Tying it all together: last night's MNF, Saturday vs ND and the Dolphins

Submitted by Topher on
So I was watching the Pats on Monday Night Football to see the Return of Tom. NE was down 24-13 and the graphic noted that the last time the Pats trailed 24-13 in the fourth quarter was 2002 against the Dolphins; they won 27-24 in overtime. My mind flashed back to that game. New England scored to make it a three-point affair, but the Dolphins had pre-dope Ricky Williams, who was dominating the league, and less than three minutes to go, so their chances to run out the clock and make the playoffs were very high... Nope. Miami threw the ball three times (!!!) and punted to New England, which promptly went down the field and kicked an overtime-forcing field goal. From there it was just a formality, although the Packers' epic meltdown against the Jets prevented the Patriots from defending their Super Bowl title in the playoffs. Anyway, now for the Michigan connection...I thought of this fateful game when Charlie Weis pulled that boneheaded pass-pass-punt routine on Saturday and gave Michigan the ball and more than zero timeouts. None other than Charlie Weis was calling plays for the Patriots during that 2002 comeback. Weird! I'm not experienced as a coach, but every game I watch or coach in I try to determine the inflection point at which a coach's dumb call swung the ballgame. Avoiding these moments is a large part of not losing winnable games.
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Njia

September 15th, 2009 at 11:13 PM ^

Remember when Marty did the un-thinkable and gave the other team the ball first in OT AFTER WINNING THE FUCKING TOSS? That has to rank as the #1 most indefensible, shit-for-brains moment in the history of the sport; maybe in ANY sport.

Joined: 09/15/2009

MGoPoints: 35773

Keeeeurt

September 15th, 2009 at 11:19 PM ^

Oh God, that one call sums up all of the horridness of the Lions. "Hurray we made it to O.T. HOLY SH*T WE WON THE TOSS, WE MIGHT ACTUALLY WIN!!!! Screw it, let's take the wind instead of the ball" The lions are simply one-of-a-kind.

Joined: 09/04/2009

MGoPoints: 3647

Topher

September 15th, 2009 at 11:20 PM ^

Dumbest Decisions in the History of Sports (these have to be coach- or athlete-decided premeditated choices, not just boneheaded/boner plays). Here's a brainstorm to get us started: -Marty kicking to the Bears in overtime -Mike Tyson biting Holyfield's ear a second time in the 1997 fight -Grady Little leaving Pedro Martinez in in the 2003 ALCS -Drafting a wide receiver #1 three straight years (two-time Lions nominations!) -Not historic, but still...two first-round picks for Jay Cutler? -The vote to send Ohio State to the 1974 Rose Bowl

Joined: 07/05/2008

MGoPoints: 742

Keeeeurt

September 15th, 2009 at 11:23 PM ^

I just want to point out that out of the 4 receivers drafted in the first round by the Lions, one is still with the team, Calvin Johnson, and only one other is still in the NFL, Roy Williams. The other two being Mike Williams and Charles Rogers, who by a coincidence represents my home town.

Joined: 09/04/2009

MGoPoints: 3647

michiganfanforlife

September 15th, 2009 at 11:36 PM ^

that returner in the Buffalo v Patriots game that could have been more effective if he were a bucket of sand? I know that's pretty recent for an all-time, but it was DUMB. -- Clarett going pro early? -- Drew Henson chasing a baseball dream? -- I forget who it was, but there is an NFL follies clip of a Viking who picks off a pass and runs almost the length of the field in the wrong direction, and throws the ball out the endzone! -- Hiring Rosenberg???

Joined: 05/05/2009

MGoPoints: 2788

MH20

September 15th, 2009 at 11:52 PM ^

-- I forget who it was, but there is an NFL follies clip of a Viking who picks off a pass and runs almost the length of the field in the wrong direction, and throws the ball out the endzone!
That was Jim Marshall. He scooped up a fumble and proceeded to run the wrong way. Oops! It's a record for shortest play in NFL history (-66 yards!). P.S. He's a Buckeye.

Joined: 10/30/2008

MGoPoints: 40453