The Green Bay Packers’ final drive against the Pittsburgh Steelers didn’t net much. The Packers had the ball with 1:20 left inside their own 20. Three plays later, they would punt.
That, of course, allowed the Steelers to drive for the game-winning field goal after they got the ball back with 37 seconds left.
That may not have happened if everything went according to plan. The Packers were supposed to be running the clock and playing for overtime on that final drive. The play that derailed it was a three-yard pass to Jamaal Williams. The rookie running back ran out of bounds on the play, stopping the clock.
It was the second play of the drive. On the first, quarterback Brett Hundley got sacked for a six-yard loss. Coach Mike McCarthy thought there was a helmet-to-helmet hit on the play, but a penalty wasn’t called. He asked Hundley if he was okay, then called the play. Hundley didn’t communicate the play-for-overtime strategy to Williams.
“The play entry from the boundary went in late because I thought there was a helmet-to-helmet hit on Brett Hundley,” McCarthy said. “You obviously check to see if your quarterback’s OK. That’s a natural reaction in the flow of the game. It might affect how you’re going to call the second play, too. That’s what happened as far as Jamaal. I don’t fault Jamaal for going out of bounds on the second down.
“Jamaal didn’t know we were out of the two-minute mode. … It’s football. It happens. Hey, I don’t want to see officials make calls in the fourth quarter of a game. It happens sometimes. It happened tonight. That’s the reality of what happened. No excuses. That’s where we were.”
All in all, this was easily Hundley’s best game as a pro. He threw for 245 yards, three touchdowns and no interceptions. Although they haven’t had much success there lately, it would have been interesting to see what would have happened if the game went to overtime.
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It would be funny if Hundley went to another team next year and played lights out. Just like many other players that have left GB lately.
Gonna happen ! He goes to Niners for a tenth round pick.
If the Packers were playing for OT after the sack, and MM was concerned about Hundley’s health from a solid helmet hit, why not run the play clock down to 1 second, call TO and then make sure everyone is on the same page and your QB has a clear head. That would have taken another 4 to 5 seconds off the clock and maybe changed the way the next play was ran. The Steelers at that point we’re willing to let the clock run.
I was suprised the NFL and the refs did not stop play and have Hundley go through the concussion protocol. When Hundley grabbed at the front of his head after the hit that should have been a signal. It would have been a benefit to the Steelers time wise.
Exactly Howard.
I don’t know how much more McChubby bs i can stand.
Here’s what i’m surprised about, he says they’re playing for overtime, and he calls a pass play? I call bullshit.
Not only that, but if he was so worried about Hundley, why call a pass play if he’s so concerned, call a timeout like Howard suggested.
Then in the presser, after bringing up the hit, the refs not calling it, etc. He then says “no excuses.” Stay in Pittsburgh. I’ve had enough of that fat fuck. Talking out of both sides of his mouth again. they weren’t playing for overtime, not until Williams ran out of bounds and that was now the narrative.
Now just to keep it real, lets take a look at the helmet to helmet. They could have, probably should have called it. But they didn’t. So……What actually happened on the play? The Steelers brought 3, Packers protected with 5. 4 of the Packers blocked the 3 Pittsburgh lineman. Who did Lane Taylor block, no one, nobody, not a living soul. Then Watt, who was back in pass coverage, decides fuck this, i’m gonna make a play, and goes makes a play. What was Taylor doing? Standing there …..watching it happen.
So the Steelers have 17 seconds left to go on their own 30 yard line. 3 plays later, game over.
Piffle ! That was your best post ever! Every point correct and eloquent. Good job.
Yes, I saw that too. Hundley was visibly stunned after that brutal hit – seems to me that Hochuli and his crew seem to call soft against teams playing the packers.
Don’t understand why he wasn’t forced to take concussion protocol – Just shows how the whole rule is just BS from the refs catching it to lack of consistent enforcement of protocol. Callahan comes in, gets a first down, runs out the clock and GB wins with FG in OT on a Williams 60 yd run – coulda happened !
I forget, we didn’t want them to win to at least hope for MM, DC and/or TT departure……
That last series goes to poor coaching.
Playing for OT? Everbody knew that, even Hundley. The play call for a pass was OK, and if it worked for a big gain could have changed the outcome. Hundles’s responsibility in the huddle (as coached by the QB whisperer) is to remind the rookie RB of what to do AFTER he catches the pass:
1) short gain = stay in bounds to keep the clock running or
2) long gain = then go out of bounds to stop the clock.
Poor execution caused by poor coaching.