Were we right to punt on 4th and 2?

[RiverDog]

I just got through browsing a thread in another forum, and I couldn't believe how many posters felt we should have gone for it in the 4th quarter on 4th and 2 on our own 36 and down by 6 with 8 minutes left in the game.

Am I nuts? We were one of the worst offenses at converting on 3rd and 4th and short last year and the consequences of not making it was giving the ball back in immediate fg range on a hot day when the ball is carrying like a rocket and would have made it a two score game with something like 3 or 4 minutes left. Even though our defense was having a bad day, we still have the best defense in the league and you have to play to your strength and not try to overcome a weakness when you're on the road and the game's on the line. Punting gave our offense a chance to live for another series.

I'm usually one of the harshest critics of Pete's game management, but I don't see anything he could have done differently that would have increased our chances of winning. We just got our asses whipped.

Comments?

[monkey]

Pete did the only sane thing there, he was absolutely right to punt.
In that field position you'd be insane to go for it.

[RiverDog]

Pete did the only sane thing there, he was absolutely right to punt.
In that field position you'd be insane to go for it.

Actually I was thinking that we might see a fake punt in that situation, but San Diego would have been looking for that, or at least they would have been nuts not to have.

I tell ya, some of these fans don't pause to consider the odds of converting on 4th and 2 and the consequences of not converting. Last season, we were 6/11 on 4th down. That's not good enough odds when you're on the road and when the consequences of not converting are making it a two score game late in the 4th quarter.

[savvyman]

Yes Punting was the right choice at that moment in time.

[FolkCrusader]

Since San Diego had not been moving the ball effectively at that point it was absolutely the right move. Giving Rivers a short field the way he was playing would have given life to that offense.

Our O had opportunity to move the ball at the end of the game and couldn't do it. Ultimately it was a one turnover game in San Diego's favor. They made mistakes, but they seemed to overcome them in some way every time. Our mistakes seemed to cost us plenty.

[NorthHawk]

If we went for it and didn't make it, the comments would have been about why they went for it with so much time left.
It was the right call at that point in the game.

[Hawkstar]

Since San Diego had not been moving the ball effectively at that point it was absolutely the right move. Giving Rivers a short field the way he was playing would have given life to that offense.

Our O had opportunity to move the ball at the end of the game and couldn't do it. Ultimately it was a one turnover game in San Diego's favor. They made mistakes, but they seemed to overcome them in some way every time. Our mistakes seemed to cost us plenty.

Really good point ~ I forgot about the Harvin fumble on the KO. The game felt so lopsided because we couldnt get our D off the field. The play that burns me is the Irvin shove of Rivers while out of bounds. Absolutely a killer penalty at that stage of the game. 15 yards, first down and the D was gassed. Terrible, terrible judgement. I realize on play doesnt make the game, but that play sure did hurt.