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]
Originally Posted by Megatron96:
It's true that we have no real idea what Billy was really thinking in those moments. And we'll probably never find out the truth either.
But 4th-and-4 on your own 30 is a much tougher proposition than 4th-and-1 on your opponent's 13, you'd have to agree. From a purely mathematical perspective, you'd really be more comfortable going for it from your opponent's 13-yard line with inches to go, IMO.
But I agree that if they did convert the fake punt, they would've at least improved their field position and taken some more time off the clock. Maybe even score.
But you have to admit, it sure looked like a desperate move.
I don't mind the FG, as if you get stopped when going for it, it gets the crowd back into it
The fake punt I disagree with for the same reason, it let's the crowd back into. The two decisions are quite incongruous.
[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
This.
I can understand the field goal and I can comprehend why you would want to push the envelope with the fake punt to recapture momentum, but punting on 4th and 4, down 20 at midfield halfway through the 4th quarter is fucking stupid.
Did O'Brien think his shit defense was going to magically force the Chiefs into a 3-and-out? EIGHTH TIME'S THE CHARM!
[Reply]