The Falcons Were Lucky (1 Viewer)

[AmerVet]

They were lucky, but not as much as we were unlucky

 

[SoggyBottomBoy]

I'll give the Falcons the credit for a good defensive play on the interception. Judon was in Carr's face quickly and made a good play (including holding Carr on the return ).

The muffed punt is hard to believe. Shaheed is a bright, experienced return man. Never field the punt (or a fair catch) inside the 5 yard line is Return Man 101 basic lesson number one. Add in that he was backing up and tried to field it over his shoulder adds to the WTH factor. Even if you catch it cleanly, you're at the 1 or 2 yard line. Just leave it alone and if backs up and they down it inside the five, that's the breaks.

In a rival, away game you can't afford that kind of mistake. We still were in a position to win in spite of that and with additional key injuries during the game. It played out like most of thought it would and a key penalty kept us from sealing the deal.

And for the record, I don't disagree with going for the TD on the second to last drive. Tyler Allgeier was getting big chunks of yardage on us - especially with Davis and Gay sidelined. In hindsight we got the stop, but if we had kicked the field goal, they may have ripped off a couple of first downs and everyone would have been blaming DA for not trying for the TD.

 

[SaintsFanInLA]

We lost. The players and the coaches made extremely dumb decisions. I'd rather be lucky than good but we were both unlucky and bad. I have never seen a football play dumber than trying to field a punt on your own 2 yard line, over your shoulder. If it's not the dumbest, it's top 2 all time.

 

[UFCSaint]

Tipped pass is a good defensive play another player catching it and running it back for a TD is also a good defensive play. The muff punt was a stupid decision by a saints player if u want to call it luck ok I guess.

Not that it would've mattered but that seemed like a poor tackle attempt by Olave. He had him then just darted behind him for some reason.

 

[Saintslfc13]

Tipped pass is a good defensive play another player catching it and running it back for a TD is also a good defensive play. The muff punt was a stupid decision by a saints player if u want to call it luck ok I guess.

It was objectively a good defensive play but also a very flukey one. More often that not a batted ball isn't hanging in the air like that and seemingly hovering over another defender for them to grab it and then go on to score. Especially on a screen ball that was being thrown at the ground (although that's probably what allowed him to get under it like that).

 

[Blazing Saint]

We lost. The players and the coaches made extremely dumb decisions. I'd rather be lucky than good but we were both unlucky and bad. I have never seen a football play dumber than trying to field a punt on your own 2 yard line, over your shoulder. If it's not the dumbest, it's top 2 all time.

The other one must be that Patriots vs Raiders ending with the pick six?

 

[Saintslfc13]

We lost. The players and the coaches made extremely dumb decisions. I'd rather be lucky than good but we were both unlucky and bad. I have never seen a football play dumber than trying to field a punt on your own 2 yard line, over your shoulder. If it's not the dumbest, it's top 2 all time.

A player would get benched for that at the High School level, that's how bad of a decision that was. Now Shaheed happens to be our second best receiver as well so I understand why that didn't happen but it's really basic level football from a mental standpoint. That's also why I don't blame the coaches for that one, there is just no way our Special Teams coaches are instructing any player to attempt that. Shaheed just got caught in the moment trying to be a hero I guess, I mean there's no other explanation. Even if he makes the catch I don't think anything good comes from it, might've even ended up as a safety.