Everybody upset because Payton didn't take his foot off the gas with 15 mins left in the game. The Saints were up 45-10 last season when they played Detroit and took their foot off the gas with 15 mins left in the game. They very nearly lost, with a 35 point lead. I guess Payton said he wasn't making that mistake again. He did absolutely right. Pedal to the metal for almost the entire game.

I see it like this.

The Eagles were still going for it on 4th down instead of punting, they did it once just a short while before this play particular happened, and they did it again another time, just after. If the Eagles had decided to cautiously punt the ball, earlier in the game, then maybe Payton would have considered dialing it back a notch and punting as well.

I'm all for having gentleman's agreements between coaches and players not to embarrass each other or run up the score cruelly, I get that, but you can't have one team taking their foot off the gas and coasting while the other team is still out there gambling and balling and running the shotgun hurry up offense, going for it on 4th down to try and get back in the game. BOTH teams and coaches have to send signals and make that gentleman's agreement, to dial it back and not run up the score. That's how it works.

It's like the fight scene in Cool Hand Luke, when people are yelling "Stay down! Stay down!" If the Eagles had stayed down, if THEY had punted the ball, before that series, then I'm quite sure Payton would have done the same and the game would have mellowed out. But it doesn't work like that -- if only one team goes into "gentleman sportsman" mode and the other team is still out there kicking and clawing. THEY SHOULD HAVE PULLED WENTZ AND PUT IN FOLES, and I'm quite sure that Payton would have called off the dogs. But they didn't.

Cool Hand Luke Stay Down Luke - YouTube