The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Personally, I liked the call. And I thought, had Brunell thrown the ball sooner, we would have gotten an easy first down.

Luckily, we were able to get a turnover, but the way our D played all game that call could have cost us the game.

So, what do you think? Was it a good call or bad one?

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

:no:

the real issue was the missed PAT

if we had made that extra point then we would've been up 4 at that point in the game

we could've kicked the FG and been up 7 instead of 3(or 6 if we kicked the FG)

IMO 4th down is for 1 thing.....kicking.....you kick the ball on 4th down.....thats the beauty of having 4 downs instead of 3 like canadian football

3 downs to get a first down and then 4th down to either kick a field goal or punt the ball

im very rarely a fan of going for it unless the game is on the line

terrible call IMO

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I would have preferred to kick a FG and forced them to get in the end zone.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

i thought it was fine...but our game wasn't totally on today so i dunno. either way, i never got TOOOOO nervous during the game except when reggie was on the field so i guess it was a good game.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Agree, and truthfully said it in the chat earlier. Some peeps thought I was nuts, but the way the D played I did not feel safe. I liked it, and it was there. Bad read by the old man

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I liked the call... it was a first down/touchdown had Brunell not been so hesitant. Prior to the field goal unit coming out, I actually wanted us to go for it... so a fake FG didn't bother me at all.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

hhhmmmm...
fake field goal with Brunell attempting to throw a pass to a guard, vs Brees under center throwing to Colston, or Meachem, or Devery, or Thomas, or Shockey...

I don't think so, no...

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I didn't like it, but then again, I didn't like the fact that we were throwing before the 2 minute warning.

2nd down - I think that if we run the ball, we either make the first, or bring the game down the the 2 minute warning, run another play and if we don't make the first we can kick a field goal to go up by 6 leaving them 1:30ish to drive the field.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

anyone thinking that the coaching staff may be looking at Leigh Tinnis from Alabama? :p

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

At first, I disliked the call. But after thinking about it, it was the right call. If we make it and execute it right, we possibly score a TD. If we miss, which we did, it backs up the opponent and they have to go 90 yards for a TD and face a furious pass rush!

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

He does look good..... is his leg strong for out-of-the-endzone kick-offs?

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I didn't mind the call, but I hated the 2 plays before it. Why were we throwing?

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

For most calls like that one, when you execute it and pull it off, you are a hero. We didn't execute it and lived to tell about it. Even if Dinkns had managed to keep both feet inbounds, he was still short of the 1st down marker. Had Brunell tossed it to the tackle-eligable/receiver Nicks, his hands looked like boxing gloves they were so wrapped up; you couldn't even see fingers. That's what we get with Sean Payton - its exciting football and I love it. He mixes it up and it works well into our diverse offense. Skins game: they call timeout to freeze the kicker - Payton sends the offense back out and continues to push down the field: I loved it! Great call then, good call ysterday to go for it. Just don't dip the well dry.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Exactly Scotty, why the hell were we passing the ball if we were trying to make it hard on the Falcons? It would have been one thing if the offense ran 2 more times (forcing all ATL timeouts), getting 4 yards and it were 4th and 3 at the Clowns' 11 - and JEEEZ the freaking 11! and still tried that fake because the odds of making 4th and 3 is 70% better than 4th and 7. But damn, why risk letting them go downfield, tying the game and forcing overtime where we risk losing + injury due to fatigue.

Ridiculous.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Jeebus I hope not! I'll be so glad to see Tiffin gone next year. Guy from straight ahead is money but if it's an angled kick, he always hooks wide.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I didn't like the call. Our kicking game has been suspect for a while, but the percentages were still pretty good that we'd go up by six if we kicked it. That makes Atlanta have to drive for a TD in the two minute drill. I like those odds with Redman. He was tearing us up all day, but he was never under any pressure. Having to score a TD or lose would have unravelled him, I think.

It we make the kick, Hartley gets some experience at pressure-kicking. If we miss the kick, it may tell us we need to look a different way or change our game plan during the playoffs. Of course, maybe in practice the coaches already know he doesn't make that kick - I heard he was having trouble in the pre-game warmups and he DID miss the PAT. If it's that big a problem, we need to go another way NOW. The kicking game is too important in the playoffs.

The entire design of that fake was not exactly genius. Brunell is the best player that has a part in that play, and I don't exactly think of him as "good" any more. Dinkins is a blocking TE and it showed since his route was short of the first down marker. His hands are suspect but I'll give him credit for hauling it in. Of course, he doesn't establish himself on the sideline so its a wash. A pass catching TE does all three things well (route, catch, two-feet-in). The other receiver was Nicks. What are the chances that play works even without the hesitation?

Bad call in my opinion.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I didn't have a problem with the call but a problem with the personnel used in the call. Instead of Nicks going deep how about another TE. Atlanta was selling out for the block and a TE is faster than Nicks and more reliable pass receiver which would have given Brunell the confidence to throw the ball down field.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

You could see that we caught the Falcons off guard and it almost worked. If Dinkins runs that route a little deeper we probably get a first down and run out the clock. I think that's why Brunell hesitated to throw it. Dinkins is just not as solid as a receiver, hypothetically I think David Thomas or Billy Miller gets us that first down.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I like the call.

First off, our kicking game is not suspect. Sure, Hartley doinked an extra point. He shouldn't have, it sucks, but it happens. The only field goal he's missed since he's be activated is the 58 yard one at the end of regulation int he skins game...i can WAY live with that.

Payton had confidence enough in his defense and GW to know that if this thing backfired, they would still come through for us, and they did. This, as opposed to Belicheck, who didn't have enough confidence in his defense to punt the ball from deep in Colts territory with a slim lead.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

I LOVE THE CALL.

I have been waiting for it all season actually. The other one I was hoping to see by now is an unexpected onside kick.

You have to realize that plays set up other plays. As we near the play offs teams had better see that we don't have a problem making those calls. I mean come on we are discussing Payton's play calls... really? This guy is the same guy who calls a double reverse in the red zone. Who does that. Love the man love calling the plays when you least expect it.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Hated it. Take the points.
Good points here. Why weren't they running the ball? Why not make the effort and try for a six point lead? Why the trick play with that personnel?

Hated it.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

It wasn't as bad a call as the Falclowns running a reverse out of the wildcat. LOL. But, it wasn't a good call.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

ditto!

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Mark was meant to run the ball. One of the defenders read it right and Mark was forced to throw it. Heard that on WWL this morning.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

There have been some good arguments made, although I still think he should have kicked it. Morestead was booming the kick offs deep and they would have most likely had a long field to work with and needing a TD to win....I gotta give credit to our defense in the fourth quarter they play tough.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Only problem with that is we didn't have a furious pass rush yesterday. In fact, we didn't have ANY pass rush....even our Chuckie blitz was coming up empty

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Actually Dinkins was wide open ... and probably for a TD too! The problem here was that Brunell did not see it quick enough and Dinkins got "unopen". We needed the quick strike thinking of Brees on that play! That brings to mind, why not have Brees hold on certain kicking plays?

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Run the ball. First down, run Pierre. second down, run Hamilton. third down run reggie. First down and repeat. TD or time expires.

Re: The Fake Field Goal Attempt
 

Loved the call because it caught me and everyone else totally off guard. Brunell bungled the execution but it was a fine call.