That Hail Mary wasn't a complete fluke. Jacksonville beat the Texans with that exact same play in...

That Hail Mary wasn't a complete fluke. Jacksonville beat the Texans with that exact same play in November, 2010.

Mike Thomas said in the post-game interview that the play was designed that way, with the pass being batted down to a waiting player in the front of the end zone.

Props to Haley for seeing it and adding it to the playbook.

6 months ago Aesthetist 19 comments 0 recs |

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I know players are taught to "KNOCK IT DOWN"

Isn’t it less risky to simply attempt to catch it? To me, it would cause less problems with balls being batted around.

by craig in calgary on Dec 5, 2011 11:08 AM CST reply actions

Not necessarily.

Because if the guy doesn’t catch it, then it is likely to stay up in the air and become a jump ball. In most of these cases, the tallest (and best vertical ability) guy will be a WR. They used to do it that way, until coaches realized that it is safer to knock the ball to the ground. Now coaches have learned to counter that strategy.

I’ll bet money that the next evolution of this is that defenders will try to knock the ball or WR out of bounds. And after that, teams will start throwing it to the middle front of the endzone with WRs surrounding the play.

That’s the awesome thing about football. It is constantly evolving.

"You can't be fat and fast too; so lift, run, diet, and work." ~ Hank Stram

by citadelchief on Dec 5, 2011 11:16 AM CST up reply actions

This isn't the play that made him add it to the playbook

In the presser after the game he referenced a play in 2001 I think. He said it happened in the same endzone in Chicago to win the game.

by RamX21 on Dec 5, 2011 11:17 AM CST reply actions

Props to Haley for entering it into the playbook?

Every team has the hailmary in their playbook. That play was 100% luck.

I can now say this with a straight face, and it will be accurate: Tim Tebow is a better QB than Matt Cassel.

by ProbablyYoungerThanAllOfYou on Dec 5, 2011 11:19 AM CST reply actions

luck to an extent

but if you dont think that was designed then you are crazy.

by chiefsfan83 on Dec 5, 2011 11:30 AM CST up reply actions

Exactly

The only reason that McCluster is included on a hail mary pass given his diminutive size is for the very explicit purpose of being the batted down catch guy. The play design is still “f it, go long” and toss up a prayer, but it is deliberate and you could tell the way McCluster positioned himself that his job was to try catching a batted ball.

You can't spell Power without Powe.

by Sudden on Dec 5, 2011 11:55 AM CST up reply actions

Something to consider when we talk about how "stubborn" Haley is.

He added this to the playbook after seeing that it was effective. Also, he took a page from Bill Belichick earlier this year. The Pats used Nate Solder as a TE several times. The next week, we see Steve Maneri doing the same thing for us.

"You can't be fat and fast too; so lift, run, diet, and work." ~ Hank Stram

by citadelchief on Dec 5, 2011 11:30 AM CST reply actions

You can see that the play is designed for someone to look for the batted ball

Watch McCluster running down the field, he looks up to see where the ball is headed, and then he’s watching the defenders the rest of the way to see who’s getting ready to bat it. He has his back to Palko almost the entire play.

Not a play I want to see used alot, but great execution nonetheless.

by aasukisuki on Dec 5, 2011 11:36 AM CST reply actions

really

I mean, does someone really believe that play was intentional?

Haley says “we know Urlacher will be the guy in the endzone, throw it at him, and Dex you get in front of him and wait for him to bat it to you”

Gimme a break. COMPLETE LUCK.

by Knocknheads on Dec 5, 2011 11:38 AM CST reply actions

No, the play is designed to be caught by a WR.

However, Dex (who obviously will not be going for the jump ball) is supposed to stand in front of the play and watch for it to be batted down. You don’t know who will hit it (and it was Conte that actually knocked it down BTW), but you prepare for it to be knocked down.

Luck (TD catch)= Preparation (positioning Dex in front of play) x Opportunity (ball knocked down)

"You can't be fat and fast too; so lift, run, diet, and work." ~ Hank Stram

by citadelchief on Dec 5, 2011 11:42 AM CST up reply actions

to each their own

Did I see Dex standing there looking at Urlacher (and Conte) hoping to catch a ball? Sure. But it was luck that the play finished as it did.

You can’t count on that play to get you six points, that’s the point. Execution of the play is dependent on a variable that the offense can’t control, which makes it lucky.

by Knocknheads on Dec 5, 2011 11:54 AM CST up reply actions

What play can you count on?

There is a degree of luck on every play. This is why you play the game. Anything can happen on any play on any Sunday. Cliche? Yes, and for a reason.

They could have just taken a knee and gone to the locker room.

"You can't be fat and fast too; so lift, run, diet, and work." ~ Hank Stram

by citadelchief on Dec 5, 2011 12:04 PM CST up reply actions

No it was designed for the RB to catch it

Watch the presser from after the game

by RamX21 on Dec 5, 2011 1:45 PM CST up reply actions

was it lucky? sure. but the play has zero chance without the design to have mccluster go down and catch any batted ball.

watch it, mccluster didnt play the ball, his job was to play the tip. it worked. sure it was lucky, but it also required preparation in case it did happen.

credit where its due.

Team Pioli/Haley. Decade of the Chiefs.
Team Colquitt

by SDChief on Dec 5, 2011 1:42 PM CST up reply actions