6 years ago today.....

[BASF]

Shouldn't have thrown the ball or blown a 10 point lead, but then again the Packers shouldn't have blown a 12 point lead with less than 4 minutes left in the NFC Championship game.

Throwing the ball isn't an inherently bad move there. Everyone expected Lynch to get the ball so you can get the DBs to take a bad step or two with a good play action. Plus you've got the most mobile QB in the league at the time that's a threat to run it in. Play action bootleg fools the D at first. Russ is on the move and if the D sticks to their receivers he has a chance to run in. If they break off and go for him, someone is open. If it's a busted play then you sail it out of the endzone and you have time for 2-3 more plays. Motion your RB out of the backfield so there's no play action? Count on picking a LB masquerading as a CB? Throw it into the middle third of the field to a 5th string, undrafted WR who is only on the team because of special teams?

I got no problem with passing the ball there. It would've neatly taken advantage of conventional wisdom. But running that play to that side of the field to that WR... not how you become a dynasty. And we saw how that play eroded the team, especially on the defensive side. Any time you have Kam and Avril even talking about it, you know it's serious.

The biggest issue was running the play they did. We only run one route out of that formation. Anyone who watches film knows that, and of course Browner who probably practiced against that play hundreds of times with us definitely knew it. This is the major failure of Darrell Bevell and why he should have been fired, if he had modified that play from that formation to a flat route by Lockette with Browner shoving Kearse into Butler has an easy pitch and catch from Wilson with no one within five yards of Lockette. The team is ecstatic and maybe we keep it together for a few more seasons and win more than just those two Super Bowls.

 

[AROS]

Or throw it up to, oh I don't know, that 10ft freak of nature that was catching everything thrown in his zip code and who was destined to be MVP that game (Chris Matthews)?

It's never been the play call per se for me. It's WHO they threw it to versus who they didn't.

 

[HawkRiderFan]

Or throw it up to, oh I don't know, that 10ft freak of nature that was catching everything thrown in his zip code and who was destined to be MVP that game (Chris Matthews)?

It's never been the play call per se for me. It's WHO they threw it to versus who they didn't.

I agree with you and the 3 or so others who have said this. It just doesn't seem to matter though. Noone wants to hear it...I guess it's a better story to just keep saying "should have run the ball".

Anyone else haunted just as much by 2 other plays in that game? Late in the third quarter a deep corner route to Kearse on third down. It was right there and he couldn't hang on. He makes that catch it's first down inside the Pats 20 with a 10 point lead and all the momentum. Then on the Pats first fourth quarter drive, having them 3rd and > 10 after a sack and having them convert to Edelmen. I honestly believe if one of those two plays are made (Kearse catch or 3rd down stop) Hawks win and it's not even a nail biter

 

[SoulfishHawk]

Absolutely. And again, NOT a loss because of one play.

 

[AROS]

Anyone else haunted just as much by 2 other plays in that game? Late in the third quarter a deep corner route to Kearse on third down. It was right there and he couldn't hang on. He makes that catch it's first down inside the Pats 20 with a 10 point lead and all the momentum. Then on the Pats first fourth quarter drive, having them 3rd and > 10 after a sack and having them convert to Edelmen. I honestly believe if one of those two plays are made (Kearse catch or 3rd down stop) Hawks win and it's not even a nail biter

I absolutely agree. Those were HUGE plays had we converted it may never have come down to that fateful play.

 

[chris98251]

Anyone else haunted just as much by 2 other plays in that game? Late in the third quarter a deep corner route to Kearse on third down. It was right there and he couldn't hang on. He makes that catch it's first down inside the Pats 20 with a 10 point lead and all the momentum. Then on the Pats first fourth quarter drive, having them 3rd and > 10 after a sack and having them convert to Edelmen. I honestly believe if one of those two plays are made (Kearse catch or 3rd down stop) Hawks win and it's not even a nail biter

I absolutely agree. Those were HUGE plays had we converted it may never have come down to that fateful play.

Lockette was not as open it was a tight squeeze if even on target, but Lynch was wide open going the other way in the flat, a floater to him and one guy to beat, I don't think anyone would have stopped Lynch, maybe not any two people in that situation.

 

[TAB420]

Also, running it from the goal line resulted in a fumble the year before in the NFCC game. If that play is so automatic then why did it take Sherman's "the tip" play to dodge a late game TD that almost cost us getting to the Superbowl?