Game-clinching PI in the endzone

[Nav22]

There was 2:08 left after Jourdan Lewis’ INT, Cowboys ball at the Saints 16.

Saints had 1 timeout.

On 1st down, Zeke ran for 2. Sean Payton chose to call his last timeout with 2:03 left.

That was a mistake on Payton’s part UNLESS he’s so diabolical that he called the timeout in order to force Dallas into passing. That’s unlikely. If you’re the Saints, you probably wanted Zeke to run into a stacked box instead.

The timeout with 2:03 left allowed Dallas to pass the ball instead of running it on 2nd and 8, since the clock was going to stop at the 2 minute warning regardless.

Give Linehan/Garrett credit for recognizing this and taking advantage. I was worried that they’d hand it to Zeke with 2:03 left, but they trusted their QB.

Great decision by Dak to take the shot into the endzone to Cooper. Pass interference, game over.

Had we run the ball instead and settled for a FG, the Saints would’ve gotten the ball back down 16-10 with about 1:10 left.

Nice sequence there to end the game. It started with a mistake by Payton and we made him pay.

 

[joseephuss]

How was that a mistake by Payton? I think every coach will take the timeout before the 2 min warning. It saves the most time.

 

[Nightman]

calling the TO before the 2 minute warning is always the right call

they could've gotten the ball back with 1:50

DAL showed such guts and awareness throwing it on 2nd down but it was the right play

 

[Cydios]

It was a mistake by Sean. Since the clock was going to stop at 2 mins anyway you gave Dallas 2 choices rather than the obvious run. If you called the TO afterwards, we would have run the ball.

 

[Nav22]

calling the TO before the 2 minute warning is always the right call

they could've gotten the ball back with 1:50

DAL showed such guts and awareness throwing it on 2nd down but it was the right play

It wasn’t the right call... because it gave Dallas the opportunity to throw a pass on 2nd and 8 without the potential downside of an incomplete pass stopping the clock.

Which ultimately ended the game.

No, the Saints couldn’t have gotten it back with 1:50 left. If the Cowboys ran twice they’d kick the FG with about 1:10 left.

 

[Batman1980]

Cooper roasted Lattimore alive too and would've been open for 6.

 

[MarcusRock]

It's always funny to see posters repeat what announcers said during the game as if it was their own epiphany. Aikman broke this down extensively in real time right after the plays happened.

 

[Rayman70]

Garrett actually outcoached Sean Payton last night...not the norm...but Im willing to give credit where its due. We played our game and forced the saints into slow ball and they couldn't do it. THATS THE TEMPLATE FOR BEATING THEM. Its a copy cat league. The saints will lose 2 out of the next 4...watch.

 

[Rayman70]

Lattimore and Apple broke their ankles and hammies. Cooper and Gallup torched them with outstanding routes.

 

[CowboysFaninHouston]

There was 2:08 left after Jourdan Lewis’ INT, Cowboys ball at the Saints 16.

Saints had 1 timeout.

On 1st down, Zeke ran for 2. Sean Payton chose to call his last timeout with 2:03 left.

That was a mistake on Payton’s part UNLESS he’s so diabolical that he called the timeout in order to force Dallas into passing. That’s unlikely. If you’re the Saints, you probably wanted Zeke to run into a stacked box instead.

The timeout with 2:03 left allowed Dallas to pass the ball instead of running it on 2nd and 8, since the clock was going to stop at the 2 minute warning regardless.

Give Linehan/Garrett credit for recognizing this and taking advantage. I was worried that they’d hand it to Zeke with 2:03 left, but they trusted their QB.

Great decision by Dak to take the shot into the endzone to Cooper. Pass interference, game over.

Had we run the ball instead and settled for a FG, the Saints would’ve gotten the ball back down 16-10 with about 1:10 left.

Nice sequence there to end the game. It started with a mistake by Payton and we made him pay.

that was the right call by peyton. leave as much time as possible if dallas scores or doesn't score....so in essence only losing 8 second in two plays. he still had another timeout and if dallas scores, he has a couple of minutes, if not, then he has couple of minutes...what he didn't expect to happen is that we get a first down at the 1..... which was the killer for him.

yes, it was a nice sequence of game management by garrett in the end.

 

[Nova]

I don’t know if it was a mistake either.

I mean... I would rather Dak pass the ball if I’m the Saints.

He had already fumbled twice; once in just the previous series in the same area of the field.

It just ended up being the worst case scenario for Payton when Lattimore interfered.

Credit to Linehan there. Cowboys got the matchup they wanted because they went to 10 personnel and forced the Saints to play them head up

 

[Nav22]

How was that a mistake by Payton? I think every coach will take the timeout before the 2 min warning. It saves the most time.

It saved them 3 seconds. That’s it.

It also gave Dallas the ability to pass the ball with 2:03 left (due to there being no fear of a clock stoppage for an incomplete pass), which ultimately ended the game.

 

[ScipioCowboy]

How was that a mistake by Payton? I think every coach will take the timeout before the 2 min warning. It saves the most time.

It opens up the Cowboys playbook. Situational football does not compel them to run.

 

[Rayman70]

It was a blessing in disguise that Dak missed a wide open Gallup late in the game.We would have left way too much time on the clock. It all worked out.

 

[Rayman70]

Roger Staubach was the one guy who stood by Dak and this team when not many would, just 4 games ago. Roger obviously knew a little something about this team. When he speaks, I tend to trust it.

 

[Doomsday101]

It wasn’t the right call... because it gave Dallas the opportunity to throw a pass on 2nd and 8 without the potential downside of an incomplete pass stopping the clock.

Which ultimately ended the game.

No, the Saints couldn’t have gotten it back with 1:50 left. If the Cowboys ran twice they’d kick the FG with about 1:10 left.

I agree, with 2:03 on the clock Dallas was going to see the clock stop anyways so they took it to the end zone. If he holds on to it, Dallas likely runs the ball to force NO to call the timeout and thus no PI would have been called that clinched the game

 

[CWR]

It saved them 3 seconds. That’s it.

It also gave Dallas the ability to pass the ball with 2:03 left (due to there being no fear of a clock stoppage for an incomplete pass), which ultimately ended the game.

 

[MyFairLady]

I agree big mistake by Sean. Let it go to 2 minute warning. No way we throw coming out of 2 minute warning. As you said they get the ball back down 6 with no time outs and a little over a minute left. Bad game management for sure.

 

[Lutonio]

With 2:03 on the clock, it was totally a mistake. We can have a conversation if it's something like 2:40 and you're going save 30 seconds. Payton was tilted last night and coached a terrible game from challenges, redzone decisions, and clock management.

It's not even an example where your benefit from hindsight. Aikman and Buck questioned it live. The second it happened, my group text message with brothers (one a Saints a fan and the other a Cowboys fan) went off immediately saying they just gave Dallas a free throw if they want it.

 

[IlliniNation]

The amount of time over 2 minutes is the key. What was it....3 seconds? A pass play takes that at least off the clock and gets you to 2 minutes. If it had been 2 minutes 10 seconds. Then I say right to call the TO and Dallas probably runs.