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February 03, 2008

Irony alert: Bill Belichick, coaching genius

The New England Patriots’ head coach has a reputation as a gridiron genius.

So, I want to know why the genius went for it on fourth and long, I repeat long, specifically, fourth and 13, from the New York Giants’ 31 in the second quarter rather than trying a 48-yard field goal. Your kicker, Stephen Gostkowski, had a season long of 52 yards.

Last I checked, coach genius, the scoreboard hadn’t changed. You still lost, 17-14, or by the margin of a field goal.

Knowing that Brady’s ankle wasn’t 100 percent, knowing what the Giants’ defense was doing, and seeing how tight the game was, I’d have to say this was one of the bigger coaching wrong choices in Super Bowl history, albeit with a bit of hindsight.

However, I said at the time that I didn’t get why Coach Genius was going for it.

Oh, and why was Brady not being told to roll out (or not making that decision for himself), at least on occasion, long before the final drive of the game?

Oh, and let me throw Coach Genius under the bus a little bit more.

With it obvious the Pats were having trouble with pass protection from the O-line alone, did you consider two-tight-end sets to chip block Giant D-ends, or catch outside blitzers? Fullback Heath Evans playing some time as a blitz blocking back? Kevin Faulk staying in the backfield to block more?

ESPN fans, as of the time of this post, rated “pass protection” as the No. 1 reason the Pats lost. But, isn’t some of that pass protection blamable on coaching?

The New England Patriots’ head coach has a reputation as a gridiron genius.

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