Lonestar
02-09-2010, 11:22 PM
By LINDSAY JONES
FORT LAUDERDALE — Press boxes (even auxillary ones) are cheer-free zones. But when a coach makes a crazy, gutsy call, it’s only natural to gasp.
That was the case for plenty of us media types at the start of the second half last night when Saints coach Sean Payton made the bold decision to onside kick to start the third quarter.
Because punter Thomas Morehead executed the kick perfectly and special teamer Chris Reis managed to come out of what was surely a nasty scrum with the ball for the Saints.
It was a crazy call, maybe, but it turned out to be the right one. Payton knew how his team had closed the first half and wanted to maintain that momentum. He gambled, and won.
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels made his share of interesting calls in 2009, like deferring the opening kickoff against the Colts, that screen pass to Ryan Clady against Oakland, the “Wild Horse” series to open the game against New England.
McDaniels was criticized for some, praised for others.
The lesson from Sunday’s Super Bowl, though, is that sometimes it pays to be bold. Sometimes those decisions work — like the onside kick. Sometimes they don’t — like the Saints’ failed fourth-and-goal run late in the second quarter.
But in order to win the big games, you can’t be conservative.
Some said the Broncos were too conservative at times this year, especially on offense. As Josh McDaniels and Kyle Orton continue to grow more comfortable with each other, perhaps that will change. Based on the emails I got throughout the season, I know you fans are hoping it will. Conservative (like the Colts often were Sunday) can be effective, but man, isn’t it more fun to watch the crazy?
FORT LAUDERDALE — Press boxes (even auxillary ones) are cheer-free zones. But when a coach makes a crazy, gutsy call, it’s only natural to gasp.
That was the case for plenty of us media types at the start of the second half last night when Saints coach Sean Payton made the bold decision to onside kick to start the third quarter.
Because punter Thomas Morehead executed the kick perfectly and special teamer Chris Reis managed to come out of what was surely a nasty scrum with the ball for the Saints.
It was a crazy call, maybe, but it turned out to be the right one. Payton knew how his team had closed the first half and wanted to maintain that momentum. He gambled, and won.
Broncos coach Josh McDaniels made his share of interesting calls in 2009, like deferring the opening kickoff against the Colts, that screen pass to Ryan Clady against Oakland, the “Wild Horse” series to open the game against New England.
McDaniels was criticized for some, praised for others.
The lesson from Sunday’s Super Bowl, though, is that sometimes it pays to be bold. Sometimes those decisions work — like the onside kick. Sometimes they don’t — like the Saints’ failed fourth-and-goal run late in the second quarter.
But in order to win the big games, you can’t be conservative.
Some said the Broncos were too conservative at times this year, especially on offense. As Josh McDaniels and Kyle Orton continue to grow more comfortable with each other, perhaps that will change. Based on the emails I got throughout the season, I know you fans are hoping it will. Conservative (like the Colts often were Sunday) can be effective, but man, isn’t it more fun to watch the crazy?