Seattle punted the ball back to Green Bay with 2:41 to play trailing 28-23 on 4th and 11 from the "Packers" 36. That is a long way to go I allow but it is a short time to play and to hope to get the ball back in time to win. As it was the Seattle punter kicked it to far, into the end zone, Green Bay got the ball at their own 25 and moved down to the Seattle 45, 3rd and 9 at the two minute warning. Come back, and Aaron Rodgers picked up the first down. They have now run out the clock.
Didn't there used to be a rule sheet for coaches in fourth downs? If you're here, trailing by this much, with this much time left you a) punt b) go for it. I guess not. Maybe there should be a set of guidelines.
In homicide trial work over almost 40 years now I developed a couple of axioms. One of which was "Never get a brilliant idea in the middle of trial"; that is, stick with your game plan, consult tried and true guidelines, be prudent, avoid rashness for pressure does not improve judgment, it distorts it. Fatigue, mental and physical, makes cowards of us all was an axiom of Vince Lombardi, ex of the "Packers." I did not see before it happened that punting the ball on those facts should have been Seattle's choice. It was not an irrational decision, but it was not the reasonable decision. Perhaps they thought their punter could pin Green Bay down on their own two yard line. Surely, they would not have liked the odds of making a 53 yard field goal but deciding to punt, or kick, violated another tackle football axiom: you don't take the ball out of the hands of your best player and put it on the foot of an idiot punter or kicker and Seattle's best player is their quarterback Russell Wilson. The "Seahawks" violated a football axiom in punting. They should have had Russell Wilson try to pick up the first down. They had three options on that call and chose the wrong one.
I say this not with 20/20 hindsight. I saw the situation before I began this post and started writing it after they had punted. I was writing this criticism as it stands now in the first paragraph without knowing what Green Bay did with the ball. I checked back at the game progress halfway through and by the time I got done the game was over. The remaining paragraphs followed.
My eyesight is 20/400, everyone's eyesight 20/20 in hindsight. On this occasion mine was 20/20 in foresight. It will be sleepless in Seattle tonight. Good night.
Didn't there used to be a rule sheet for coaches in fourth downs? If you're here, trailing by this much, with this much time left you a) punt b) go for it. I guess not. Maybe there should be a set of guidelines.
In homicide trial work over almost 40 years now I developed a couple of axioms. One of which was "Never get a brilliant idea in the middle of trial"; that is, stick with your game plan, consult tried and true guidelines, be prudent, avoid rashness for pressure does not improve judgment, it distorts it. Fatigue, mental and physical, makes cowards of us all was an axiom of Vince Lombardi, ex of the "Packers." I did not see before it happened that punting the ball on those facts should have been Seattle's choice. It was not an irrational decision, but it was not the reasonable decision. Perhaps they thought their punter could pin Green Bay down on their own two yard line. Surely, they would not have liked the odds of making a 53 yard field goal but deciding to punt, or kick, violated another tackle football axiom: you don't take the ball out of the hands of your best player and put it on the foot of an idiot punter or kicker and Seattle's best player is their quarterback Russell Wilson. The "Seahawks" violated a football axiom in punting. They should have had Russell Wilson try to pick up the first down. They had three options on that call and chose the wrong one.
I say this not with 20/20 hindsight. I saw the situation before I began this post and started writing it after they had punted. I was writing this criticism as it stands now in the first paragraph without knowing what Green Bay did with the ball. I checked back at the game progress halfway through and by the time I got done the game was over. The remaining paragraphs followed.
My eyesight is 20/400, everyone's eyesight 20/20 in hindsight. On this occasion mine was 20/20 in foresight. It will be sleepless in Seattle tonight. Good night.
