QBREES9

Gruden on Bill Belichick's decision to go for it on fourth-and-2 from his own 28 with 2:08 to play and a six-point lead Sunday night at Indianapolis:
"A couple of things. If you give Peyton Manning the ball and let him play with four downs, that's a big difference from giving him three downs. [Meaning because the Colts wouldn't punt, Manning would always have four downs to keep the chains moving.] In Tampa, we had a 35-14 lead on Manning with five minutes left, and he beat us. So two minutes, one timeout, four downs ... that's an eternity for Peyton Manning. I know this: There's not too many guys out there, maybe Sean Payton, who would have made that call.''
So I called Payton. What would Payton have done in this case?
"The question you're asking is something I really can't know without actually being there and knowing all the variables,'' he said. The question can't exist in a vacuum, he said. How's your defense holding up? What kind of confidence do you have in your quarterback? Do you fear the other team's offense? Do injuries from the night play a factor?
"Only Bill can know how the game is unfolding, and it's not something he's going to talk about," Patyon added. "There are some things you don't want to say to your team or to the public. I remember learning from Bill Parcells, who also was around Bill [Belichick] forever, that you've got to pay attention to the game. Bill does that better than anyone in our game today.
"Sometimes the conventional thing is what the defense wants you to do. The Colts wanted Bill to punt. But I'm watching the game at home Sunday night, and about five seconds after they didn't make the third down, I'm looking at their sidelines and I say, 'He's going for it.' ''
I got the strong feeling Payton would have punted, but as he said, he wouldn't know for sure without being on his sideline and considering everything -- whether he felt good about getting the two yards, and how he regarded the matchup between his defense and the opposing quarterback.
There's no question in my mind that having Peyton Manning on the other side of the ball changed everything for Belichick.

MONDAY MORNING QB - TUESDAY

www.sportsshooter.com/johnjcoleman

" Anyone can take a picture Only a Photographer can take a photograph "

Rugby Saint II

No matter what the decision was Peyton was going to come back and win that game.

B_Dub_Saint

Man, that is all they talked about on ESPN today. I got so tired of hearing it. When ESPN gets stuck talking about things (especially Tom Brady and Peyton) it never stops.

Then Mark Schlerth said the Saints will lose 5 games. What a douche. First they are on the wagon, then off, then back on, and so on and so forth.

emteejae

^Are you serious ? I can see us losing a couple maybe.....but 5 !?
I sure hope not.

saintsfan1976

So why not make him go 70yds vs 30yds?

And if the Saints were going to lose 5 games it would've been any of the past 4 without Ellis.

Euphoria

If Payton goes 70 yards for the win there wouldn't be much time left on the clock. Hoping that if he scores quickly from 30yards you still have some time to get in FG range and win.

It was not a bad call at all. Hell you have TOM FREAKIN' BRADY right. If you go for it and make it you win. Punt you lose, don't make the 4th down you lose.

This crap about him not having faith in his D really??? I don't buy it its Payton FREAKIN' MANNING. Pats know more than anyone you don't put the ball in Mannings hands with 2 min to go and a chance to win.

There really is no wrong answer to this, I don't know why people insist there is.

E U P H O R I A

exile

Punt. See how easy that is?

RaginCajun83

If Sean would of pulled this junk, everyone would want his head on a silver platter no matter how many superbowls he would of won before he pulled the same stunt ... remember Bucs 07

Euphoria

Well I have to disagree there.

Its a game-situation call. If you feel like the other team is going to score if you punt based on the game and personnel you take the chance. Go down fighting don't just give them the ball and say take your shot.

Whatever was in his head to make the call you can't fault the guy for that.

There really isn't a wrong answer.

DeadmaN

I agree there were too many factors involved here