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The New Orleans Saints have won Super Bowl 44 over Peyton Manning and the favored Indianapolis Colts, but have done it in spite of their head coach and his awful decision-making.Sean Payton will be revered for the next year because of his "gutsy" call to go for it on 4th and goal, and for kicking the onside kick to start the second half. However, is a call "good" simply because it happens to work?
I say no, and think Payton must be the luckiest man on the planet.
First of all, going for it on 4th and goal, right before halftime when you're down by seven is just plain wrong. Whether it works or not, it's just a bad call. As a coach, you've got to know to simply take the points and trust your defense to get the ball back.
Instead, he decided to go for it and, because of it, nearly cost the Saints three points. He got bailed out by an awful punt and some good plays by Drew Brees to get the Saints back into field goal range, but that doesn't suddenly make it a good call.
Then the onside kick was even worse. Had his team not recovered it, it would have given the Colts excellent field position and a great chance to further their lead. But thanks to a diving (and missing) Hank Baskett, the Saints recovered and, again, bailed Payton out of a terrible decision.
The Saints won the Super Bowl, good for them. But they did it in spite of their head coach, and not because of him. Payton deserves no credit for this game, and it's a shame that he won't receive the bashing he so deserves.
