The Packers had the ball, the lead, and the momentum. Up by 3 with under three minutes left, all they needed was one yard to ice the game. 4th and 1 at the Eagle 41 yard line. Ahman Green had been running at will, and the Packer line was dominating the Eagle defense. The shortest run of the drive was a 2 yarder by Green; even Favre ripped off a 3 yard scramble.
This is a playoff game; win or go home. You only have a 3 point lead, against a quality quarterback who has the ability to create plays from nothing.
So, what do you do?
YOU GO FOR IT!
Every time! You don't give the other team the chance to strike. If you go for it and miss, you give up 20 yards, but if you make it, the game is over.
By punting, Sherman sent a message to his team, and to the Eagles; he wasn't playing to win. He was playing not to lose.
Ed Donatell picked up on the message and called a soft, prevent defense 4 plays later when the Eagles had the ball on 4th and 26, resulting in a 28 yard completion that lead directly to the tying field goal.
But the heroics by McNabb and company were an afterthought. The game had already been decided at 2:30 to go in the 4th. In championship play, situations arise where your resolve is tested, where your confidence in your team is taken to the limit. It is at those times that champions rise to the occasion and do more than they believed they could.
Sherman took the opportunity from them, and Green Bay lost.
Posted by Rich at January 12, 2004 12:36 PM | TrackBackThat's exactly why the University of Arizona under head coach Dick Tomey never went to the Rose Bowl: He played not to lose.
So we chucked him and got a guy who didn't know the meaning of the word "win."
Posted by: Kevin Baker on January 12, 2004 8:32 PM