Most Gutsy Call of any Superbowl

[Cowboyz1]

I don't remember ever having seen a more gutsy call then that onsides kick in this years SB. Beings that it has never been done in any SuperBowl before the forth Quarter, for me this ranks as the best.

 

A more game changing call, I can scantly recall. I mean look at the situation. Down 6-10 coming out at halftime, Manning and his whole Offense ready to put seven on the board and make it 17-6, which I am quite sure Manning was poised to deliver, has to sit down and scrap that game plan for the moment and watch the Saints go down and put 7 more, just when Manning was up and ready to run onto the field. Game changer for sure. Not only did it pump up the Saints but it totally demoralized the Indy D after a goal line stand to end the half followed by a Saints stand to get the 3 back they left seconds before.

 

After that play the Saints got their groove and never looked back. Everyone seemed to get over the jitters which I thought was key to their victory. You could tell the SB jitters were effecting the Saints and had they have gone down 7 more they may have pressed. I think Sean saw that about his young team and made that call.

 

If you can recall a better gutsy call then that, please let me know, because I can't recall one that had the effect and the timing.

 

 

Also, as a side note, there are always SuperBowl efforts made by players of the winning team. This years effort goes to Brees for his passing, Moore for that effort on the TPC, but the winner for me is the guy who fought underneath that pile to recover that OSK. For if he loses that under-pile battle, Manning and co. are set up on the Saints 42 and it didn't look like they had it until the pile was uncovered as the Indy player had the best shot at it facing the ball with arms around and head straight on the ball. I think some pills got pinched or some bitting, scratching and clawing was going on for sure.

 

In any case Great job Saints, it makes me feel especially good because Dallas was good enough to beat them this year at their house, which gives us a lot of confidence going forward. We can through out the Seahawks game for that was a gimmie.

 

So let's here em, is there a more gutsy call that you can remember?

[Menudo]

Cowher called for an onside kick following a Steelers field goal in Super Bowl XXX with 11 minutes left in the game. The Steelers successfully recovered the kick, but, Neil O'Donnell threw away the game. So, I would say that Peyton's move was the gutsiest move that lead to a victory.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

Cowher called for an onside kick following a Steelers field goal in Super Bowl XXX with 11 minutes left in the game. The Steelers successfully recovered the kick, but, Neil O'Donnell threw away the game. So, I would say that Peyton's move was the gutsiest move that lead to a victory.

 

FWIW I watched a replay of that game on NFLNetwork and Cowher was miked up. The special teams coach came over to Cowher ( while he was slapping guys on the back) and suggested it. Took him ( Cowher) by surprise and he asked the coaches upstairs if they thought it was a good idea, then called the play.

Edited February 8, 2010 by HowboutthemCowboys

[CaptainHook]

I'd like to thank Hank Baskett for continuing to demonstrate the stone hands he had all year on that play.

[T_bone65]

I'd like to thank Hank Baskett for continuing to demonstrate the stone hands he had all year on that play.

 

 

Go Kendra

 

ETA: Guess I should of included the link

Edited February 8, 2010 by T_bone65

[Cowboyz1]

Cowher called for an onside kick following a Steelers field goal in Super Bowl XXX with 11 minutes left in the game. The Steelers successfully recovered the kick, but, Neil O'Donnell threw away the game. So, I would say that Peyton's move was the gutsiest move that lead to a victory.

 

 

I don't know, have to go with Sean's call because what you said, it lead to victory. I believe that one call had more impact than any other for the fact that it was a win or lose prop so early in the game. I just don't feel that the Saints recover if Manning puts 7 on them off the bat. I think that call over any other changed the psyche of the game for good.

[Menudo]

FWIW I watched a replay of that game on NFLNetwork and Cowher was miked up. The special teams coach came over to Cowher ( while he was slapping guys on the back) and suggested it. Took him ( Cowher) by surprise and he asked the coaches upstairs if they thought it was a good idea, then called the play.

 

I've seen it several times and he was miked up. It was Cowher's idea, but, he did get confirmation from his assistants. He said "I'm going to go surprise on-sides here, what do you think ?"

[Cowboyz1]

I'd like to thank Hank Baskett for continuing to demonstrate the stone hands he had all year on that play.

 

 

I know it was the heat of the game but had he of never touched it the ball wouldn't have travelled 10 yards. Your right though, stones has never had good hands.

[MTSuper7]

I don't think there is an equivalent to an onsides kick. The closest would probably be a fake punt or field goal, but I don't recall ever seeing one in the Super Bowl before. Payton stands alone IMO. Nice to see a coach do what he thinks give his team the best chance to win. He saw an opportunity and wasn't afraid to exploit it.

[CaptainHook]

He was also retreating away from the kick-off to go block before he did his job and make sure it's not an on sides kick.

[HowboutthemCowboys]

I've seen it several times and he was miked up. It was Cowher's idea, but, he did get confirmation from his assistants. He said "I'm going to go surprise on-sides here, what do you think ?"

meh...no biggie. I remember it as the ST coach bringing it up to him and it took him by surprise. He then asked the assistants what you typed. Maybe I'm misrembering.

[TitansFan]

I know it was the heat of the game but had he of never touched it the ball wouldn't have travelled 10 yards. Your right though, stones has never had good hands.

 

It actually went about 15 yards before being touched by the Colts.

[i_am_the_swammi]

It actually went about 15 yards before being touched by the Colts.

 

Correct...the 10-yards was never a factor.

 

And to be honest, it looked like Baskett recovered the ball after the Saints player quasi-pinned it against his leg...but somewhere under that pile of humanity, someone wanted it more.

[tonyr0802]

Correct...the 10-yards was never a factor.

 

And to be honest, it looked like Baskett recovered the ball after the Saints player quasi-pinned it against his leg...but somewhere under that pile of humanity, someone wanted it more.

 

That was the most ridiculous pile I've seen too, the refs had no control over it. Players kept piling on, coaches were even in there weighing in, plenty of unnecessary roughness. Should been off setting penalties and redo

[Cameltosis]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I heard the kid that recovered it was an undrafted rookie free agent. Hugh play for a kid that was probably an afterthought at some point this season. That had to have been ugly under that pile.

[Big John]

Correct me if I'm wrong, but I thought I heard the kid that recovered it was an undrafted rookie free agent. Hugh play for a kid that was probably an afterthought at some point this season. That had to have been ugly under that pile.

Correct, Chris Reis.

[Ursa Majoris]

As others have said, it was the gutsiest call simply because if it hadn't worked, that's PEYTON F'N MANNING you just gave a short field to.

[Rovers]

It was a near crazy call. I still think it was a bad call that worked out very well. If the Colts had recovered it, I don't know if the Saints would be the champs today. That was an awfully big pile of chips to put down on a pair of dueces. I won't change my mind about whether or not it was a good call based on the fact that it worked. I think you need to take risks and play to win, but I think the risk was too great.

 

I thought going for the TD on fourth down was a great decision, even though the Saints couldn't punch it in. The Colts didn't want to throw the ball there, and the Saints ended up with the 3 points anyway. But the on sides kick... man, too risky for my taste. But, it worked out.

[T_bone65]

Go Kendra

 

ETA: Guess I should of included the link

 

Damn, nobody likes a hottie anymore

[MTSuper7]

It was a near crazy call. I still think it was a bad call that worked out very well. If the Colts had recovered it, I don't know if the Saints would be the champs today. That was an awfully big pile of chips to put down on a pair of dueces. I won't change my mind about whether or not it was a good call based on the fact that it worked. I think you need to take risks and play to win, but I think the risk was too great.

 

I thought going for the TD on fourth down was a great decision, even though the Saints couldn't punch it in. The Colts didn't want to throw the ball there, and the Saints ended up with the 3 points anyway. But the on sides kick... man, too risky for my taste. But, it worked out.

 

Do you think Payton makes that call if he isn't confident from what he had seen on film that a well executed onsides kick gives them better than average odds for an onsides kick? Also, consider this - what are the chances that the Colts go down and score a TD on the first posession of the 2nd half if the Saints kick it off there? Even if the onsides kick fails, you have to acknowledge that Payton did what a coach should do - he assessed the situation properly, weighed the risk vs. reward, made the call that he felt would give his team what it needed to gain the advantage in the game, and asked his players to make a play (which they did). Even if this attempt fails, I don't think you can question Payton's rationale for the decision. Isn't that what coaches are supposed to do... find weaknesses in the opposing team and exploit them?

[Czarina]

How much you wanna bet that the competition committee discusses rules about onside kicks and the resulting scrum for the ball this offseason?

[Rovers]

Do you think Payton makes that call if he isn't confident from what he had seen on film that a well executed onsides kick gives them better than average odds for an onsides kick? Also, consider this - what are the chances that the Colts go down and score a TD on the first posession of the 2nd half if the Saints kick it off there? Even if the onsides kick fails, you have to acknowledge that Payton did what a coach should do - he assessed the situation properly, weighed the risk vs. reward, made the call that he felt would give his team what it needed to gain the advantage in the game, and asked his players to make a play (which they did). Even if this attempt fails, I don't think you can question Payton's rationale for the decision. Isn't that what coaches are supposed to do... find weaknesses in the opposing team and exploit them?

 

So Peyton knew Baskett would not catch the ball? Sorry, that doesn't wash for me. It was a very risky call that worked out. At very best, it's 50-50 the Saints recover... after all, it did bounce off of Baskett, right? It wasn't well executed either. Baskett has lousy hands, and I am not about to buy into the idea that Baskett was some sort of target, and his miscue was anticipated. I don't think Baskett misplays that ball 4 out of 10 times.

 

I would not have risked giving Manning a short field there, especially since the N.O. D was playing well. I'm not going to call it a good call because it worked. That would be hypocritical. Because it worked doesn't make it a good call.

 

I loved most of what the Saints did the entire game, but I just think this play was far too risky.

[Ed Hoyle]

Not sure if I'd have made the Onside call. But, it was a game changer. The Saints played with more confidence afterwards.

The Saints D/ST was playing well, so SP thought it was worth a chance? Maybe IMHO.

 

Either way, it was a good game.

[Infinity]

Can we acknowledged how many personal foul penalties could have been called during this play and it's aftermath?

[WaterMan]

This Superbowl was about the biggest balls.