I don't like the shotgun on 3rd and 3. No issue with going for the kick, but why not run the ball on 3rd and 3 to take time off the clock (or make TB use a timeout). Maybe you get it or maybe you get a yard or two making either the kick easier or an easier 4th down play to go for it. Shotgun on 3rd and 3 was the bigger issue with the play calling that I had at the end.
I didn’t have an issue with it. They were playing for the first down, and Meyers was wide open; if not for the tip, it’s an easy first down. How many running plays last night got them 3 yards? The O-line was hurting and Mac needed all the time he could get
Even if you only get a yard, you force Tampa to use a time out, and then you either make the kick easier or the 4th down attempt easier. With a minute left in the game, you run the ball there, if you are intending to kick the FG. If you are going to go for it on 4th down no matter what, then I don't have an issue with a shotgun attempt on 3rd down. I just don't like the collective decision making on those two plays. It didn't make sense.
Had the Patriots had a positive run all night? A yard might have been asking for too much
Ok, so they just get 0, but at least Tampa has to use a time out, so if Folk does actually make the kick, the Bucs have 1 less time out. They could also make sure the ball was exactly where Folk wanted it to be. What if Folk preferred the other hash mark (as an example)? I just think if they were going to kick the ball, they should have run it. If they were going to go for it on 4th down, I have no issue with the pass, it was just the collective decision on the two plays I thought was mishandled.
Or they lose a yard or two if they run the ball making the field goal even longer in the rain. Running the ball and giving up any chance of making the 1st down would have been a really poor decision.
Except they didn't go for it on 4th down, they attempted the FG. That is my point.
Passing on 3rd down was the correct choice regardless of what they were going to do on 4th down.
I just disagree with that completely. You run, you force Tampa to take a time out. That easily could have been the difference in winning or losing. And if you can't trust your OL and run game to not go negative, then your team stinks and you might as well write the season off.
We clearly couldn't run against that defensive line, which is why we shouldn't have run in that situation.
4 hand offs to the RB the whole game is no way to tell if they could or couldn't run. You actually have to try to run the ball to make that determination. That is of course a different issue then the end of the game. If you were going to kick a FG on 4th down in that spot, then you needed to run the ball on 3rd down and make Tampa use a time out, if not getting the ball closer or in the exact spot the kicker wants the ball or I don't maybe getting the 1st down.
And frankly kicking the FG is a huge indictment on what they think of Mac Jones at this point in time. I mean they chose to kick a 56 yard FG instead of going for it on 4th down. Think about this: Folk hasn't made a FG of 55 yards or more since 2015 or 2016. He was just 3 of 9 from that distance in his career. He was banged up. It was raining and windy. And even if he makes the kick you give Tom Brady the ball with about a minute left and only needing a FG. Yet that was a better option than trying for 3 yards with Mac Jones.
You realize mac Jones outplayed Brady in this game?
If the Patriots had Tom Brady do they go for it on 4th and 3?
That you have to ask this question shows your lack of football knowledge. It didn't matter who was playing QB. The decision was made because given the way the offensive line was playing for the Pats and the way the defensive line was playing for the Bucs, the correct coaching decision while in FG range with little time on the clock is to kick the FG. Folk missed by 6 inches. It happens.
But it doesn't change the fact that it was the correct decision no matter who was playing QB. If it's a 4th and 1 and your line is playing well, you go QB sneak. But 4th and 3, you kick that FG every time.
except there are analytics that said going for it on 4th down had a higher chance to win the game then attempting the FG. The kick alone was less than 50% to be made and then the Bucs would have still had a minute needing only like 40 yards with 2 time outs. The Pats had over a 50% chance to make the 4th down. That made it the better call to win the game, yet they didn't do it. With a more seasoned QB, I absolutely believe they go for it and you know they would have as well. That said, if they were going to kick they should have run the ball on the 3rd down. They could have at a minimum ensured the kick location and forced Tampa to take a time out increasing their chance to win if the kick is made by reducing Tampa's odds.
Those numbers mean nothing without context. The Pats had the best kicker in the game over the last 20 regular season games and Folk had hit his last 35 straight field goals. They also had an injury riddle offensive line that was getting dominated by the Bucs defensive line. Those two facts mean you throw the % numbers right out the window.
As for running for it on 3rd down, the most likely outcome, given how the Pats ran the ball all game, was a loss of yardage making the field goal attempt even longer. Even a kneel down loses you 1 to 1-1/2 yards. You didn't need to make the kicker's job even harder.
And as I said, who was playing QB made no difference. If you actually watched the Pats over the last 20 years, you would have seen that Belichick consistently would hand over the game to the best kicker in the game to win the game with a kick on 4th down late in games if the FG was in range, and that was with Brady at QB.
So no, I don't know if the Pats had a more experienced QB they would have gone for it, because that's not how Belichick coaches. Who was playing QB made no difference in the decision of whether to kick or not. That's not the way Belichick works.
