Take the win but that fake punt was horrible play calling

[Sgt. Largent]

It was dumb because it was done out of spite. The game was already over at that point. We were up by 21. It accomplished nothing because it didnt lead to more points and the team was in no need of the results. It did get the punter knocked out though. Great call.

This just isn't true, and isn't looking at the big picture. It effectively iced the game. Plain and simple, Pete was going for the kill shot. Was there some wink wink nudge nudge type stuff going on, in regards to the Rams' trick plays in the past? Sure. Was that the motivating reason for the call? I think you would probably have to be crazy to think that was the sole reason Pete called that play there.

Fair enough, it wasn't Pete's SOLE motivation........but being up 24-3, it was certainly part of his motivation.

So apply any percentage you want, it makes it a bad call.

Like I said, if you're gonna call it, make sure you pull Ryan aside before the play and tell him to get the hell down after getting the first down, cause now we're in big trouble if he's out for even one game.

 

[bigtrain21]

If we were only up 13-3? I'm down for a fake punt to try and ice the game. But 24-3 with 5 minutes? That's just a dumb unnecessary play call.

If it was 13-3 I wouldn't have liked the play call. It would have been too risky to give them the ball in that field position. The ball was snapped from the 26 yard line.

Being up 24-3 was the perfect time to call it because we just wanted to milk the clock and if we didn't get it we were in no danger of losing.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

If we were only up 13-3? I'm down for a fake punt to try and ice the game. But 24-3 with 5 minutes? That's just a dumb unnecessary play call.

If it was 13-3 I wouldn't have liked the play call. It would have been too risky to give them the ball in that field position. The ball was snapped from the 26 yard line.

Being up 24-3 was the perfect time to call it because we just wanted to milk the clock and if we didn't get it we were in no danger of losing.

Yeah, calling that play with game still in question would have been idiotic, IMO.

That's when team's call trick plays, when it's a competitive advantage if done successfully. The Ram's assumed what we all assumed, why run a fake punt up 24-3 with 5 minutes left?

To me it's not even about that, it's about why put your punter in danger when you already have the game won? Doesn't make sense. Pete says it's football, but like I said about, kickers are not football players. They're soccer players in pads who you don't want hit.

 

[Bobblehead]

Don't think it was a kill play,
Don't think it cemented the game,
Wasn't Wilson intercepted like the next play or something?

It did however, endanger our punter for no reason at all.
It almost created a turn over.

If we are to put a team away, lets put them away with a solid, time eating drive down the field for a score.. by the offense.

 

[White Devil]

Football isn't for snowflakes.

But kickers are snowflakes, as we found out last night with Ryan looking like a hobo running from the cops with a loaf of bread in his hand.

If we were only up 13-3? I'm down for a fake punt to try and ice the game. But 24-3 with 5 minutes? That's just a dumb unnecessary play call.

The Ginja Ninja isn't a snowflake. He should have slid, but I think for a split second he thought he had a chance to take it to the house. That's why he's awesome! People need to remember that was a kicking ball, which as Tony Romo knows, are pretty damn slick.

The call was to get the first down and chew up some more clock. If the designed play was for Ryan to get concussed while trying to score a TD while up 24-3, then I'd have a problem with it.


You wanna know what unnecessary dumb play calls look like?

Look at the 2 running plays to close out the first half. Nobody was blocking. There was nothing that could have come from those 2 idiotic run plays other than a possible injury to Rawls.

The fact that nobody is going off about those plays shows me it's not about play call situation, but the perception that it was done maliciously to make the Rams look bad. It wasn't. It was to keep the D from unnecessary plays, to run the clock, to keep possession. That's it. You guys think the Patriots wouldn't do that? That's what winning looks like. Sometimes it comes across kinda dicky, but that's what separates pro athletes from the rest of us.

 

[semiahmoo]

Don't think it was a kill play,
Don't think it cemented the game,
Wasn't Wilson intercepted like the next play or something?

It did however, endanger our punter for no reason at all.
It almost created a turn over.

If we are to put a team away, lets put them away with a solid, time eating drive down the field for a score.. by the offense.

WORD.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Look at the 2 running plays to close out the first half. Nobody was blocking. There was nothing that could have come from those 2 idiotic run plays other than a possible injury to Rawls.

The fact that nobody is going off about those plays shows me it's not about play call situation, but the perception that it was done maliciously to make the Rams look bad. It wasn't. It was to keep the D from unnecessary plays, to run the clock, to keep possession. That's it. You guys think the Patriots wouldn't do that? That's what winning looks like. Sometimes it comes across kinda dicky, but that's what separates pro athletes from the rest of us.

We ran the ball twice before the end of the first half cause we wasted our time outs and weren't going to score in less than a minute with no time outs.

Which has been an issue all year, we waste a LOT of time outs not getting plays off and challenging dumb challenges. First two I understand, but the last one with Doug being clearly out before the marker? Why?

 

[White Devil]

Look at the 2 running plays to close out the first half. Nobody was blocking. There was nothing that could have come from those 2 idiotic run plays other than a possible injury to Rawls.

The fact that nobody is going off about those plays shows me it's not about play call situation, but the perception that it was done maliciously to make the Rams look bad. It wasn't. It was to keep the D from unnecessary plays, to run the clock, to keep possession. That's it. You guys think the Patriots wouldn't do that? That's what winning looks like. Sometimes it comes across kinda dicky, but that's what separates pro athletes from the rest of us.

We ran the ball twice before the end of the first half cause we wasted our time outs and weren't going to score in less than a minute with no time outs.

Which has been an issue all year, we waste a LOT of time outs not getting plays off and challenging dumb challenges. First two I understand, but the last one with Doug being clearly out before the marker? Why?

There was 46 seconds left. Why not just kneel the ball and go in for halftime.

That's the point. They weren't going to score. They weren't even going to try, so why hand the ball off (twice!!!) and have the O-Line just stand up and allow Rawls to get gang tackled?

Just kneel the ball.

 

[bigtrain21]

If we were only up 13-3? I'm down for a fake punt to try and ice the game. But 24-3 with 5 minutes? That's just a dumb unnecessary play call.

If it was 13-3 I wouldn't have liked the play call. It would have been too risky to give them the ball in that field position. The ball was snapped from the 26 yard line.

Being up 24-3 was the perfect time to call it because we just wanted to milk the clock and if we didn't get it we were in no danger of losing.

Yeah, calling that play with game still in question would have been idiotic, IMO.

That's when team's call trick plays, when it's a competitive advantage if done successfully. The Ram's assumed what we all assumed, why run a fake punt up 24-3 with 5 minutes left?

To me it's not even about that, it's about why put your punter in danger when you already have the game won? Doesn't make sense. Pete says it's football, but like I said about, kickers are not football players. They're soccer players in pads who you don't want hit.

So in your scenario it is 13-3 and we attempt a fake punt and don't get it. You've now given the Rams the ball in FG range with a chance to get a TD with 5:15 on the clock and 2 timeouts. That is way too risky IMO. I think it's crazy especially when they aren't moving the ball. You want them to have to the longest field to go as you can.

This was a special instance where Pete probably saw a great chance to get a first down and keep the clock moving and he decided to go with it.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

Look at the 2 running plays to close out the first half. Nobody was blocking. There was nothing that could have come from those 2 idiotic run plays other than a possible injury to Rawls.

The fact that nobody is going off about those plays shows me it's not about play call situation, but the perception that it was done maliciously to make the Rams look bad. It wasn't. It was to keep the D from unnecessary plays, to run the clock, to keep possession. That's it. You guys think the Patriots wouldn't do that? That's what winning looks like. Sometimes it comes across kinda dicky, but that's what separates pro athletes from the rest of us.

We ran the ball twice before the end of the first half cause we wasted our time outs and weren't going to score in less than a minute with no time outs.

Which has been an issue all year, we waste a LOT of time outs not getting plays off and challenging dumb challenges. First two I understand, but the last one with Doug being clearly out before the marker? Why?

There was 46 seconds left. Why not just kneel the ball and go in for halftime.

That's the point. They weren't going to score. They weren't even going to try, so why hand the ball off (twice!!!) and have the O-Line just stand up and allow Rawls to get gang tackled?

Just kneel the ball.

Huh?

Cause you never know, Rawls might hit a big run and then things change, you can try and hit another play to get within FG range.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

So in your scenario it is 13-3 and we attempt a fake punt and don't get it. You've now given the Rams the ball in FG range with a chance to get a TD with 5:15 on the clock and 2 timeouts. That is way too risky IMO. I think it's crazy especially when they aren't moving the ball. You want them to have to the longest field to go as you can.

This was a special instance where Pete probably saw a great chance to get a first down and keep the clock moving and he decided to go with it.

Why'd the Ram's run a fake FG in St. Louis in 2012? Game was close.

Why did they onside kick a year later with the game close?

Both those games were close. Map out every trick play in NFL history and I bet 99% of them are when the games close. That's my point.

24-3 with 5 minutes? Dumb.

 

[bigtrain21]

Don't think it was a kill play,
Don't think it cemented the game,
Wasn't Wilson intercepted like the next play or something?

It did however, endanger our punter for no reason at all.
It almost created a turn over.

If we are to put a team away, lets put them away with a solid, time eating drive down the field for a score.. by the offense.

A punt is essentially the same thing as a turnover. You are giving the ball back to the Rams. So if he fumbles it there on the Rams 35 it is the same as a 40 net yard punt.

Your last sentence is exactly what we were trying to do and why we faked a punt and got the first down.

 

[White Devil]

Look at the 2 running plays to close out the first half. Nobody was blocking. There was nothing that could have come from those 2 idiotic run plays other than a possible injury to Rawls.

The fact that nobody is going off about those plays shows me it's not about play call situation, but the perception that it was done maliciously to make the Rams look bad. It wasn't. It was to keep the D from unnecessary plays, to run the clock, to keep possession. That's it. You guys think the Patriots wouldn't do that? That's what winning looks like. Sometimes it comes across kinda dicky, but that's what separates pro athletes from the rest of us.

We ran the ball twice before the end of the first half cause we wasted our time outs and weren't going to score in less than a minute with no time outs.

Which has been an issue all year, we waste a LOT of time outs not getting plays off and challenging dumb challenges. First two I understand, but the last one with Doug being clearly out before the marker? Why?

There was 46 seconds left. Why not just kneel the ball and go in for halftime.

That's the point. They weren't going to score. They weren't even going to try, so why hand the ball off (twice!!!) and have the O-Line just stand up and allow Rawls to get gang tackled?

Just kneel the ball.

Huh?

Cause you never know, Rawls might hit a big run and then things change, you can try and hit another play to get within FG range.

You're kidding right?

Watch those 2 plays again. NOBODY on the field for the Seahawks expected anything to come from those 2 plays.

I understand what you're saying. The first run, with no TO's and :46 on the clock is the heat checker. I'm not sure he even got back to the line of scrimmage. The clock is ticking. They stand around in no rush, snap the ball and hand it to Rawls for a loss of one.

WHY?

Why do you even snap the ball on 2nd down? If he gained 10 or 15 yards on first down, I get it. He didn't. There was NO reason to snap the ball 2nd down and hand it off to Rawls. I'm sorry.

 

[DJrmb]

If Ryan would have slid after getting the 1st down like he was told to do then I doubt we are even having this conversation. It was the right call, unfortunately some things went wrong at the end of it and Ryan got blasted but the call was correct.

People here complain about so many close games and "why we can't just blow someone out" and then get mad when we do what it takes to do just that. For anyone that thinks we should have backed off on offense and taken the foot off the pedal I hope you've never complained about going into "Prevent" defense...

Last thing I will say is that there is no such thing as "rubbing it in" in the NFL. These are all professional teams with equal opportunity. Every team plays with the same rules, the same salary cap, and the same opportunity to compete. This isn't college where you have division 2 teams with a severe disadvantage in recruiting and revenues. There's no mercy rule. There's no handouts in the NFL, you compete until the end, period.

 

[Sgt. Largent]

WHY?

Why do you even snap the ball on 2nd down? If he gained 10 or 15 yards on first down, I get it. He didn't. There was NO reason to snap the ball 2nd down and hand it off to Rawls. I'm sorry.

Cause again, Rawls has ripped off long runs before...........and he's careful with the ball.

So why not try to run and see what happens. What happened was basically two kneel downs anyway, so no need to get excited about it. I get what Pete was trying to do, see if something happened, then go from there.

 

[thegreeninyoureye]

It was a jerk call. There's 6 minutes left and up by 21 points and fake punts are being called? Kick the ball and show some dignity. The only thing that play accomplished was getting Ryan hurt and giving the Rams a reason to take cheap shots. Not needed.

Sorry but I dont agree what if Austin takes it to the house. 5 minutes left down by 14 you never know what could happen. We were not moving the ball on the ground at all. I have seen teams come back from that.

Come on. The horse was dead. No need to keep beating it. If you think the Rams could have scored 14 more points in 5 minutes when they couldnt score all game, I dont know what to say to you.

Hey man u never know! I could give u hundreds of examples of it taking a turn for the worse! Havent we seen are Hawks do the same thing? Lot of teams Have been unable to score or move the ball then bam next thing u know ur asking ur self what the heck happened! That play was the kill shot on the Rams!

 

[jammerhawk]

As fans we routinely blast this team and coaching staff for "playing safe" late in games and "not stepping on their throats."

And then when they take a risk and drive a dagger, we blast them still. It's a no win situation.

As far as who gets credit, a play call like this is on Pete and no one else. Only the head coach gets to decide a play like that.

Critcized for being too conservative, criticized for being too risky, some people are never happy. This place is funny at times.

Seems to me that if the opponent wants to leave a hole that big up the middle I'd be criticizing the team for not taking advantage of it. Wow, this place is never satisfied unless the score is 63-0 and the D has destroyed the opposing QB on every play and intercepted every pass throw.

You play the game to win the game, as the coach has said.

I'm just disapponted Ryan got hammered on the play

 

[Ad Hawk]

As fans we routinely blast this team and coaching staff for "playing safe" late in games and "not stepping on their throats."

And then when they take a risk and drive a dagger, we blast them still. It's a no win situation.

As far as who gets credit, a play call like this is on Pete and no one else. Only the head coach gets to decide a play like that.

Critcized for being too conservative, criticized for being too risky, some people are never happy. This place is funny at times.

Seems to me that if the opponent wants to leave a hole that big up the middle I'd be criticizing the team for not taking advantage of it. Wow, this place is never satisfied unless the score is 63-0 and the D has destroyed the opposing QB on every play and intercepted every pass throw.

You play the game to win the game, as the coach has said.

I'm just disapponted Ryan got hammered on the play

Well said. It seems the buy-in to the Hawks success has given fans the apparent right to make all kind of demands on their team's leadership.

 

[Year of The Hawk]

It was a great play. It worked better than planned. The coach would never tell a player to go down when they have miles of open field open to them. Just dumb. Plus they are not even thinking about that kind of stuff. This is football. If you remember a certain Green Bay player going down after an interception thinking the game was clinched but look what happened.

Pete did not call that play out of spite. The play was there for the taking. It was obvious by how the play worked out. Why do people want to read more into EVERYTHING. It was a good play.

The risk was only from Ryan. He can slide whenever he wanted. Nobody told him to fumble the ball. He got popped. That sucks but it is football. You make plays but you can never plan for every eventuality.

The game is never over until the last second tics off. Get lazy and get caught. Like others (and myself) have said there is no rubbing it in. Stop us if you don't like it. Who cares about the Rams feelings. Just win the damn game.

I was wondering about why the lame run plays before half. They seemed very lazy and half hearted. Maybe they were trying some stuff on the line before half to see how it worked or maybe there was some clock strategy thing going on. If I recall they still had 2-3 time outs left.

 

[hawkfan68]

It was a bad play call being ahead by 21 points but a good play call in the sense everyone was fooled. Look at the green in front of Ryan. If he hadn't bobbled the ball (which was one of the craziest things ever), he had a good chance to possibly even score a TD.