Hauschka didn't want to take the long kick.

“I didn’t really want to kick it, to tell you the truth,” Hauschka said, via Tom Rock of Newsday. “It was into the wind . . . I didn’t think it was the right decision and I let coach Carroll know that.”

Click to expand...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... kearse-td/

Hauschka was absolutely correct and I love that he gave it to Carroll straight in that spot. I hated that we blew a timeout in that situation, but obviously the whole thing worked out better than expected; going for it was absolutely the mathematically correct thing to do in that spot, and while I didn't expect it to somehow go for a TD as it did, I would have supported the changed call by Carroll no matter what had happened.

Tip of the cap to Hauschka for speaking up in this spot. Probably a pretty rare kicker to actually talk his coach out of going for a big field goal in that spot.

Agreed. It was the right decision. What I did not agree with, was going for it on 4th an goal against a SF defense that stopped Carolina 7 times on the goal line. A field goal would have made it a 26-17 game and thus saved me having a near heart attack in the final 2 minutes of the game.

Seahaaaawks":308krcro said:

Agreed. It was the right decision. What I did not agree with, was going for it on 4th an goal against a SF defense that stopped Carolina 7 times on the goal line. A field goal would have made it a 26-17 game and thus saved me having a near heart attack in the final 2 minutes of the game.

Click to expand...

Going for it on 4th and goal from the 1 was absolutely correct. Statistically you make it in 68% of the time leaguewide, and while I agree that the number may be a bit lower against as stiff of a defense as SF's, the actual probability is still going to be north of 50%. Add to that the benefit of going up two scores in that spot and all but icing the game right on the spot and I fully support Pete Carroll's attempt to go for the kill shot there.

And admittedly in hindsight, since we won, I'm glad that we didn't benefit from the terrible fumble call that left us on the 1 with any points since nobody (nobody with credibility anyway) can say now that the win was anything but well-deserved.

Well my thought was a field goal puts us up by 9 and they would need to score on two possessions rather than us being up by 6. Regardless of 30-17 or 26-17 still a two possession game. Yes it made it more tense and I almost had a panic attack.

Props to Hauschka. I think he's a great kicker but I didn't want him to take that kick - I'm glad he didn't want to take it either.

I'm sure the fist pounding against my chest is the only thing that saved me during this time!

Re the 4th & goal, from memory (& it's all still a bit of a daze) we were only 20-17 ahead at that point with plenty time on the clock so going for it was the right thing to do at the time. I was cursing the aggression of PC when they were driving at 17-23 thinking if only we'd kicked for 3 but that's what you get with agrees dive coaching, they turn 4th & 7 into 7 earlier!!

Brithawk38":3nf070yq said:

Re the 4th & goal, from memory (& it's all still a bit of a daze) we were only 20-17 ahead at that point with plenty time on the clock so going for it was the right thing to do at the time. I was cursing the aggression of PC when they were driving at 17-23 thinking if only we'd kicked for 3 but that's what you get with agrees dive coaching, they turn 4th & 7 into 7 earlier!!

Click to expand...

This is correct. If we kicked the FG we would have been up six just as we were on the next possession. Remember Lynch fumbled on that play after the miss on Bowman's fumble take away. In the end the missed call helped San Fran as they got it on the 15 instead of half yard line.

Where we blew it was Irvin not blocking like ET on the Bennett fumble return. Watch that play again. Had Irvin used his head and blocked Bennett scores easy. This would have put us up 10 not had us settle for the FG that at this time put us up six with 3 and a half to play.

Amazing game. Go Hawks!!

Ahh yeah guess I got it backwards... Beer will do that. I was thinking the fumble at the 1 yard line was with 3 minutes left or so, then the niners got the ball at the 15 and started their drive... I should watch the game again, would be like a whole new game all over again! Ha!

I don't know, none of this really rings true to me. Kickers don't get a ton of chances at 50+ yarders and normally they relish the opportunity. Have you ever heard of a kicker going out, hesitating, wasting a timeout, then second-guessing his coach and telling him to go for it instead of kick it? A kicker? Here's my crazy theory: they were planning a fake field goal, but didn't like what they saw from the 49er defense and decided against it at the last minute. Then they came up with this nonsense story to not give away their hand. Who knows, maybe now they can bust out the fake fg they've been saving in the SB. At least, that's just my crackpot theory.

MidwestHawker":ck9zspgv said:

“I didn’t really want to kick it, to tell you the truth,” Hauschka said, via Tom Rock of Newsday. “It was into the wind . . . I didn’t think it was the right decision and I let coach Carroll know that.”

Click to expand...

http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/20 ... kearse-td/

Hauschka was absolutely correct and I love that he gave it to Carroll straight in that spot. I hated that we blew a timeout in that situation, but obviously the whole thing worked out better than expected; going for it was absolutely the mathematically correct thing to do in that spot, and while I didn't expect it to somehow go for a TD as it did, I would have supported the changed call by Carroll no matter what had happened.

Tip of the cap to Hauschka for speaking up in this spot. Probably a pretty rare kicker to actually talk his coach out of going for a big field goal in that spot.

Click to expand...

Totally agree and it's one of the coolest things to occur this entire season, IMO. Every kicker wants the big stage and that huge opportunity...even if in his heart he feels success is iffy. Haushcha's call speaks volumes about him, Pete and the unity of this team. And props to Wilson for causing the jump, identifying the flag and pulling the trigger. And again, Jermaine Kearse, who frustrated me so much at the Dub, comes through with yet another clutch catch. Never loved a team the way I love this one.

bigwrm":xov4s3pl said:

I don't know, none of this really rings true to me. Kickers don't get a ton of chances at 50+ yarders and normally they relish the opportunity. Have you ever heard of a kicker going out, hesitating, wasting a timeout, then second-guessing his coach and telling him to go for it instead of kick it? A kicker? Here's my crazy theory: they were planning a fake field goal, but didn't like what they saw from the 49er defense and decided against it at the last minute. Then they came up with this nonsense story to not give away their hand. Who knows, maybe now they can bust out the fake fg they've been saving in the SB. At least, that's just my crackpot theory.

Click to expand...

No way they were going for a fake FG. Hauschka wasn't even in position to kick the ball, he was just standing there looking back and forth to sideline and the clock. No defense would fall for that.

Honestly, I think Hauschka thought they were going to take a delay and punt it, as that's what it looked like.