Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

[HHURRICANE]

Can we stop with the 4th and 1 call. We needed 7 points. Maybe if we could have stopped the run the game would have turned out different.

Did everybody forget that on 4th and 2 we didn't stop the Pats giving JP and the O a chance to win it for us. If we stop them it's a 2 point game and we only need a field goal to win. End of story. Our D sucks at stopping the run and we knew this going into the season. Period. Jauron knew that we needed a 3 possession lead.

[BILLSROCK1212]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

thank you! finally someone notices this the only thing that would prevent this from happening is the Bilols marching downfield in less than a minute for a TD or a FG

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

You are missing the bigger picture.

Momentum and emotion. Stopping a 4th and 1 play shifts the momentum big time.

[Michael82]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

You are missing the bigger picture.

Momentum and emotion. Stopping a 4th and 1 play shifts the momentum big time.

It works both ways. Getting the 1st down also puts the final nail on the coffin and the stadium starts filtering out.

[Turf]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

Juaron should have challenged the spot.

[Dr. Lecter]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

The spot was fine, or at least close enough. he would have lost the challenge.

And Mikey, I agree. But the field goal was a sure thing.

[HHURRICANE]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

You are missing the bigger picture.

Momentum and emotion. Stopping a 4th and 1 play shifts the momentum big time.

Jauron decides to kick the field goal. We lose 22-20 and everyone talks how we should have gone for it on 4th and 1 when we had momentum. How winning coaches like Bellichek went for it twice on 4th down and won the game.

[Drive 4 Five]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

I liked the call. I had maintained all along that this young Bill's team could ill afford to give the Patriot's any respect. If we expected to have any chance to win we would have to play a very aggressive style on both sides of the ball. I think we did that and I am damn proud of our football team right now. Sure the loss hurts. This one left a really nasty taste in my mouth. Man it would have been really special to have pulled this game out but we didn't. However, this team has no reason to hang it's head.

[Drive 4 Five]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

Jauron decides to kick the field goal. We lose 22-20 and everyone talks how we should have gone for it on 4th and 1 when we had momentum. How winning coaches like Bellichek went for it twice on 4th down and won the game.

You are absolutley right and you should know by now that some of these fans in this forum will find any reason to complain and second guess every decision any and every opportunity they get.

[Mitchy moo]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

Would the pats have run if the Bills got that FG?

[BAM]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

I loved the call. That is not why the Bills lost today.

[Michael82]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

I loved the call. That is not why the Bills lost today.

[Drive 4 Five]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

I loved the call. That is not why the Bills lost today.

I loved the call also but I have to disagree. That call changed the entire face of game. It is not the only reason we lost but it is a pretty good start. Kicking the FG may have been the practical decision to make in that particular situation, but I think Jauron is right when he explained that the Patriots are rarely ever out of the game and you have to take it to them any and every opportunity you get.

Besides, look at the bright side, if Mularkey or Williams were still coaching this team, we would have punted.

:moo:

[Meathead]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

going for it there is like playing the big 6/8 on the craps table. sometimes you win but its still one of the dumbest plays in the casino

the logic clearly dictates a higher likelihood of success by taking the the points. and frankly i cant even imagine how its not clear why after today

the reason is, well, THAT.

1. momentum. do we need a better example in history? everything changed after that. the pats were energized. the bills didnt score again. hello mcfly. anybody in there

2. strategy. getting the three there changes the fourth quarter. instead of the pats playing for a fg they are forced to score a td or TWO fgs to tie. how can you not see that dramatically changes the play calling for the pats, especially in the fourth? that is a significant advantage they threw away

3. risk. going for the first down introduces a fairly large element of risk compared to a virtual chip shot fg. make up any percentages you want, anything close to reasonable shows it extremely likely the bills do get those points if they kick it then and thus its a virtual certainty they get the advantage of point #2. by going for it they introduced a large element of risk they shouldnt have

one thing i can guarantee for sure:

for the rest of eternity if the bills are road dogs in the red zone up by ten with a chance to pad it to 13 in the third i will demand they kick the fg on fourth down

if you ever catch me saying otherwise i will give you my house

[Philagape]

Re: Kick the field goal and we lose 22-20.

If we had made the field goal:

NE would have come back for the TD, since that's what they did, and it's 20-14. There's no reason to believe they wouldn't have done it otherwise.

NE then kicks FG, 20-17. There was 9:37 left, plenty of time, so again there's no reason to believe NE's strategy would have differed.

NE then gets the safety, 20-19

NE got the ball back with 6:15 to go. They drove to the Buffalo 20 with 2 minutes to go -- no reason for anything different. Field goal, probably on the last play of the game, and they win 22-20.

BUT if the score had been 24-19, only THEN would they have been forced to go for the TD instead of the FG. Maybe they still get it, but that would have been the Bills' only chance to stop them.

Therefore, momentum and strategy don't make a difference. The Pats could have done everything exactly the same as it actually happened, and they still would have won. We needed to be up by three scores, therefore going for the TD was the right call.

We lost because we Can't. Stop. The. Run. (and the penalties killed us too)

The Call would not have made a difference. Guaranteed. Logic is on the side of going for the TD.