OK, so it didn’t work, but Mike Smith made the right choice
Sometimes football is, as Michael Turner said, "a game of inches." (AJC photo by Curtis Compton)
I’d have gone for it. I’d go for it again. I might call a different play the next time, but I find no fault with Mike Smith’s reasoning. His choice was to try and keep possession by gaining six inches or to rely on his defense to halt the great Drew Brees yet again. That’s no choice at all.
Said Dunta Robinson, who we should note plays defense for the Falcons: “We were more bothered when we saw the punt team going out there [which it did before Smith called timeout and changed his mind] than when we saw the offense. We felt there was no way we weren’t going to get that first down.”
But they didn’t, and the Falcons lost another wild and crazy game in the series that leads the world in wild and crazy games, and now they’re 5-4 and trail New Orleans by 1 1/2 games in the NFC South. Give them this, though: They went down swinging, surging from 10 points behind in the final five minutes to force overtime, losing in overtime on their terms — not Drew Brees’.
We can and will debate whether these Falcons are as good as they should be, but we cannot question their guts. They out-dared the Saints, who as we know are a dauntless bunch, and came within an eyelash of stealing a game Brees and Co. should have locked away. That’s not to excuse the loss — there are no moral victories in the NFL — but it is to suggest that anyone who believes this excruciating game will crush the local team hasn’t been paying attention.
This is a feisty bunch, and this coach is a gutsy guy. Mike Smith made some curious decisions Sunday — a poor challenge that cost a timeout, an onside kick that came too early — but his team was in position not just to tie but to win at the end of regulation. (To me, Sean Payton messed up worse than Smitty did.) And that fourth-down call at the 29 in overtime wasn’t some flight of fancy but a considered decision based on, of all things, a grasp of history.
Said Smith: “We have had no success in giving them the ball back.”
He referred to two games: A five-point loss in the Superdome on Dec. 7, 2008, when the Falcons punted to the Saints with 3:15 remaining and saw New Orleans kill the clock, and the deflating game here on Dec. 27, 2010, when the Falcons, trailing by three, again punted with 2:44 left and never touched the ball again. Many among us ripped Smitty for a failure of nerve after the second game — that’s my hand you see raised — and we can’t have it both ways, can we? A coach can’t be half-daring, can he?
Smith again: “The message all week was that we were going to be an aggressive football team.”
As to the play itself: It was awful. Needing six inches, the Falcons eschewed a quarterback sneak and handed instead to Michael Turner, who had two lead blockers but had to wait for those blockers to array themselves. By that time, the Saints had him.
Said Turner: “If I didn’t like [the call], I would have walked off the field and let somebody else run the ball.”
The bottom line is that Smith’s daring gave the ball to Brees 40 yards closer than a punt would have, but there’s a line that undercuts even that bottom line: If you can’t get six inches in a game of this magnitude, you don’t deserve to win.
Said linebacker Curtis Lofton: “Fourth-and-inches, it being overtime — why not? You’ve got to go for it.”
Actually, you don’t. A skittish coach would have punted and, after the great Brees had driven his team to victory, have said, “Whaddaya want from me? I played the percentages!”
This is what we got from Mike Smith: “It’s something I take full responsibility for … It’s not anybody else’s fault. It’s my responsibility.”
Loading ...As Smith spoke, his employer sat five yards to his right. Asked if he’d have gone for it, Arthur Blank said: “It was absolutely the right thing to do. You can’t keep giving the ball back to that offense.”
Let’s say again that there are no quality losses in pro football, and the Falcons somehow lost a game in which they outgained the great Brees and his offense by 118 yards. But these teams will meet again the night after Christmas, and the Saints have the tougher schedule from here. This division race isn’t over, and I’m pretty sure this coach’s men aren’t going to quit on him. On the contrary.
“I’m behind Smitty,” said center Todd McClure. “In this situation we didn’t get it done, but I like that our head coach has faith in us to get it done.”
Maybe in December they’ll gain those six inches. But a few words to the daring Mr. Smith: Quarterback sneak next time.
By Mark Bradley
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352 comments Add your comment
katherine
November 13th, 2011
6:57 pm
who do you want to win jets or pats
Go Vols
November 13th, 2011
6:57 pm
PATS. Not a Ryan fan
The Nature Boy @ Dr. Warren
November 13th, 2011
6:57 pm
I know…I know…I agree…!!! As I sit in my lazy boy recliner…heck..how about play action to Douglas…70yd TD..WhoOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!
BW
November 13th, 2011
6:58 pm
Right call…wrong play…Mularkey must have some pictures of someone…he simply doesn’t call a good game. There’s a difference from the Saints playing prevent at the end of the fourth quarter and conceding the field goal but they were clearly manning up on us in the overtime. I would have liked to see Turner run the ball on a few of those plays. We’ll never know how bad Julio’s injury cost us down the stretch either.
FireMularkey
November 13th, 2011
6:58 pm
It was the right call to make Mark Bradley but it was the wrong play to call. All you needed was a few inches and you give it to a running back four yards deep in the backfield? That a dumb call even if it would have worked. QB sneak is all we needed and now these chumps are going back to New Orleans with their chest stuck out. Bad red zone play calling with a combination of forgetting we had Michael Turner on the team in the second half cost us that game.
Fire Mike Mularkey Please!!!!!
Loserville USA
November 13th, 2011
6:59 pm
One last thing…. been a Falcon FAN since ‘66. Mike Smith is the finest leader of men we have ever had — we need to stick behind him.
Now he needs to recognize that it’s alright to be VANILLA when the situation calls for it. We have those tools well in hand.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
6:59 pm
in not a brady fan lol
Falcon fan 24-7
November 13th, 2011
7:00 pm
Dont worry Falcon fans, things will get better in a couple of weeks.
The Dawgs will beat LSU at the Dome and knock them out of the National Championship hunt.
Mark my words. Sweet redemption.
Go Vols
November 13th, 2011
7:01 pm
I’m a Manning guy myself (as a Vol)
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:01 pm
omg wouldnt that be the best!
pdubb2986
November 13th, 2011
7:02 pm
The handoff was too deep. Turner actually gained two yards on the play. Go Figure.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:03 pm
idk if eli is going to pull this one out
Burgess
November 13th, 2011
7:04 pm
Forget the 4th down gamble, was that not the WORST play calling in overtime that you’ve ever seen ? The first possession you get 8 yards on first down and then 2 incomplete passes. No run on 2nd possession until 4th down. Don’t we still have Michael Turner ????
TERRIBLE
Cj
November 13th, 2011
7:04 pm
Agreed. Right decision but lousy play call. I can’t imagine why they would call that run. I’d feel better if we would have passed it than that run. Qb sneak would be the obvious choice.
Here we go again!!
November 13th, 2011
7:04 pm
What the heck is wrong with coaches in Atlanta? First there is Johnson who goes for fourth down from on his own 31, then Smith from his own 29 when a FG can win the game. There is a big difference between being agressive and being stupid. If being a bone head can make you millions of dollars, SIGN ME UP!!
Mora less Petrino
November 13th, 2011
7:05 pm
Too many penalties, not enough running plays. Most winning teams are in the 5 or 6 win neighborhood, but it’s time to get the play calling sorted out. Saints are nothing special, they had a lot of help today.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:07 pm
btw can I just say congrats to tim tebow…despite the aholes that are constantly doubting him he wins…again…..i wonder what their darling cam did today? oh yea…laid a goose egg and lost…again
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:08 pm
wow…a major fight…lions involved of course…and another interception by stafford…wow..there were fists flying everywhere
DePort
November 13th, 2011
7:09 pm
Simple… QB sneak … we only needed an inch … but we should not have even been in that situation because Cox got the first down the play before…
DP
November 13th, 2011
7:10 pm
I agree with decision to go for it on 4th, the play call is what I found strange. If you want to run the ball with Turner, at least go to a more spread formation to remove some of the extra bodies from the middle of the field. And if you are going to go in a tight running formation throw a 3 yarder to the TE or else a QB keeper.
However, the biggest screw up is Roddy White. My wife said a month ago that he’s a different player since he thinks Ryans is looking at J Jpones and that most teams are putting there best cover guys on J Jones and not on him anymore. White was a different player when Julio was out; now he’s moody and mouthy…just like a prima donna, his ego is killing the offense.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:11 pm
is it any surprise that the lions are getting a reputation as thugs with fairly and suh on their team….the quote from the game was “they are going to be able to open up a hedge fund with the amount of fines from this game today” lol
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:12 pm
my bad…moore on the bears attacked stafford and started it
season ticket holder
November 13th, 2011
7:13 pm
@Mora less Petrino – love the name if only yous quezze in Henning
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:14 pm
petrino…even typing the name i feel like im going to be sick
Loserville USA
November 13th, 2011
7:14 pm
Ryan has NOT been the same since that INT near the half of the Green Bay playoff game.
Not as confident and making poor throws. Looks more like Chad Pennington sometimes.
kurula
November 13th, 2011
7:15 pm
i think coach smith made the right call. i think mularky made the wrong one…
Loserville USA
November 13th, 2011
7:16 pm
Giants lose. Good for Atlanta.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:16 pm
game over niners beat the giants
Go Vols
November 13th, 2011
7:17 pm
worst part about Giants loss is it still gives Philly a chance
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:18 pm
philly lost today too though
kurula
November 13th, 2011
7:18 pm
loserville, i agree with you. he seems less than willing to make throws consistently like the TD to gonzalez. that was a heck of a throw and honestly, it surprised me that he made it. that is usually a check down.
MarkATL
November 13th, 2011
7:19 pm
DAMN this play calling by Smith… NO WAY IN HELL you go for it ON YOUR OWN 30 YARD LINE ON A 4TH AND ONE??? ARE YOU SERIOUS?? WHAT COACH IS CRAZY ENOUGH TO DO THAT WITH THE GAME ON THE LINE???? I agree with Tony Dungy — YOU PUNT IT AWAY!!!!!
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:20 pm
o m g another interception on stafford NOT his day
MarkATL
November 13th, 2011
7:20 pm
So the Giants and Eagles both lose today??? LOL!!!!! Great news for the Falcons indeed!!!!!
Lakeside97
November 13th, 2011
7:21 pm
@ Katherine – Tewbow is terrible! He only completed 2 passes today, yes TWO passes today. Cam was the number one pick which means he is on the worst team in the NFL from last year. Tebow won’t even be in the NFL in a few years, much less a starter.
Glad I'm not coaching
November 13th, 2011
7:23 pm
Next week they are going to take a knee in the end zone so they can get a free kick!
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:23 pm
Lakeside97
November 13th, 2011
7:21 pm
@ Katherine – Tewbow is terrible! He only completed 2 passes today, yes TWO passes today. Cam was the number one pick which means he is on the worst team in the NFL from last year. Tebow won’t even be in the NFL in a few years, much less a starter.
the broncos are horrible as well moreno was hurt they traded away their best player to make sure tebow didnt succeed and yet he is…and he had a rushing td today too….cam does nothing but lose…not excuses…both teams are awful
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:24 pm
*no
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:26 pm
and whether or not tebow is in the nfl in a few years remains to be seen…but he will be respected and will succeed in life…unlike cam who is ridiculous and likes to blow kisses to the crowd to prove how great he is…. i am not a tebow fan either…especially when he was playing the dawgs…but I can respect how he is handling all of this controversy with dignity and class
MarkATL
November 13th, 2011
7:27 pm
OMG!!! SEATTLE BEATS BALTIMORE…???? LOOKS LIKE THE WORLD HAS COME TO AN END FOR SURE!!!!
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:28 pm
where is my last comment?
Falcaints
November 13th, 2011
7:28 pm
The truth: (1) The Falcons have no elite talent on either side (2) The Falcons as constituted will never play in the Super Bowl (3) Ryan is an average Qb who will never lead any team to the Super Bowl (4) Atlanta is the worst pro sports town in America one title for all those years
Michael Smith
November 13th, 2011
7:28 pm
Lol….now failcon fans expecting other teams to lose they can get into play-offs.
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:28 pm
i can respect tebow..he is handling this situation that he didnt create with dignity and class
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:29 pm
Michael Smith
November 13th, 2011
7:28 pm
Lol….now failcon fans expecting other teams to lose they can get into play-offs.
yes just like green bay had to do to even get into the playoffs last season…remember?
Go Vols
November 13th, 2011
7:32 pm
Agree Tebow. He’s done or said nothing to antagonize. Elway isn’t a fan, he isn’t an NFL caliber QB for the long term, but what’s he supposed to do?
MarkATL
November 13th, 2011
7:32 pm
Did Katherine say that evil word??? GREEN BAY???? No one in Chicago likes GB… In fact, we HATE them!!!! Sorry! As a Chicagoan transplant here in ATL, I still can’t stand GB. We even respect Detroit more….Time for GB to lose! … Just my 2 cents worth… LOL
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:34 pm
lol mark i was at the falcons/green bay play off game and I dont like them either…my point was sometimes it matters that you make the playoffs…no matter how
katherine
November 13th, 2011
7:35 pm
i love stafford…but the guys on his team…not so much
ConeDawg
November 13th, 2011
7:36 pm
Mike’s call was Paul Johnson Stupid.