Sean Payton says running-clock field goal try was “not chaotic”

Before attempting a potential game-winning field goal, the Broncos opted to take as much time off the clock as possible. It was a calculated risk. It was still a major risk.

It ultimately required the Broncos to rush the field-goal team into service with the clock tick-tick-ticking toward :00.

After a pass interference put the ball on the Buffalo 17 with 29 seconds to play, the Broncos took a knee, forcing the Bills to burn one of its two remaining timeouts. Twenty-five seconds remained.

The Broncos did it again, taking another knee and forcing the Bills to take their final timeout. It happened with 23 seconds left.

The Broncos decided to do it again, taking another knee and starting the clock on its final march toward zero, with the apparent goal of making it the last play of the game — eliminating Buffalo’s chance at a Hail Mary or a Stanford band play.

There was plenty of time. The ball was snapped with seven seconds left; if the kick had been good, the Broncos still would have had to kick off. And if the Bills hadn’t bailed the Broncos out by having 12 players on the field, the Broncos would have lost.

In his post-game press conference, Broncos coach Sean Payton was asked whether he viewed the ticking-clock field-goal try as chaotic.

“It’s not chaotic,” Payton said. “It’s not chaotic. It’s really not. They had 12 guys on the field, but we do it all the time. Sometimes when you’re doing that, as opposed to coming out of a huddle thinking about it, it’s a little bit easier. It’s not really that difficult.”

That’s one way to look at it. There’s no time for the kicker to overthink it. He doesn’t get iced.

Then again, kicker Will Lutz missed the kick. So it ultimately didn’t work.

Still, to the extent there was chaos, it affected the Bills. They were the ones who ended up with 12 guys on the field.

For Payton, the only issue was the nomenclature.

“My biggest challenge is the special teams coaches calling it ‘Hurricane,'” Payton said. “I’m used to…

Source link : https://sports.yahoo.com/sean-payton-says-running-clock-144729145.html

Author : ProFootball Talk on NBC Sports

Publish date : 2023-11-14 14:47:29

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