[News] John Harbaugh Not Apologizing For Fake Punt Call

[Fastynart]

Something no one is saying. What about taking a crazy chance to get your punter hurt, for nothing? Koch is no spring chicken. If you want to fake the punt, then snap it to one of the up back blockers, not the punter. Another in a long list of dumb Harbaugh decisions. There is a huge difference in playing aggressively and playing just plain stupid.

[rmcjacket23]

Something no one is saying. What about taking a crazy chance to get your punter hurt, for nothing? Koch is no spring chicken. If you want to fake the punt, then snap it to one of the up back blockers, not the punter. Another in a long list of dumb Harbaugh decisions. There is a huge difference in playing aggressively and playing just plain stupid.

So now we are worried about getting the punter hurt when we are 4-10? Why put him out there to punt at all? Why not just put him on IR just so he never has to get touched?

 

I'm far more worried on him injuring himself when he's unprotected actually kicking the ball than I am of him getting hurt on a tackle.

 

Think you're just grasping at air at this point.

[BillyD]

In that down and distance, it's a stupid call, IMHO. A QB sneak on 4th and 1 on your own 25 is a far cry from a fake punt run by the punter on 4th and 9 from your own 25. A QB lining up under center and trying to pick up 1 yard is an entirely different scenario from a punter lining up 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and having to run like 19 yards to pick up the 1st down. The risk/reward just doesn't make any sense.

[rmcjacket23]

In that down and distance, it's a stupid call, IMHO. A QB sneak on 4th and 1 on your own 25 is a far cry from a fake punt run by the punter on 4th and 9 from your own 25. A QB lining up under center and trying to pick up 1 yard is an entirely different scenario from a punter lining up 10 yards behind the line of scrimmage and having to run like 19 yards to pick up the 1st down. The risk/reward just doesn't make any sense.

In general, I agree. 

 

Though I'd argue at this point that the risk is virtually nothing. After all, what's the worst case scenario... we lose another game? 

[BillyD]

In general, I agree. 

 

Though I'd argue at this point that the risk is virtually nothing. After all, what's the worst case scenario... we lose another game? 

In the words of Herman Edwards:  YOU PLAY TO WIN THE GAME!  I like the aggressive approach that Harbs has in general.  But that play call was just a head scratcher.  We were in the game at that point.  I get your point, what's the difference if we lose another game?  I totally agree on that.  I'm just saying that in any circumstance, that play was, in my opinion, dumb.  That's all.

[BillyD]

Well, its not really lucky, because if this team were 10-4, he doesn't call a fake punt in that spot.

 

Frankly, I'd argue we are better off not punting at all most of the time at this point. We've got far more things that we could be working on, such as red zone defense.

With a unit that may be totally different next season?  We don't even know who will be coming back in 2016, who we will draft, who we may pick up in free agency, etc.  For that matter, if we're lucky, we may even have a new DC with an entirely different scheme next season.  Not sure I buy this argument.

[raveninct]

IMO, it was a dumb decision. 4th and under 5 from the 45, maybe. 4th and 9 from the 20, no way. Harbs has said we're going to give some younger guys playing time and see what they can do. Basically, they're learning. But they also have to learn how to win, and Harbs didn't give them that opportunity on that play. The odds were that he was going to leave the defense, who is also banged up and in need of confidence and in need of lesson on how to win a game, in a no-win situation. There's a difference between taking chances and being reckless. The fake punt fell into the reckless column, IMO.

[757RavensFan]

The fake punt was one of 3 bad plays/calls that contributed to 21 points and the lopsided loss. 

 

- Fake punt.

- Jernigan's personal foul after forcing a 4th down.

- Allen's fumble return for a TD. 

 

Eliminate those 3 plays and it's a much closer game that maybe we win.  

[757RavensFan]

Crazy thing about the fake, as SOON as Koch takes off running, the crowd lets out a very loud cheer.  Any defender thinking it's going to be a typical punt is immediately alerted by the crowd's response.  With Koch being 9 yards behind the line of scrimmage, that gives the D more than enough time to react to Koch running the ball. 

Edited December 21, 2015 by 757RavensFan

[Swift 1]

Rmcjacket while I agree on most of your post today I think Harbs putting Buck Allen in dog house for fumble was an overstatement I cant believe Jerigan was not benched or

even suspended with that stupid hit out of bounds.

[Crusader]

"I"M NEVER WRONG! Just ask Jim Harbaugh." John

[burnbigben]

Well, its not really lucky, because if this team were 10-4, he doesn't call a fake punt in that spot.

 

Frankly, I'd argue we are better off not punting at all most of the time at this point. We've got far more things that we could be working on, such as red zone defense.

 

And that is exactly what practice is for.... Sometimes I feel like you argue just to argue, getting our punter laid out by 4 or 5 tacklers just to get our D some redzone practice might be the most ridiculous thing you've ever tried to justify.

[rmcjacket23]

And that is exactly what practice is for.... Sometimes I feel like you argue just to argue, getting our punter laid out by 4 or 5 tacklers just to get our D some redzone practice might be the most ridiculous thing you've ever tried to justify.

Not really... just following the constant narrative of these boards. After all, I keep hearing the only true way to let young guys grow and gain experience is by playing them in real games... so now all the sudden were more interested in protecting our punter?

He got tackled, just like he's tackled people before. That's football. He got laid out by precisely nobody. If we're laughably worried about his health all the sudden, then he shouldn't be punting or on the field at all.

[kgkosio99]

Look at the replay, if Terrence Brooks (31) blocks somebody, instead of running up the field, it is a first down.