Can we stop blaming Whalen now?

[NewColtsFan]

No loss helps any coaches job.

 

I'm not talking about the loss......    I'm talking about.....   the play.

 

I don't think losing to New England hurts Chuck Pagano.     But I think the botched punt will stain him and stay with him the way the "butt fumble" has stayed with Mark Sanchez.      I'm not saying it's right or fair,  only that's what happens these days.

[jvan1973]

I'm not talking about the loss...... I'm talking about..... the play.

I don't think losing to New England hurts Chuck Pagano. But I think the botched punt will stain him and stay with him the way the "butt fumble" has stayed with Mark Sanchez. I'm not saying it's right or fair, only that's what happens these days.

Winning games makes things like this be forgotten

[coltsva]

Just heard Pat got an earful for his explanation of the punt, despite the team touting it on the front page of the website

Pagano thinking he was covering Griff's back and saying "it's my fault" without an explanation is basically saying "Griff messed up but since I'm in charge I'll take the hit." That still, unintentionally, I'm sure, leaves Griff looking like a dummy and open to ridicule from everyone. Another bad decision by the coach.

 

Patty Mac explaining it let's everyone know the coaches aren't just giving the standard "I'm the head coach so it falls on me" line. If Pagano would have simply said what Pat said in his press conference he would have saved Griff and the team a lot of embarrassment.

 

Bravo to Pat for having the sense to say what the coach would not say, and shedding some light on what at the time seemed like the dumbest plays in football history.

[NewColtsFan]

Winning games makes things like this be forgotten

 

I hope so.....   for Pagano's sake.

[southwest1]

It shouldn't have happened. Pagano should have looked at the clock, realized his team was in it and playing desperate was unnecessary. If we had stayed the course, ball control, eat the clock ect, the outcome could very well have been different. 

 

He got in his own way and it probably sealed his fate. 

Look, we all know that the ball should have never been snapped & that Pagano should have just decided against trickery especially against NE an exceptionally well coached team. 

 

At this juncture, I have zero interest in applying blame to either Chuck Pagano or Griff Whalen. You wanna know what leadership is? Saying yes, that play was foolish both in execution & green lighting it. But, what's done is done & all we can do now is forget it, not dwell on, & move forward. Some of the best mentors I ever had in my life knew how to shut out the outside world & remind me that this mistake won't define my legacy or hang around my neck like an albatross from the poem "The Rhyme Of The Ancient Mariner." They just told me that they still believed in me & that how I handle my failures was more important than my successes in life.

 

There's no need to blame Pagano or Whalen anymore. Do we move forward as a franchise or do we let this 1 moment unravel our entire season? It's a rhetorical question & when I think of NE at Kansas City or GB losing to Seattle in the NFC Championship Game last season, both the Patriots & GB are undefeated right now. They didn't get bogged down in pointing fingers or fracturing their locker room either. Let's keep that in mind & not overanalyze 1 single play to death. Thank you.

 

I understand that part of discussing this play is a form of grieving or trying to comprehend how this game slipped thru the Colts fingers, but eventually we need to let it go & almost pretend like it never happened for our own team self preservation. JMO. 

[ETL]

All of you blaming Whalen saying that he absolutely should not have snapped the ball - Tell me - WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO?

Was he supposed to trot out there and just give the Pats 5 yards for delay of game?

No one has answered what Whalen was supposed to do. There was no way to get the Pats on a 12 man or offside penalty unless the ball is snapped. So if Whalen was NOT supposed to snap the ball at all - then the play is basically a play to take a delay of game penalty and give NE 5 yards.

[Hoose]

It shouldn't have happened. Pagano should have looked at the clock, realized his team was in it and playing desperate was unnecessary. If we had stayed the course, ball control, eat the clock ect, the outcome could very well have been different. 

 

He got in his own way and it probably sealed his fate. 

AND...why not just call time out once you saw that the Pats weren't lined up in a way that would allow the play to work. And that your own team was lined up improperly. Instead Pagano looked like a deer in the headlights. The disaster unfolded before our eyes like it was in slow motion. There was plenty of time, and I mean PLENTY of time, to call time out. The Head Coach failed miserably in a critical moment. That speaks volumes, and  can't be lost on the owners. Coaching Changes are coming in 2016 unless a major turnaround occurs. Don't hold your breath on that turnaround. 

 

[dudeski]

Probably because the play was doomed as soon as the entire line wasn't on the LOS

irrelevant if the ball is never snapped

[jvan1973]

irrelevant if the ball is never snapped

With the information he was given, why wouldn't he snap the ball?

[southwest1]

The other thing I keep thinking about is a scene from the movie "For The Love Of The Game." Yeah I know, SW1 watches too many darn motion pictures & what the hades does a baseball diamond flick have to do with a colossal football field blunder by Griff & Chuck? Just bear with me for 1 second please. Thanks. 

 

Well, in that movie Kevin Costner plays Billy Chapel, a pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who has a perfect no hitter game vs the NY Yankees. An interesting side story in the plot is about a guy in the outfield who lost sight of a ball that bounced off his head near the wall & how ESPN made a blooper reel over his mistake & put it on a nonstop feedback loop to humiliate him & make him feel lousy. 

 

Billy Chapel said to the guy "Don't let the reporters make a clown of you. There's lots of crap on ESPN that I don't find very darn funny. Tell you what man. You hold your head up high, don't cater to the lowest common disgrace denominator & I will work with you personally extra in practice to make sure you never get embarrassed again. You follow me?" 

 

You wanna know what happened. This player caught a near home run ball against the wall that secured Billy Chapel's perfect game & HOF legacy & the media who was mocked him hailed him as a hero now. When he caught that ball for Billy, he looked at him like you saved my dignity & self esteem man & I've got your back man. I won't let this prestigious honor for you slip away man. Trust me. 

 

I just enjoy that interaction between Chapel & that guy because that's what sports & life is all about a band of brothers who refuse to fall, be made fun of, & are still standing tall in the end when precision & excellence is required.

 

INDY will rise above it's SNF blunder. I know this for a fact. 

[pacolts56]

Pagano thinking he was covering Griff's back and saying "it's my fault" without an explanation is basically saying "Griff messed up but since I'm in charge I'll take the hit." That still, unintentionally, I'm sure, leaves Griff looking like a dummy and open to ridicule from everyone. Another bad decision by the coach.

 

Patty Mac explaining it let's everyone know the coaches aren't just giving the standard "I'm the head coach so it falls on me" line. If Pagano would have simply said what Pat said in his press conference he would have saved Griff and the team a lot of embarrassment.

 

Bravo to Pat for having the sense to say what the coach would not say, and shedding some light on what at the time seemed like the dumbest plays in football history.

There was no way possible to save the Colts their due embarrassment from this cluster- once it backfired....but a Colts player tacitly redirecting blame in public only feeds the media frenzy and drags it out.

 

IMO....Pat McAfee should have shut his cakehole about this. He's got a nice little radio/tv side gig going for himself but this time he was out of line.

 

Everyone agrees it was a stupid play call in that situation and with that field position....add in the onside kick ruling and a bunch of earlier holding calls and they wound up losing.

 

That's it.

 

Enough already with this circular firing squad.

[RockThatBlue]

With the information he was given, why wouldn't he snap the ball?

Yup. The playbook says to snap the ball when the "Qb" is under center. I don't see why people don't understand this. But whatever...

Guess nobody watched McAfee explain it. Or if they did watch it they didn't understand it.

[BleedBlu8792]

yea that's easy to see AFTER he snapped it he should of let the best P in the league do his thing end of story

 

That wasn't "hindsight" or anything to do with "easy"... Pagano was doing this immediately after it happened. Taking the 5 yard delay of game would have given Pat extra room to try and get the ball down within the 10 yard line or so.

[BleedBlu8792]

AND...why not just call time out once you saw that the Pats weren't lined up in a way that would allow the play to work. And that your own team was lined up improperly. Instead Pagano looked like a deer in the headlights. The disaster unfolded before our eyes like it was in slow motion. There was plenty of time, and I mean PLENTY of time, to call time out. The Head Coach failed miserably in a critical moment. That speaks volumes, and  can't be lost on the owners. Coaching Changes are coming in 2016 unless a major turnaround occurs. Don't hold your breath on that turnaround. 

 

 

All of you blaming Whalen saying that he absolutely should not have snapped the ball - Tell me - WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO?

Was he supposed to trot out there and just give the Pats 5 yards for delay of game?

No one has answered what Whalen was supposed to do. There was no way to get the Pats on a 12 man or offside penalty unless the ball is snapped. So if Whalen was NOT supposed to snap the ball at all - then the play is basically a play to take a delay of game penalty and give NE 5 yards.

 

Yes.. that was the whole intention if they didn't catch the Patriots off-guard. Take the delay of game and give Pat more room to work with. Why would Pagano burn a time out if he didn't expect Whalen to snap the ball?

[indyspeed13]

That wasn't "hindsight" or anything to do with "easy"... Pagano was doing this immediately after it happened. Taking the 5 yard delay of game would have given Pat extra room to try and get the ball down within the 10 yard line or so.

what are you talking about?? given him extra room ??? we were on the 37yd line -10yds for the snap pat can boot 60-65 yds that would put the ball on the 8 yd line no I bet everything in the world pat wanted his shot to drop that ball right where it should of been not in patriots possession on our 35 yd line

[indyspeed13]

That wasn't "hindsight" or anything to do with "easy"... Pagano was doing this immediately after it happened. Taking the 5 yard delay of game would have given Pat extra room to try and get the ball down within the 10 yard line or so.

and patty came out and said that play wasn't designed for an offsides it was designed to snap the ball immediately and execute an ACTUAL swinging gate. the coaches F***d up and put someone in a bad position who hadn't practiced the play. get with the program  

[PotatoHead]

the coaches embarrassed the whole organization with this Joke of a play, totally Incompetent decision!!

[BleedBlu8792]

and patty came out and said that play wasn't designed for an offsides it was designed to snap the ball immediately and execute an ACTUAL swinging gate. the coaches F***d up and put someone in a bad position who hadn't practiced the play. get with the program  

 

Yea, that's not what was said. The play was meant to catch the Patriots with 12 men on the field and if that didn't happen the ball isn't supposed to be snapped. They then take the 5 yard delay of game and Pat punts the ball. There was nothing to run with that play or formation, and I find it comical that you believe they were actually going to run a play like that. Again, Pat said nothing close to what you think he said... /program

[ColtsSouljah]

All of you blaming Whalen saying that he absolutely should not have snapped the ball - Tell me - WHAT WAS HE SUPPOSED TO DO?

Was he supposed to trot out there and just give the Pats 5 yards for delay of game?

No one has answered what Whalen was supposed to do. There was no way to get the Pats on a 12 man or offside penalty unless the ball is snapped. So if Whalen was NOT supposed to snap the ball at all - then the play is basically a play to take a delay of game penalty and give NE 5 yards.

 

He was supposed to snap it IF the pats were offside or had 12 men on the field. NEITHER of those two things happened. Therefore, yes, he was supposed to take the delay penalty.

[18Manning]

After listening to Pat McAfee's explanation, I retract my comment about the play being stupid (at least the idea behind the play). Although, I am still of the opinion trying to use a guy that didn't practice the play was still not so smart (I won't call it straight-up stupid).

[jvan1973]

the coaches embarrassed the whole organization with this Joke of a play, totally Incompetent decision!!

The over reaction on this board is very entertaining

[Dustin]

Was he supposed to trot out there and just give the Pats 5 yards for delay of game?

Yes

[indyspeed13]

Yea, that's not what was said. The play was meant to catch the Patriots with 12 men on the field and if that didn't happen the ball isn't supposed to be snapped. They then take the 5 yard delay of game and Pat punts the ball. There was nothing to run with that play or formation, and I find it comical that you believe they were actually going to run a play like that. Again, Pat said nothing close to what you think he said... /program

"As soon as their defense comes back on the field, we snap it, steal five yards, and we get a first down...."  that is what pat said and I find it comical that your such an utter genius and completely understand the fundamentals of special teams playcalling so much as to insinuate that Griff Whalen is responsible for that debacle of an effort of a trick play.

"Griff has no idea were trying to draw a guy offsides because in the play it says if we get under center, snap it"

those are pats words maybe you cant read or hear or just don't understand the English language very well but its pretty easy to understand

ladies and gentleman of the jury, I rest my case

[BleedBlu8792]

"As soon as their defense comes back on the field, we snap it, steal five yards, and we get a first down...."  that is what pat said and I find it comical that your such an utter genius and completely understand the fundamentals of special teams playcalling so much as to insinuate that Griff Whalen is responsible for that debacle of an effort of a trick play.

"Griff has no idea were trying to draw a guy offsides because in the play it says if we get under center, snap it"

those are pats words maybe you cant read or hear or just don't understand the English language very well but its pretty easy to understand

ladies and gentleman of the jury, I rest my case

 

Good lord... 

 

You just made my point for me. That's literally what I just said WITHOUT copying and pasting Pat's words... However, the Patriots didn't bite. There was nothing there, especially when he had Colt telling him not to snap the ball. Keep  the pity-party for the guy....

[indyspeed13]

as a matter of fact I didn't copy and paste his words it wouldn't let me I had to read them and then dictate it manually u just keep blaming griff whalen for that disaster but ill bet u griff has a lot better chance of being a part of this team next year than pagano does

and this is coming from someone who has backed pagano for the last 3 years