There's less than 2 min in the game, you're losing, and you have a chance to score. What's there to think about? You put the ball in the endzone, every single time. Too much can go wrong.
And as for the "genius" of Belichick's move...... Probably between the three of us, we've played in what? A zillion football games? HS, College, playground, whatever? When drawing the play up in the dirt, have you ever, EVER, heard the strategy, "OK, First we let the other team score....."
There was at least one other play to run and a 25 yard field goal is not automatic. Plenty can go wrong. Belichick really outsmarted himself, and it says a lot about the Patriots' athleticism that they overcame his "coaching" and actually made it close on the last play.
It's only the correct strategy when the alternative is to allow the other team to attempt a 19-yard go-ahead field goal (basically, an extra point) that will leave you with no time outs and about 5 seconds left on the clock. Is the likelihood of a missed field goal (from 19 yards) greater than the likelihood of Brady engineering a touchdown drive with a minute to play and a timeout in hand?
“There was at least one other play to run and a 25 yard field goal is not automatic. Plenty can go wrong. “
My sentiments exactly. Must be the conservatism in me. .
The “fieldgoal alternative” assumes getting the clock down to at most, 17 seconds, while hustling the field goal team onto the field and the right players off with no confusion, with the referee saying when the play clock starts.
Among other things, there is an elevated chance of an miscue on the snap from center. Even though the game was well played by both teams (no turnovers that I can remember), there were penalties against both teams for having 12 players on the field earlier in the game.
When you have championship quality players (or high quality people in any business for that matter) it’s a good idea not to overcoach. In the end, with the Pats needing a touchdown, the best thing that Beliceck’s micromanaging could produce was a predictable 50 yard Hail Mary.