Why Tom Brady is a complete and utter d-bag and the Pats have no class

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by scowan

I guess I am wondering if you kick it out of bounds from the opponent's 30, and 30 yards down the field is the endzone, therefore maybe it is a touchback? If so then you would definitely want to try an onside kick from your opponent's 30, and kick it to their 20, if you get the onside kick... game over , if not at the very least you have chewed more time off the clock and the Ravens have it at their own 20, which is the same as a touchback. Why do I sit around and ponder these things, but it seems like Special teams coaches and head coaches do not. Late game decisions can help you win a game and knowing the rules can help as well. Someone help me with this!

Kickoffs out of bounds either are placed 30 yards from the kickoff spot, or at the spot it went out of bounds. A kickoff out of bounds can never be a touchback. In the Pats case, if the kick went out between the 1-5 yard line of the Ravens, it would have been placed at the 5. Had it gone out of bounds in front of the 5, it would have been placed at the spot it went out.

An onside kick might have resulted in an in-stride recovery touchdown for Baltimore. That was about the only thing they couldn't have done there.

[jacobyfan]

I don't think the games are fixed. However, I do think there's a psychological issue with the refs calling penalties in favor of the team that they think is the better of the two. The team that is expected to win seems to get the benefit of the doubt on calls. This only usually happens with teams that have great records and have been good for more than just one year. It also seems to happen in favor of the home team a lot. It reminds me of watching MJ during all those bulls championship runs (especially the last three) where if anyone breathed on him it was a foul, but he could push off, reach, and do whatever he wanted and it was rarely called (see bryon russell in the finals).

The fact is that those teams and players ARE better than anyone else. The refs know it and I think subconsciously it affects how they call games.

[scowan]

Originally Posted by GTripp0012

Kickoffs out of bounds either are placed 30 yards from the kickoff spot, or at the spot it went out of bounds. A kickoff out of bounds can never be a touchback. In the Pats case, if the kick went out between the 1-5 yard line of the Ravens, it would have been placed at the 5. Had it gone out of bounds in front of the 5, it would have been placed at the spot it went out.

An onside kick might have resulted in an in-stride recovery touchdown for Baltimore. That was about the only thing they couldn't have done there.

GTripp, what you are saying is my point, why blindly kick it out of the endzone when there are other options that are much better? I just continue to be amazed at what I see as strategic errors that a lot of teams make. I see these things as coaching responsibilities, but maybe a team needs a Guru to point these things in the heat of battle, you know a little devil on your shoulder reminding a coach of these things. I thought of it instantly last night, not after the fact, so surely there are guys that could digest these things fast enough to relay them to a coach before it is too late.

[GTripp0012]

Originally Posted by scowan

GTripp, what you are saying is my point, why blindly kick it out of the endzone when there are other options that are much better? I just continue to be amazed at what I see as strategic errors that a lot of teams make. I see these things as coaching responsibilities, but maybe a team needs a Guru to point these things in the heat of battle, you know a little devil on your shoulder reminding a coach of these things. I thought of it instantly last night, not after the fact, so surely there are guys that could digest these things fast enough to relay them to a coach before it is too late.

I'm saying dont onside kick it.

I would not have kicked that out of the end zone. I would have kicked it out of bounds inside the 20. Belichick I'm sure was not 100% certain on the rule, so he opted to play it safe.

I think the worst thing that can be done there is to give Baltimore a chance to return it. Once you break through the first wall, you're gone.