I know a bunch of people wanna act like B.O.B. was the only reason why the Texans lost that game and want to bring up kicking the FG or the fake punt. Kicking the FG wasn't as egregious as some are making it out to be. Sure technically it was a 3 possession game, but in reality when the game is that early, it's a 4 possession game because the Chiefs are going to kick the XP.
We have seen this D stuff 3rd/4th and 1's several times this year and even though we were down by 21 at that point they werent playing bad and on this particular drive they had stuffed Hyde a few times for 2 or less yards already. It's not like going down by 24 shifted the momentum our way. If we make a 4th and 1 stop, then it's a big momentum swing and the crowd gets back into it even faster. Kicking the FG was the right thing to do.
So after we go down 24-0 Hardman has a nice return and in 2 plays we have our first points of the day. Texans get the ball back and can't get a 1st down in 3 plays, but instead of punting they run a fake punt and direct snap to Justin Reid. The play design was almost perfect, besides 2 thing, the ball carrier was Justin Reid and Dan Sorenson didn't have anyone even attempting to block him. Justin Reid is a FS, so he doesn't carry the ball all that often and Dan Sorenson is one of the most clutch Chiefs defensive players in the playoffs I've ever seen, so with him one on one against a safety Im taking Dan everytime. So this might be the dumbest call B.O.B made or was it? We had just scored in less than a minute and have a certain QB by the name of Patrick Mahomes. It's not like the Texans D was stopping the Chiefs, so Bill took the chance to keep the ball out of Mahomes' hands and try to get more points. He figured that we'd score no matter where we got the ball and it almost did work, but Dirty Dan said fuck this shit.
B.O.B does deserve some blame, but in 7 out of 8 drives after the 1st quarter, Deshaun Watson (a guy people like to put on the same level as Mahomes) couldnt lead his team to a score. Out of 32 total drives in the playoffs Watson has led the Texans to score on only 9 of those drives. B.O.B. was just trying to do what he thought would be best to beat us, take any points that are available and throw in a few tricky things. If that fake punt works out, we still win, but B.O.B. is getting a lot less crap. [Reply]
Watson having to tell him they have to go for it on 4th down while down 20 in the middle of the 4th quarter and subsequently wasting a valuable timeout is damn near fireable on its own [Reply]
Originally Posted by Superturtle:
Watson having to tell him they have to go for it on 4th down while down 20 in the middle of the 4th quarter and subsequently wasting a valuable timeout is damn near fireable on its own
I think the field goal was an okay decision. Kind of a pussy move, but defendable. They still ended up with points. If they come up empty, that’s a huge win for the Chiefs. [Reply]
Yeah I don't fault O'Brien for the fake punt at all, really. He rightfully had zero faith in his defense to slow down Mahomes and Kelce. The best chance to win is to keep them off the field, and if Dirty D misses that tackle, O'Brien is called a gambler who coaches with his balls on.
The FG is a bit less forgivable, but still...not the worst call.
The lack of urgency in the 4th is absolutely fireable. [Reply]
I would be fine with the FG. Take the points and go up 24.
I didn't understand the fake punt. On the road you just gave up a kick return and a score in 2 plays. Make them drive the length of the field. Don't give them opportunities for more momentum and to allow the crowd back in it. [Reply]
Those two decisions weren't so much about the likelihood of success or raw strategy as they are about the motivational messages they sent to both squads.
Going for it on 4th&inches up 21 says 'you might stop us, but we're already dominating enough in the game that we're gonna go ahead and kill you outright.' Taking the FG says "I'm scared our offense is a little smoke and mirrors right now, and we need to take the points while we're 'lucky' enough to get them.'
The fake punt compounded it by going complete opposite. It said 'we're not going to keep up with these guys if they wake up, so we need some desperate smoke and mirrors play to get even a little more advantage.'
They told us BoB was still scared, and told the Texans that BoB didn't believe in them. Both of those messages loosened us up and tightened them up, and you see that in another abortion, their horrific attempt at a lateral back to Watson in the next drive. [Reply]
Maybe a good call to fake the punt but bad Execution... took too long to snap the ball.. the back couldn’t figure out which way he wanted to go.. Dirty Dan sniffed it out easily... [Reply]
Not going for it with 4th and inches without Chris Jones playing while being able to run on us with Watson as your QB said massive volumes about Bill's perspective and where he was emotionally and mentally. He was still scared and did not trust his offense to keep their boot on our neck.
When he did the fake punt at 24-7 deep in his own territory it showed that his fear of us went to panic mode.:-) [Reply]
People like to rag on the FG that the Texans took to go up 24 - 0 as the moment they started to lose, I don't see an issue with that at all. In the playoffs, on the road, in Arrowhead's hostile environment, you take the points. This wasn't going up 3-0 or even 17-0, you had at least three scores lead on them, it's not our fault you shit the bed after that field goal to get ran out of the building 51 - 7 the rest of the way, and it for sure wasn't due to the Field Goal you took instead of the TD you would've tried for. You could've also went three downs and a FG the next set of downs, or the Chiefs gotten a turnover instead. With the Ravens getting burnt on 4th down tries after being so gun-ho about it up until that point, perhaps these coaches need to start learning that the old way is the better way in the playoffs. I'll take Andy's approach of 1 point and 3 point plays anyday in the Playoffs over Harbaugh's and O'Brien's desperation. With all that being said, the fake punt was really ****ing stupid at that point in the game. The sharks smelled blood in the water after that catastrophe. Also saying he didn't have a play for 4th and 1... man he would be gone if I were the Owner of the Texans. You're not just keeping him around to fail again next year, which is likely, you're also hurting the Deshaun Watson years with an underperforming coach as well. It's like a poor man's Mike McCarthy with the Packers and Rodgers. [Reply]
Originally Posted by smithandrew051:
I think the field goal was an okay decision. Kind of a pussy move, but defendable. They still ended up with points. If they come up empty, that’s a huge win for the Chiefs.
I disagree, even if they stuff them and deny them points, the Texans can brush that off, . . . 'great, you made ONE play . . . We're still up 21. Nothing you do impresses or scares us today. We got this so hard that we're willing to give up points just to send a message. Good for you, you got lucky once today. We'll just get the next one.' [Reply]
I watched the fake punt again and it was executed poorly. Justin Reid goes back and forth on both sides of the center several times with Sorenson spying him. It was a good tell the fake was coming. They needed to execute that play faster to not show our guys their cards or check out of the fake when he sees Sorenson is glued on him. [Reply]
I think the field goal was the right move all the way. At that point, the Chiefs' offense had four dropped passes and the special teams had a fumbled punt return and blocked punt. There was reason to believe at that point that the Chiefs offense wasn't having a good day, so you just keep creating distance. Given how the offense looked in the first quarter, would you have expected them to go on a scoring orgy?
The fake punt was weird. I guess I can credit it for being unexpected, but that's only because you shouldn't do it there. Kudos to Sorensen for reading the play, though, because that was a game changer. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Baby Lee:
I disagree, even if they stuff them and deny them points, the Texans can brush that off, . . . 'great, you made ONE play . . . We're still up 21. Nothing you do impresses or scares us today. We got this so hard that we're willing to give up points just to send a message. Good for you, you got lucky once today. We'll just get the next one.'
And based on the way the rest of the game went, that would’ve definitely worked out for them!
