Fake Punt Nearly Cost Us The Game

[Slapstick]

Well, an analogy of sorts, its like the basketball coach that has a 3 point shooter standing 3 feet outside the arc and he gets a pass and starts his shooting motion, the coach is yelling "don't shoot, don't shoot, good shot (after the fade away 3 ball hits all nylon). I was yelling don't fake, don't fake, I wish I was yelling great play afterwards, but I wasn't. Even if the fake punt had worked I believe I would have thought it wasn't the right thing to do, similar to the basketball coach that was happy for the 3 points, but not tickled with the shot.

Pappy

So, it was a good shot then...

If it works, you can call it "risky" or even "dangerous"...and you could easily say the same thing about throwing the ball to Heath Miller on 3rd and 1 at the end of the game...

But, at the end of the day, if it works, we're on here praising the coaching staff about "playing to win"...

When it doesn't, we're second guessing a bad call...

[hawaiiansteel]

But, at the end of the day, if it works, we're on here praising the coaching staff about "playing to win"...

When it doesn't, we're second guessing a bad call...

well stated...$$$$

[MCHammer]

You two numbskulls keep ignoring the fact that several of us have already said we would not be praising the coaching staff regardless of how the play worked out.

[hawaiiansteel]

You two numbskulls keep ignoring the fact that several of us have already said we would not be praising the coaching staff regardless of how the play worked out.

you might not but most people would...

[feltdizz]

some people ALWAYS complain even regardless of the results.

[MCHammer]

And I suppose some people always defend the coach(es) regardless of the decision-making.

I'm not expecting perfection. Tomlin (and Haley) both deserve a ton of credit for how this team has performed down the stretch. But that play was a complete boner and I'll be damned if I'm going to pretend otherwise. If it wasn't for a stripped fumble, we might not be AFCN champs. I hope our coaches don't pull anything like this again.

[papillon]

So, it was a good shot then...

If it works, you can call it "risky" or even "dangerous"...and you could easily say the same thing about throwing the ball to Heath Miller on 3rd and 1 at the end of the game...

But, at the end of the day, if it works, we're on here praising the coaching staff about "playing to win"...

When it doesn't, we're second guessing a bad call...

While throwing it to Heath is risky, its a calculated risk, 3rd and 1, Pro-Bowl QB, and a very good tight end is a lot different than 4th and 9, a punter as QB, a safety as a receiver and everyone in the stadium knowing it was a fake. The risk in that situation was much greater and the reason why so many of us while loving the "playing to win" style, just don't like the call, the personnel or the result as it turns out. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Pappy

[Ghost]

While throwing it to Heath is risky, its a calculated risk, 3rd and 1, Pro-Bowl QB, and a very good tight end is a lot different than 4th and 9, a punter as QB, a safety as a receiver and everyone in the stadium knowing it was a fake. The risk in that situation was much greater and the reason why so many of us while loving the "playing to win" style, just don't like the call, the personnel or the result as it turns out. We'll just have to agree to disagree on this one.

Pappy

This is the exact example I used earlier in this thread. Falcons game, 3rd and 2 and they made a gutsy call to not run and put the games in the hands of the HOF QB and a pro bowl (and long time target) TE. Of course he could have dropped it but the risk was small with a huge reward.

Having your punter who's never thrown a pass try to pick up 9 yards (after the other team has shifted b/c they knew it was a fake) is not gutsy or playing to win. It's fool hardy and a lapse of judgement. Had it worked I would have still hated the call and thought it was dumb luck it worked, not some mastermind at work.

There are plenty of situations and play calls where a fake punt is brilliant. Neither happened in this case. The Steelers are damn lucky the D caused a turnover to bail them out of one of the worst calls Tomlin has ever made.

[Slapstick]

It was a TERRIBLE call...

(...because it failed.)

[Eddie Spaghetti]

This is the exact example I used earlier in this thread. Falcons game, 3rd and 2 and they made a gutsy call to not run and put the games in the hands of the HOF QB and a pro bowl (and long time target) TE. Of course he could have dropped it but the risk was small with a huge reward.

Having your punter who's never thrown a pass try to pick up 9 yards (after the other team has shifted b/c they knew it was a fake) is not gutsy or playing to win. It's fool hardy and a lapse of judgement. Had it worked I would have still hated the call and thought it was dumb luck it worked, not some mastermind at work.

There are plenty of situations and play calls where a fake punt is brilliant. Neither happened in this case. The Steelers are damn lucky the D caused a turnover to bail them out of one of the worst calls Tomlin has ever made.

Exactly. Getting some of these homers to admit Tomlin made a stupid decision is like pulling teeth

Slappy would defend it if it had gotten returned for a TD, you are wasting your breath with this one

[Slapstick]

I never defended it. Not one time. It was a horrible call.

[7 UP]

Not sure if anyone else watched Tomlins press conference. But he pretty much acknowledged that it was a bad call, and that he should have checked out of the play when the Bengals shifted. So even T admitted it was a mistake and took responsibility for it.

The good news is I doubt very highly we see a fake in the playoffs after that debacle. So its good we got it out of our system before the playoffs start.


BTW that was a horrible call whether it worked or not.

[hawaiiansteel]

BTW that was a horrible call whether it worked or not.

yes, it really was a terrible call.

but had it worked, the tv announcers would have been praising Tomlin for making that call...

[Slapstick]

yes, it really was a terrible call.

but had it worked, the tv announcers would have been praising Tomlin for making that call...

As would this board ...

[Steelerphile]

Are people really saying that the team should never try a fake punt ever? I don't agree with that. If it had been better designed and worked, It would have been a good play. You have to keep the other team guessing. No onside kicks either? How about no flea flickers or reverses. No going for it on fourth down either. Just play ultraconservatively.

I would never take the attitude that I hate a play that works. The main problem with this one is that it didn't fool anybody.