it's not because of any specific ethos, he's just a stubborn **** who does what he feels like when he feels like it. Have a god damn plan man, maybe then you won't drop the first game of the year to FCS teams all the time. ('cause gosh, now it looks like we're good and you have to look at that first loss as a talented team playing like garbage in the first game for the second year in a row).

No that's fine. Too much time left for that to make a big difference.

It appears it was contagious, the Bears punted from the 34 and the 31 in this game too, and the Packers also punted from the 43 on 4th and 2 and the 35 on 4th and 15. PUNTERS ARE PEOPLE TOO

Let's never forget the time FAT MIKE kicked the XP down 2 with 11 minutes left in a winner makes the playoffs/loser is out game.

And of course they won.

I have an anger for that man that cannot be healthy.

i have a new pet peeve that teams do frequently in this spot.

4th & inches from his own 40 and Kubiak correctly decides to go for it. they actually look to be in a good set too, max protection with 1 WR and CJ in the backfield. And then it happens. CJ gets motioned out wide and they go empty back and Lynch, predictably, does a QB sneak.

This is a small nitpick, I think teams should sneak here more often. But are the Broncos really just gonna drop Lynch back to try and get an inch? No if they were gonna pass they would do a play action and get him out of the pocket. So why are they just telling them, hey we're gonna sneak it? Why take away the threat of handing it off to the RB??

Teams do this **** all the time and I can't think of a single reason why the QB sneak would be more successful with the RB out wide as opposed to in the backfield.

Defense has to put a man on him out wide is the reasoning. Don't know if that's correct though

i feel like the death of 2+2 is keeping people from remembering the OG Chilly. Dude would routinely call TO to THINK ABOUT IT on 4th and 1 at the 30-35, then PUNT, despite having AP

This was a freezing cold game in GB where Cutler tore his MCL and he played with a torn MCL for two quarters before the Bears decided to play Caleb Hanie. A lot of these punts were lolbad, but they weren't contagious they were in response to game conditions.

Edit: Bears drive chart after GB went up 14-0 and Cutler was injured.

Whatever bumble**** is currently coaching Tampa bay. Doesn't understand the entirely simple 10-second Rin off rule and made an ass of himself.

GRUDEN

NFL COACHES

'Yea we drafted Janakowski in the first round, but he missed a few FG's his first year, and the he missed team curfew!!!!! so, against the explicit advice of my special teams coach, I put him in to kick a 58 yard FG b/c so when he missed I could cut him'



lol, imbecile.

Tb coach settling for a 46 yd fg

Of course he misses it too. Guy sucks. Great use of a 2nd round pick you stupid ****s. Florida nfl teams should all be aborted.

10/10/16

Never forget

Can't wait for the recap on this game.

this MNF has been hilariousMost of thats on the players though.

This is accurate.

What an abortion of an mnf game. Can't even sort through all the putridness to isolate the worst.

To play devil's advocate, has it been checked if his punt situations in general have shown better than average performance? ie, let's say he runs twice as many fake punts as the average coach, but because the opponent looks for it more and devotes resources to defending it, his regular punts are more successful and it overcomes the losses from fakes? Honestly don't know the answer, just curious.

I feel like fake punts should be pretty effective since you're playing 11 on 10 with one defender out of the play, but coaches seem to like the fake punt run play where the punter is useless, making it 10 on 10 again. Seems like the fake punt pass would be more effective. If your gunners can get an inside release I feel like they should always be wide open on a crossing route especially if the defender isn't expecting it.

Zimmer seems good.

Yeah I'd snap take Zimmer over Arians

Holy hell, just realized that the Ravens had Justin Tucker line up as a lefty for the fake FG attempt. I'm surprised that Harbaugh, a former special teams coach, didn't think that was really tipping off the play.