Thoughts on Going for it on 4th down in the 3rd

bbourque5 · 09-09-2011, 08:58 AM

Sean Payton is a great coach, and I rarely question any of his play calling. That being said, I do not understand why we went for it on 4th down in the 3rd quarter when we were only down by 8. We had just scored twice in the 3rd quarter, a field goal would have been our 3rd score; we also stopped Green Bay's offense with a 3-and-out. Instead of carrying that momentum into the 4th quarter, we shot ourself in the foot. Even if we were to convert on 4th down and get a 1st down or score, I do not like that call at that particular point in the game given we were only down by 8 and we had the momentum. I swear it seemed like some of Les Miles's stupidity creeped into Payton's head on that one. I still think Payton is a great coach, and I'm not saying we need to fire the guy or that he does not call a good game (i.e., I am not writing a panic post). I just want to know if you guys agree with me or think I'm a ra-tard. Was that a poor play calling?

Budsdrinker · 09-09-2011, 09:10 AM

All coaches handbooks tell you to take the 3 points on the road. But at that time in the game we were running the ball pretty good and that was just a bad play call. That should have been a QB sneek not a roll out pass. I liked the go for it mentality just not the play that was called.

papz · 09-09-2011, 09:19 AM

I didn't have an issue with going for it either... I did with the playcalling though.

I was saying in the chat room before I left(I'm bad luck)... sneak sneak.

Oh well.

Saint_LB · 09-09-2011, 09:33 AM

I wanted them to go for it, but if I knew they were going to dial-up that play...I woulda wanted them to go for the 3. It's really hard to be too down on them, though, because earlier in the game when we had a 3rd and 1, we hit Meach for 6...but that was 3rd down.

Maverick2299 · 09-09-2011, 09:37 AM

They needed to go for it, but the pass was a interesting call. I agree with the sneak or even go back to the run. O well it is what it is.

Ashley · 09-09-2011, 09:43 AM

Always will second guess a call like that doesn't go your way. But I have to agree with anyone who would have gone for the three right there.
We just stopped them, we could have closed the gap, and being on the road against the Superbowl champs? That just what I think we should have done.

SaintsBro · 09-09-2011, 09:44 AM

At first I thought it was a terrible move, then an hour or so later after the game I saw it for what it was, and I completely changed my mind. It was the right call, because at that point in the game Payton had no choice left but to go for it.

Conventional wisdom says you take the 3 points (and by the way, ol' man Kasay did look pretty solid), and then you're down by only 5. BUT, in last night's game, that 3 points is meaningless, because all night long we saw that the Saints defense COULD NOT STOP THEIR OFFENSE AT ALL. They Saints D had absolutely no answer for anything that Green Bay did on offense. So Kasay kicks the field goal there, it doesn't matter -- the Packers still get the ball back on the kickoff and at that point it already might as well have been 42-30 instead of 35-30. The Saints defense was so non-existent, and so poor, and gave up so many easy touchdowns, that it changed the way the offense had to play, and changed the calls that Payton could make on offense. For the field goal to make any difference, it would have required the defense to MAKE A STOP or GET THE BALL BACK, and by the third quarter of last night everyone with eyeballs could see, the Saints defense were clearly incapable of doing either of those things.

With the tissue paper defense they had out there last night, the only way the Saints could have won this game IMHO was to score a touchdown on every single possession, have zero turnovers, and have the ball last.

Srgt. Hulka · 09-09-2011, 09:51 AM

That play is where I lost it. I also wanted them to go for it. Even posted it on chat. But as they were lining up, I told my wife that they should go for three, because it would put them within 5 points of Green Bay, and a touchdown would put them ahead. Then they called that stupid play action, or whatever the hell that was. I frikkin blew a gasket. The same exact play they tried on the drive before and lost 20 yards on, and almost got Drew killed. I don't even remember the next 10 or 15 minutes after that play.

NOS2SB · 09-09-2011, 10:18 AM

We make it, he's a hero. We don't, the call is questioned. That's life.

bbourque5 · 09-09-2011, 10:35 AM

Originally Posted by NOS2SB

We make it, he's a hero. We don't, the call is questioned. That's life.

Sorry buddy but I have to disagree with you somewhat on this one. Of course if we make it he's a hero, but I would still question the call. These two things are not mutually exclusive.

Of course the average fan was probably yelling go for it, but Sean Payton is not a fan, he is a coach (he manages the team) and he has to do on the spot risk analysis. If you're going to go for it, you better have a better play that what we had. I'm not saying better play as in more creative, I mean a better play as in a high probability play. We were already in a bad place; going for it on 4th down when you're only down by 8 at the end of the third quarter is a huge risk, why make the risk even bigger with a bonehead play call.

09-09-2011, 08:58 AM	#1
bbourque5 Registered Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 49	Thoughts on Going for it on 4th down in the 3rd Sean Payton is a great coach, and I rarely question any of his play calling. That being said, I do not understand why we went for it on 4th down in the 3rd quarter when we were only down by 8. We had just scored twice in the 3rd quarter, a field goal would have been our 3rd score; we also stopped Green Bay's offense with a 3-and-out. Instead of carrying that momentum into the 4th quarter, we shot ourself in the foot. Even if we were to convert on 4th down and get a 1st down or score, I do not like that call at that particular point in the game given we were only down by 8 and we had the momentum. I swear it seemed like some of Les Miles's stupidity creeped into Payton's head on that one. I still think Payton is a great coach, and I'm not saying we need to fire the guy or that he does not call a good game (i.e., I am not writing a panic post). I just want to know if you guys agree with me or think I'm a ra-tard. Was that a poor play calling?
bbourque5 Registered Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 49

09-09-2011, 09:33 AM	#4
Saint_LB Deuce Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 2,894	I wanted them to go for it, but if I knew they were going to dial-up that play...I woulda wanted them to go for the 3. It's really hard to be too down on them, though, because earlier in the game when we had a 3rd and 1, we hit Meach for 6...but that was 3rd down.
Saint_LB Deuce Join Date: Sep 2004 Posts: 2,894

09-09-2011, 09:51 AM	#8
Srgt. Hulka 1000 Posts + Join Date: Dec 2009 Location: Shreveport, LA Posts: 4,417	That play is where I lost it. I also wanted them to go for it. Even posted it on chat. But as they were lining up, I told my wife that they should go for three, because it would put them within 5 points of Green Bay, and a touchdown would put them ahead. Then they called that stupid play action, or whatever the hell that was. I frikkin blew a gasket. The same exact play they tried on the drive before and lost 20 yards on, and almost got Drew killed. I don't even remember the next 10 or 15 minutes after that play.
	That whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends, it is the Right of the People to alter or to abolish it, and to institute new Government, ...

09-09-2011, 10:18 AM	#9
NOS2SB Shampoo Join Date: May 2011 Location: Heidelberg, Germany Posts: 454	We make it, he's a hero. We don't, the call is questioned. That's life. strato, homerj07 and MorningWood like this.

09-09-2011, 10:35 AM	#10
bbourque5 Registered Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 49	Originally Posted by NOS2SB We make it, he's a hero. We don't, the call is questioned. That's life. Sorry buddy but I have to disagree with you somewhat on this one. Of course if we make it he's a hero, but I would still question the call. These two things are not mutually exclusive. Of course the average fan was probably yelling go for it, but Sean Payton is not a fan, he is a coach (he manages the team) and he has to do on the spot risk analysis. If you're going to go for it, you better have a better play that what we had. I'm not saying better play as in more creative, I mean a better play as in a high probability play. We were already in a bad place; going for it on 4th down when you're only down by 8 at the end of the third quarter is a huge risk, why make the risk even bigger with a bonehead play call.
bbourque5 Registered Join Date: Aug 2011 Posts: 49

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09-09-2011, 09:10 AM	#2
Budsdrinker A Cajun Transforming TX Join Date: Jul 2007 Location: The Woodlands, Texas Posts: 2,787	All coaches handbooks tell you to take the 3 points on the road. But at that time in the game we were running the ball pretty good and that was just a bad play call. That should have been a QB sneek not a roll out pass. I liked the go for it mentality just not the play that was called.

09-09-2011, 09:19 AM	#3
papz Problem? Join Date: Jan 2005 Location: New Orleans Posts: 11,754	I didn't have an issue with going for it either... I did with the playcalling though. I was saying in the chat room before I left(I'm bad luck)... sneak sneak. Oh well.

09-09-2011, 09:37 AM	#5
Maverick2299 100th Post Join Date: Apr 2011 Location: VA Posts: 368	They needed to go for it, but the pass was a interesting call. I agree with the sneak or even go back to the run. O well it is what it is.

09-09-2011, 09:43 AM	#6
Ashley Site Donor Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Colorado Springs Co Posts: 2,760	Always will second guess a call like that doesn't go your way. But I have to agree with anyone who would have gone for the three right there. We just stopped them, we could have closed the gap, and being on the road against the Superbowl champs? That just what I think we should have done.

09-09-2011, 09:44 AM	#7
SaintsBro Site Donor Join Date: Sep 2010 Location: in line with my ridiculous CLEAR PLASTIC BAG Posts: 3,650 Blog Entries: 3	At first I thought it was a terrible move, then an hour or so later after the game I saw it for what it was, and I completely changed my mind. It was the right call, because at that point in the game Payton had no choice left but to go for it. Conventional wisdom says you take the 3 points (and by the way, ol' man Kasay did look pretty solid), and then you're down by only 5. BUT, in last night's game, that 3 points is meaningless, because all night long we saw that the Saints defense COULD NOT STOP THEIR OFFENSE AT ALL. They Saints D had absolutely no answer for anything that Green Bay did on offense. So Kasay kicks the field goal there, it doesn't matter -- the Packers still get the ball back on the kickoff and at that point it already might as well have been 42-30 instead of 35-30. The Saints defense was so non-existent, and so poor, and gave up so many easy touchdowns, that it changed the way the offense had to play, and changed the calls that Payton could make on offense. For the field goal to make any difference, it would have required the defense to MAKE A STOP or GET THE BALL BACK, and by the third quarter of last night everyone with eyeballs could see, the Saints defense were clearly incapable of doing either of those things. With the tissue paper defense they had out there last night, the only way the Saints could have won this game IMHO was to score a touchdown on every single possession, have zero turnovers, and have the ball last.