Reggie's antics cost the Saints a trip to "theeee game&

ScottyRo · 01-23-2007, 03:42 PM

Reggie's taunting and dancing is not what changed the momentum. I know it was big on sports radio yesterday and Bears' players said it fired them up, but what happened in the game shows a different result.

Consider the evidence: A) The Bears went 3 and out (I think. They at least punted fairly quickly.) immediately following Reggie's TD; B) When the Saints got the ball back on offense, they moved it down the field pretty easily to the Bears 29; then C) Saints missed a 47 yard FG, but stopped the Bears offense once again and took the ball on the Saints 5.

Does any of that look like anything had changed in the Bears' mental state as if they were more fired up after what Reggie did? It doesn't look that way to me. The Saints were still stopping the the Bears O and were moving the ball pretty well themselves against their D.

Consider the next couple of series: 1) Saints get called for intentional grounding for a safety and 2) Bears get ball after safety and drive for a TD.

Momentum changed. What changed momentum? The safety.

"So, what caused the safety?" you might ask. I'll be happy to tell you, but you may not like the answer.

It was the decision to try the FG from 47 yards in those conditions. It wasn't even close by the way. If Payton had elected to punt giving the Bears the ball at their 15 or 20 and then supposing that the D still held the Bears to a 3 and out, the Saints would have gotten the ball back around their 35 (more or less). Guess what? There wouldn't have been a safety since the Saints wouldn't have been backed up to their goal line.

The safety changed the momentum. The missed FG changed the field position causing the safety.

I read and heard many times how Payton knew this game was going to be one of field position and when he had it in his favor with the Saints having momentum, he gave it away on the long FG attempt.

I want to be clear that I understand the logic in even attempting the long FG. The Saints had been down 16-0. Putting the Bears down 17-16 would have been demoralizing for them - especially with Grossman playing as bad as he did. It was a tough call and it didn't work out for the Saints, unfortunately.

To suggest that what Bush did caused the swing in momentum is to ignore what happened on the field and to accept as truth that which is being said off the field and after the game.

01-23-2007, 03:42 PM	#11
ScottyRo 1000 Posts + Join Date: Jun 2002 Location: Williamsburg, VA (ugh, the food here) Posts: 1,704	Reggie's taunting and dancing is not what changed the momentum. I know it was big on sports radio yesterday and Bears' players said it fired them up, but what happened in the game shows a different result. Consider the evidence: A) The Bears went 3 and out (I think. They at least punted fairly quickly.) immediately following Reggie's TD; B) When the Saints got the ball back on offense, they moved it down the field pretty easily to the Bears 29; then C) Saints missed a 47 yard FG, but stopped the Bears offense once again and took the ball on the Saints 5. Does any of that look like anything had changed in the Bears' mental state as if they were more fired up after what Reggie did? It doesn't look that way to me. The Saints were still stopping the the Bears O and were moving the ball pretty well themselves against their D. Consider the next couple of series: 1) Saints get called for intentional grounding for a safety and 2) Bears get ball after safety and drive for a TD. Momentum changed. What changed momentum? The safety. "So, what caused the safety?" you might ask. I'll be happy to tell you, but you may not like the answer. It was the decision to try the FG from 47 yards in those conditions. It wasn't even close by the way. If Payton had elected to punt giving the Bears the ball at their 15 or 20 and then supposing that the D still held the Bears to a 3 and out, the Saints would have gotten the ball back around their 35 (more or less). Guess what? There wouldn't have been a safety since the Saints wouldn't have been backed up to their goal line. The safety changed the momentum. The missed FG changed the field position causing the safety. I read and heard many times how Payton knew this game was going to be one of field position and when he had it in his favor with the Saints having momentum, he gave it away on the long FG attempt. I want to be clear that I understand the logic in even attempting the long FG. The Saints had been down 16-0. Putting the Bears down 17-16 would have been demoralizing for them - especially with Grossman playing as bad as he did. It was a tough call and it didn't work out for the Saints, unfortunately. To suggest that what Bush did caused the swing in momentum is to ignore what happened on the field and to accept as truth that which is being said off the field and after the game.