Kubiak says he stands by the decision. What I don't understand is that he did the right thing the game before against the Colts (pass play to Walters, which setup a 42 yarder instead of a 50+ yarder).
But I mean that one cut it REALLY REALLY close, and there was 1 second left on the clock. Why run the risk of the clock running out on you and not getting a chance for a field goal AT ALL.
They didn't immediately call a timeout. That's part of the problem. Everybody got up to the line and Schaub was ready to spike it when the team called the timeout. They wasted a good 3-4 seconds.
That play against Indy, they had no timeout, so they not only ran a play, but they ran up to the line of scrimmage and spiked it - they did have 13 seconds though. However, on that same drive, the Texans had a 4 second, 8 yard play, and a 3 second, 8 yard play. 8 seconds is plenty of time to run a play if you have a timeout and don't try to set up a catch & run of any sort.
they also had 14 seconds. it was an ultra-conservative decision but by no means a bad one. if brown does what he's paid to do, no one would have thought anything of it. and it's not like brown has historically struggled to hit long FGs. since kubiak arrived, brown has hit on 9 of his last 10 from 50+. he has the leg to bang a 49-yarder. no sense in risking anything negative there.
perhaps; but the clock running out is just one of about a half dozen bad things that could have happened. why risk those when your kicker has been pretty reliable from that distance? it's not like they left him a 57-yarder. a 49-yard FG, while no gimme, is a very makeable FG.
I am not trying to say Brown is a bad kicker. IMO its the fact that the team was playing FOR the FG. Which was to TIE the game. They werent playing to win. Play to win, and you have to settle for a FG to tie it, then do so. I always felt that FG misses of more than 30 yards when you are playing for the TIE are proportionately more than when you settle after trying to do everything you can to WIN the game. I dont know if there is any data to back that up, but its my observation.(and I felt this way before this season)
you had 59 minutes to win the game. the smart play there is to tie the game and take your chances in OT. especially at home.
If Kris Brown misses another kick versus the Colts, I would cut him and sign Matt Bryant. Bryant is a career 80% kicker who just finished his season in the UFL so he is free to sign with any NFL team.
Kris Brown should have sat himself for the season after missing back to back game ending FGs. Now he has ruined the morale of this team and cost us dozens of points and at least 2 games. With an average kicker, we are in the playoffs--that hurts.
Do teams have a backup kicker usually? At this point, I'd just rather see Turk kick FG's from now on.
