Okay, yes, many people are calling for the head of Hartley. Many people are saying he has been seen partying in the Quarter lately.
I need not remind everyone how awful our kicking was in 2007 and 2008 with the Olindos and the Grammaticas and I think there was another one in there for a second as well. We all knew it was goofy to release Carney and even Sean Payton has admitted that. Ashmo knew it the whole time.
The specter of Hartley’s missed Minnesota kicks was still in my head Sunday, particularly the short one. So why didn’t Payton run it a few times? Or try that Shockey pass that has worked almost every time they tried it? They moved the ball at will down the field in OT. You can say it’s as simple as blaming the kicker but, as Pants often points out, it’s all really the coach’s fault.
Why not run it a few more times? Is it more likely that Pierre Thomas or Ivory are going to fumble it when they know ball security is so important? They had three plays.
Three things can go wrong kicking a field goal. The holder or the center can bungle the snap or the hold, the kick can be blocked or the kicker can miss. I just don’t see why Payton didn’t finish out the downs by running it or a quick pass to the tight end.
So it doesn’t all fall on Hartley. I heard they are working out John Carney and may bring him back into the mentor role he had last year. I like the Adderall Kid. He’s got a strong leg and he has made some clutch kicks in the past. Let’s just give him some more time. Not sure who would be better besides Carney and he isn’t someone that will last many more seasons.
It’s all Payton’s fault anyway. Maybe someone brought him Spearmint instead of Juicy Fruit.
Too busy to splain myself at the moment but briefly, I disagree! Also I agree! I blame the kicker AND the coach. But I don’t blame the coach for trying a 29 yard field goal to win the game regardless of what down it was. I’m fine with that. I DO blame the coach for pulling that pissant timeout-right-before-the-ball-is-snapped business that cost the Saints a blocked kick that would have kept them in the game. It’s a dick move. It’s unsportsmanlike and it’s a shitty thing for fans to have to look at. It ought to be a 15 yard penalty and automatic ejection of the coach.
Anyway, Hartley. He’s no good. There’s never been a point in his time with the Saints that I’ve felt good about the kicking game. He’s no improvement on the 2007 2008 troubles, only the continuation of them.
Instead of blaming this on Hartley, may want to bring a run defense. Michael Turner exposed the Saints D bad.
Huck, nobody is saying the Saints don’t have numerous other problems. But the fact remains, the game could still have been won by a 29 yard kick. The run defense didn’t miss that kick.
I just want the answer to why Payton went for it on 1st down with a questionable kicker when me and everyone in the bar thought it was a bad call. It isn’t hindsight. We questioned it before the kick.