I just think Payton is a cut above when thinking outside the box and doing things you never see other coaches do. The timeout to force the booth to review the fumble (which likely saved the game for us) was obviously pure genius. There are no challenges for coaches in overtime and only the booth can review it. It was worth a shot to call the timeout to force the booth to take a look at it and it sure paid off big time. Putting the FG unit on the field at the 20 just to force the Skins to call their only timeout in OT and then putting the offense back out on the field (Someone said he did that twice in the game, not sure when the other time was). Throwing the ball on 3rd down to pick up the first to keep the drive alive and get a chip shot FG vs a nerve racking 37 yarder in OT. Maybe his challenge flags are used as wisely as we would like, but you can't discount his great game and clock management overall.
1) It was a good time out and the refs gave us the time out back after replaying and reversing the call. Not sure they were supposed to do that since there are no challenges in OT. Washington boards are still clammering about that, the reversal, giving the ball to the Saints when the ball was blown dead and the Saints not getting the time out in time. 2) The 2nd time pulling the FG kicker after Wash was trying to ice him was in OT, I believe just after getting the 1st down you mentioned. We lined up for a 30 something yard field goal and Wash called time out. We put the Off back on the field and eventually took it down inside the 5. I thought they were going to do it a 3rd time at the 1 inch line but went ahead and kicked the winning FG.
1) I didn't notice on the replay when Payton called the TO, so I assume since they gave it to him, he got it off in time. Payton acknowledged in the post game presser that they probably should not have given him the TO back. 2) Now if there was a time out that was called late, I thought it was the Skins' 2nd time, when they tried to ice Hartley on the game-winner. The replay showed Brunell had already received the snap by the time the ref blew the whistle. Also, each team only has 2 TOs in the overtime, so the Skins were out....not to mention, the rules don't allow a team to call 2 consecutive time outs between plays.
you will have to pardon my ignorance but has there ever been a Saints head coach to win 2 division titles? Did Haslett win 2 or just 1?
Payton would be first, I believe. And with a victory over the Falcons this week, the Saints set the franchise regular-season wins mark (13).
Yes, Mora came close 4 times total. 1991 he won it finally. They were 12-3 in 87 and finished behind a 13-2 49ers team (damn them). In 1989 they fell apart after getting off to a 9-3 start (finished 10-6 and missed the playoffs I believe). Came close again in 1992 but too many close losses in which we played too conservatively offensively. Had Coach Payton been the head coach back in the Dome Patrol years with Bobby Hebert, the Saints would have won at least 2 super bowls.
Nobody can question Sean Payton and his coaching abilities. Hats off to whoever with the Saints made the push to hire him and ultimately to the much maligned Tom Benson for agreeing to it.
