Super Bowl XLIV Gameday Thread: Saints vs. Colts

[53Fan]

60 year old rock stars trying to recapture their youth is kinda sad really. Maybe good for a 70's or 80's retro tour but that's about it.

[MTK]

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

[skinsfan_nn]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

If it weren't for that gutsy play calling. You know start of second half on side kick (BIG MOMENTUM) shift.

The outcome could have very well been different. The D was also in attack mode all game, Gregg was sending the kitchen sink.

[53Fan]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

Coaching was key in this game and Sean Payton won hands down. I was disappointed the Colts sent Stover out for the 51 yard FG. He's not very good from long distance anymore and I thought the Colts would have been better off going for it or punting for field position.

[MTK]

Originally Posted by 53Fan

Coaching was key in this game and Sean Payton won hands down. I was disappointed the Colts sent Stover out for the 51 yard FG. He's not very good from long distance anymore and I thought the Colts would have been better off going for it or punting for field position.

Yeah I don't think the Colts did anything to match NO's aggressiveness, and they clearly needed to in some spots. Stover doesn't have the range anymore for 50+, I thought they should have gone for it.

[wilsowilso]

Originally Posted by Mattyk

Back on the game for a sec I loved how aggressive Sean Payton was.

I think if someone said that onside kick was the gutsiest call they had ever seen in their entire lifetime I don't think I would be interested in arguing with them. It is just insane how much of a risk/reward calculation that play call was.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by wilsowilso

I think if someone said that onside kick was the gutsiest call they had ever seen in their entire lifetime I don't think I would be interested in arguing with them. It is just insane how much of a risk/reward calculation that play call was.

It was insanely ballzy, but it's more insane that it hadn't been used in any of the prior 43 super bowls. A surprise onside kick, so long as it hasn't been used so often as that it is not surprise, offers a chance to risk 30 yards of field position (expected point value of 1.4) for what is essentially a turnover (expected point value of 3.0) at a near even rate. That's a great play to take the risk on.

I'd imagine that coaches shy away from it only because of media criticism and the fear that the other team might be well coached enough as to be prepared for it. But Payton is clearly oblivious to what people think about him, which is one of the primary qualifications of a great head coach.

[Longtimefan]

NFL Network is now anointing the Saints "America's Team" with none other than Michael Irvin leading the charge. Is he forgetting that team he used to play for or what?

I'm really happy for the Saints, but it's amazing the things people will say after a big win like yesterday, praise comes from everywhere from some of the most unlikely sources. I too give it up for the Saints, no team more deserving.

[firstdown]

Originally Posted by Longtimefan

NFL Network is now anointing the Saints "America's Team" with none other than Michael Irvin leading the charge. Is he forgetting that team he used to play for or what?

I'm really happy for the Saints, but it's amazing the things people will say after a big win like yesterday, praise comes from everywhere from some of the most unlikely sources. I too give it up for the Saints, no team more deserving.

Well it could be easy to call them America's Team because over half the citizens live of our tax dollars.

[Longtimefan]

Originally Posted by firstdown

Well it could be easy to call them America's Team because over half the citizens live of our tax dollars.

That is an alternative way of viewing the situation, maybe that was Irvin's thought process as well..........but I doubt it, he he

[GTripp0012]

Now, if you want to argue that Drew Brees is a better quarterback in the postseason than either of them, there's only limited evidence on him, but he's actually 4-2 in the postseason since first reaching it in 2004, and has very comparable numbers to his regular season stats. You'll need like 3 more seasons on him before conclusions can be reached, but he was marvelous last night.

[SmootSmack]

The Saints made another "bold move" toward the end of the 1st half by going for it on 4th down and the Colts D stuffed them. Indy blew it by going 3 and out deep in their own territory right after that. Colts had a huge chance to make something to end the first half after a 4th down goal-line stand and then start the 2nd half with the ball. That seems to have been forgotten

[MTK]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

The Saints made another "bold move" toward the end of the 1st half by going for it on 4th down and the Colts D stuffed them. Indy blew it by going 3 and out deep in their own territory right after that. Colts had a huge chance to make something to end the first half after a 4th down goal-line stand and then start the 2nd half with the ball. That seems to have been forgotten

Yeah that 3 and out was big, no doubt. I guess they just didn't want to risk a turnover but it was odd to not see the Colts come out in attack mode like they usually do.

[mlmpetert]

Originally Posted by SmootSmack

The Saints made another "bold move" toward the end of the 1st half by going for it on 4th down and the Colts D stuffed them. Indy blew it by going 3 and out deep in their own territory right after that. Colts had a huge chance to make something to end the first half after a 4th down goal-line stand and then start the 2nd half with the ball. That seems to have been forgotten

The announcers touched on this a little bit. I don’t think this was as gusty as some see it. It they took the chip shot field goal they give it back to the Colts with a little less than 2 mins at around the 20-30 yard line. If they go for it on 4th and don’t make it they give it to the Colts with about the same amount of time and on the 1 or 2 yard line. Backed that far up with so little time left the Colts are almost forced to run it for at least 1 play, so they have even less time to go about 25 yards further to get into field goal or td range.

So you give up a certain 3 points, but dramatically reduce the chance the Colts will negate those 3 points with 3 of their own. Plus you reduce the odds even more so that the Colts will score a TD and gain 4 points over your 3. Then you have the best case seniors in which you force the Colts to punt and end up with good field position to either score a TD or get a field goal as time expires….. which of course is what happened.

One of the huge x factors going into this game that I think a lot of people forgot about what the coaching staff. And the Saints certainly out coached the Colts last night.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by mlmpetert

The announcers touched on this a little bit. I don’t think this was as gusty as some see it. It they took the chip shot field goal they give it back to the Colts with a little less than 2 mins at around the 20-30 yard line. If they go for it on 4th and don’t make it they give it to the Colts with about the same amount of time and on the 1 or 2 yard line. Backed that far up with so little time left the Colts are almost forced to run it for at least 1 play, so they have even less time to go about 25 yards further to get into field goal or td range.

So you give up a certain 3 points, but dramatically reduce the chance the Colts will negate those 3 points with 3 of their own. Plus you reduce the odds even more so that the Colts will score a TD and gain 4 points over your 3. Then you have the best case seniors in which you force the Colts to punt and end up with good field position to either score a TD or get a field goal as time expires….. which of course is what happened.

One of the huge x factors going into this game that I think a lot of people forgot about what the coaching staff. And the Saints certainly out coached the Colts last night.

Yep. You are correct. In a normal game situation, that's a no-brainer go for it situation. It was a little tougher because of the game clock being under two minutes, the Saints lose a lot of value of having the opponent start inside their own five.

But they gain a lot of that back because Manning is the opposing quarterback. Starting him inside the five forces the Colts' hand with playcalling. Letting him out to the thirty on a kick frees him up to go get that touchdown to put the game away.

It ended up working out great for the Saints, coming away with the three points anyway, and running out the clock in the process. But they could do that because Hartley has been cash-money throughout the playoffs from the 45-50 range.