Riverboat Strikes Again

[Peppers90 NC]

Anyone else thinking that punting at the two minute warning with only two timeouts down by three was one of the gutsiest, riskiest calls of the year?  Compare that to going for 4th and 10 a few weeks back vs Miami, similar offensive struggles during the game and this time we punt on 4th and like 6.  

[PhillyB]

not really, it was pretty logical considering how well our defense had been playing. instead of giving the offense one fourth-down shot to make something happen, it's a safe bet the defense will get you the ball back and then you've got a kick return and at minimum four more shots to get into the end zone or FG range.

 

great call

[L-TownCat]

not really, it was pretty logical considering how well our defense had been playing. instead of giving the offense one fourth-down shot to make something happen, it's a safe bet the defense will get you the ball back and then you've got a kick return and at minimum four more shots to get into the end zone or FG range.

great call

It was the right call Phil you are correct in that, but it takes a man with ice in his veins and the patience of a saint to make that call. I think that more coaches would have been too frightened of Brees and Co to give the ball away in that scenario.

[Peppers90 NC]

it was the right call especially since it worked, doesnt mean it wasn't gutsy or risky, one first down ends the game.  didnt see the other thread made on same subject

[lightsout]

I think going for it was the right call, so yeah, I consider it a gamble to punt. However, I think Rivera said initially that the plan was to punt it faster so we could use the 2 minute warning as a timeout. That didn't happen because the offense took it's time coming off the field, expecting to go for it.

I just hope Rivera doesn't get in the habit of punting it in those situations and relying on the same outcome. Because had Brees converted on 3rd and we didn't get the ball back, we lose.

[Cary Kollins]

It was like Rivera played a Jedi mind trick on Payton or something.

 

Payton is one of the most aggressive coaches in the NFL (onside kick wtf?!)....and Rivera basically dared him to try to get a first down.  Payton cowered and took the ball out of his Hall-of-Fame QB's hands and we know the rest.

 

Well played Rivera. 

[King Schit]

I've grown to trust Rivera's game management this season. You can say it made since because the defense had a good showing all day, but let's be real. No one would've been surprised if The Drew Breeds(as much as we hate him) would've carved us up after the punt. Everyone would've blamed RR, but I would've blamed the OL or Shula. Not even Gambit wins every bet.

[panther4life]

Punting was the right call but using the first timeout when he did had me furious but oh well it worked out

[jtm]

It was a mistake and RR got lucky bc we won. The only logic in punting is if we could get the punt off prior to the two minute warning which we didn't do. Betting on the best offense in the NFL to not get a first down isn't wise. Peyton saved us bc he got ultra conservative.

[nosuchthingasapanther]

It was a mistake and RR got lucky bc we won. The only logic in punting is if we could get the punt off prior to the two minute warning which we didn't do. Betting on the best offense in the NFL to not get a first down isn't wise. Peyton saved us bc he got ultra conservative.

 

it wasn't a mistake.

 

rivera wasn't betting on one of the best offenses in the league to not get a first down, he was betting on one of the best defenses in the league to not allow it.

 

the offense was playing like hot garbage, the defense was lights out. chances of the offense picking up the first was slim to none. they hadn't converted a 3rd down all game. punt the ball, trust the defense. if the defense holds, you then have in fact 2 chances to score...on special teams and on offense.

 

surprisingly, the offense got it's head out of it's ass and realized there was a game going on.

[jtm]

it wasn't a mistake.

rivera wasn't betting on one of the best offenses in the league to not get a first down, he was betting on one of the best defenses in the league to not allow it.

the offense was playing like hot garbage, the defense was lights out. chances of the offense picking up the first was slim to none. they hadn't converted a 3rd down all game. punt the ball, trust the defense. if the defense holds, you then have in fact 2 chances to score...on special teams and on offense.

surprisingly, the offense got it's head out of it's ass and realized there was a game going on.

Betting on a team that has already gotten 20 first downs to not get another v the Panthers converting 77% of their 4th downs. Say what you want, but RR got lucky and he even stated in an interview he was hoping to get the punt off before the 2 minute warning.

[Sasquatch]

Out of 12 Sants' drives to that point, we had held to 3 and out 3 times. Had the Saints got 1 first down, it was over. 

[Krucid]

It was a mistake and RR got lucky bc we won. The only logic in punting is if we could get the punt off prior to the two minute warning which we didn't do. Betting on the best offense in the NFL to not get a first down isn't wise. Peyton saved us bc he got ultra conservative.

 

I think the only reason Payton went conservative was because our offense had basically done dick all for most of the game.

 

He figured his defense would stop us.

[dugbug]

not really, it was pretty logical considering how well our defense had been playing. instead of giving the offense one fourth-down shot to make something happen, it's a safe bet the defense will get you the ball back and then you've got a kick return and at minimum four more shots to get into the end zone or FG range.

great call

No way you said that when the punt team came on.