As the dust settles from Super Bowl XLIV, several players are pointing to the surprise onside kick to start the second half -- and the guts shown by coach Sean Payton in calling it -- as the single biggest play of the game.
"It was amazing," Saints center Jonathan Goodwin said Monday on ESPN radio's Mike and Mike in the Morning. "When we took the field after we recovered the onside kick it was just a whole different feel to the game. It just felt like there was no way we could lose the game. . . . That particular moment changed history for us."
"I wasn't worried," kicker Thomas Morstead said, per the New York Times. "I was just terrified. I was terrified and excited at the same time."
Morstead said John Carney, the former Saints kicker who now works with the team as a kicking consultant, worked with him on onside kick technique and told him to "bend it like Beckham."
It took the officials a long time to determine who had recovered the kick, and Morstead said at one point he actually heard an official say the Colts had it. If the Colts had actually gained possession, maybe we'd all be talking this morning about the bonehead decision by Payton that handed the Colts the Super Bowl.
Colts defensive back Melvin Bullitt said: "That was a huge turning point. They caught us off guard. It was gutsy. If we would have got it, the game might have been a blowout."
But Payton was always confident, telling his players beforehand, "It's going to be a great play." It was.
Saints' onside kick "changed history"
Posted by Michael David Smith on February 8, 2010 8:47 AM ET
and its all hank basketts fault.
A blowout bullitt?? Instead, you got blown out and your teeth kicked in! WHO DAT!
"I wasn't worried," kicker Thomas Morstead said, per the New York Times. "I was just terrified."
==================================
lol, awesome stuff.
The surprise onside was the turning point in the game, no doubt about it.
It changed history - it became the biggest CHEAT in SB history.
It's gutsy if it works. It's boneheaded if it doesn't.
Expect more of this as coaches begin to shed conservative tradition and recognize opportunities to change momentum or secure victory.
Sean Payton had already set the tone when they went for on 4th and goal in the second quarter. Coach to win! Great call!
Marvin - you haven't blown anyone out all year. It wouldn't have been a blowout even if they hadn't recovered, though the colts may have won
Hooby beat me to the punch but yeah, Hank is a "receiver".
Hank Basketts looked like a high school kid trying to recover the on-side. Is that what Hank gets $1.5 million for???
So long Hank and take your skanky wife with ya
What a horrible signing Baskett was
Might sound strange but I still think it was a bad call. If Kendra's soon to be unemployed husband just hangs on to the ball Indy goes up 11 and it's a completely different game.
Porter's interception was a truly great play. The Saints coaching staff + flawless execution by Brees + the play by Porter = great Super Bowl win.
The onside kick call to start the 2nd half has got to be one of the craziest calls I've ever witnessed. Really though, brilliant call by Sean Payton. Anyone think they would have won that game without that onside recovery and converting downfield for a TD?
That onside kick was pure genius... the Saints never showed anything but regular kick off coverage....A few people at my crib thought it was a botched kick at first... .Yeah, after that, they came out swinging.. Great game.. they deserved the win.
did he really say that? it might have been a blow out? hahaha child please
The only thing that is clear this morning is that Saints Fan has little to no class. Nothing else has changed.
"It changed history - it became the biggest CHEAT in SB history."
In what way? Are onside kicks illegal against Indy?
# Tyler says: February 8, 2010 9:07 AM
It changed history - it became the biggest CHEAT in SB history.
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What a stupid statement.
On-side kicks are in the rules, therefore it cannot be cheating. Sean Payton has the guts of a burglar. The Saints deserved to win this one.
Hey, the Saints won. It wasn't cheating, it wasn't lucky. Don't talk about how the game "could have been different" because that's just a waste of time.
The Saints won and they are the champs. Leave it at that.
Matt H. says:
February 8, 2010 9:24 AM
Might sound strange but I still think it was a bad call. If Kendra's soon to be unemployed husband just hangs on to the ball Indy goes up 11 and it's a completely different game.
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That still might have happened if they had booted it into the end zone. It was a brilliant call. Just like Belichick going for it on 4th and 2 in his own territory. Brilliant call. Execution failed in that case.
Tyler says:
February 8, 2010 9:07 AM
It changed history - it became the biggest CHEAT in SB history.
You apparently know nothing about football. Since when is an Onside Kickoff cheating. It is a part of football. You sound bitter. Try to be like the majority of Colts fans and show some knowledge about football and display a little class.
Tyler says:
February 8, 2010 9:07 AM
It changed history - it became the biggest CHEAT in SB history.
-------------------------------------------------
Waaahhh!! What a crybaby. How do you *know* it was "a cheat"? Were you there at the bottom of that pile? No? Well STFU, then. "Wah! It took the refs too long to decide who has the ball! I'm uncomfortable! It must be cheating! Wah! Change my diaper!"
Besides, no one has *ever* cheated in the Super Bowl except the Steelers :)
Ballsiest call I've ever seen on a stage that big. Maybe Phil Jackson calling a last second play for Toni Kukoc instead of Scottie Pippen is slightly comparable.
That's the kind of play that makes me happy as a fan. I had no horse in this race, so just to see determination and willingness to pull out all stops for a HUGE win in the biggest of games was pretty awesome.
Also, I'd like to add that collectively as fans, especially if "winning the big one" is our key criteria for judging greatness, we need to chill out on anointing Mr. Manning the best ever. This loss will bring a little bit of scrutiny his way, but it will not be as harsh as it should. Post-season record of 9-9. .500 in the playoffs, really, and he's the best ever? Give me a break! It is so disrespectful to Elway, Montana, Brady, and even Big Ben to just throw Peyton at the top, much the way most did with Favre until Manning became the new golden boy. John Elway has a terrible winning percentage in Super Bowls, but I guess that may happen when you play in 5!!! Besides the year that they did actually win the Super Bowl against a very forgettable Bears team, the Colts are pretty garbage at playoff time.
The Colts got out-coached. Plain and Simple.
I'd be curious to see the stats on onsides kicks that are attempted prior to the 4th quarter... I bet the kicking team succeeds at least half the time. I know the Saints have done it about 4 or 5 times since Payton's been there, and they've gotten just about every one.
So now all the talking heads are spouting how Peyton Manning can't be considered truly great until he wins some more championships, pointing out he's no Montana, Bradshaw or Brady - That's some select company, or sure, but if championships are the yard stick why don't any of these know-it-alls ever mention the greatest NFL quarterback of them all - Otto Graham played 12 years - he played in 12 championship games and won 8 of them - He also won an NBA title for good measure. I realize it's kind of tough to make money off dead guys (Elvis excepted) no DVD sales, book deals or commercials. I also realize the video footage isn't as good but the facts are even better.
According to this site:
http://www.advancednflstats.com/2009/10/onside-kicks-2-win-probability-analysis.html
surprise onsides kicks are recovered 60% of the time. It was a calculated gamble by Payton based on something he saw on film, and the gamble worked. Had it not worked, I still wouldn't have had a problem with the call - I think our offense was starting to loosen up and we had momentum.
the onside wasn't the turning point you idiots ... it was the dropped catch by Garcon on 3rd down
looks like PEYTON had a hand in the play that actually sealed the deal.
//////////////
lets give discredit where it is due. the colts coaches didnt prepare them for the onside kick enough.
the colts were outcoached.
Wow. I rooted for the Saints to win, but with the lack of cyber-class, there cinderella status is over. They should now be considered the dregs of NFL society based on most of their fans' lack of class.
Adam-Chris Scheftersen says:
Matt H. says:
February 8, 2010 9:24 AM
Might sound strange but I still think it was a bad call. If Kendra's soon to be unemployed husband just hangs on to the ball Indy goes up 11 and it's a completely different game.
----------------------------
That still might have happened if they had booted it into the end zone. It was a brilliant call. Just like Belichick going for it on 4th and 2 in his own territory. Brilliant call. Execution failed in that case.
I'm thrilled that it worked. I just wonder if you would feel the same way if the Colts recovered. I know I would have been killing Sean Payton for making such a reckless call in a close game. It's easy to say it was a great call after the fact but would you say the same thing if it failed? Be honest.
the cheating comments are absolutely batshit crazy.
That call was crazy. Payton has some cajones. He plays for keeps!
dowens11 says:
Also, I'd like to add that collectively as fans, especially if "winning the big one" is our key criteria for judging greatness, we need to chill out on anointing Mr. Manning the best ever. This loss will bring a little bit of scrutiny his way, but it will not be as harsh as it should. Post-season record of 9-9. .500 in the playoffs, really, and he's the best ever? Give me a break! It is so disrespectful to Elway, Montana, Brady, and even Big Ben to just throw Peyton at the top, much the way most did with Favre until Manning became the new golden boy. John Elway has a terrible winning percentage in Super Bowls, but I guess that may happen when you play in 5!!! Besides the year that they did actually win the Super Bowl against a very forgettable Bears team, the Colts are pretty garbage at playoff time.
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Well said. The same with Mannings 4 MVP's. His numbers are right in line with several other QB's and the voters just seem to think "if no one clearly stands above the rest, give it to Peyton." I'm not saying he's no good. He's great. One of the best of this era. But I don't think he is even the best in this era, let alone greatest of all time.
@The Oven....................are you really that clueless!! The Saints and their fans are classy as well as humble. Get over it!!! Your city would probably be burning cars right now!!
Let's not get crazy...if Baskett actually holds on and the Saints go on to lose, they'd be ripping Payton to shreds this morning.
@ Resonable:
I agree, and I hope people don't think that I'm saying that he is not great, because he is. But by and large the consensus seems to be that Rings are of highest importance, and if that is going to be so, he belongs somewhere between #6-#10 all time (so far).
@ -z-
How many 'chips did Otto win in the NFL? The real NFL (post-merger). Huh? What's that? I didn't hear you!
It puts the ball in the Baskett or it gets the Who Dat.
Gentleman, the duel is pistols at 20 paces.
**10 paces, turns fires**
Lookit that! I totally shot him in the back and killed him. That was amazing. What a gutsy call. I changed history.
This is what drives me crazy about your writers and analysts. If the Saints wouldnt have converted the onsides kick you would have said it was the dumbest play in superbowl history, but because he coverted it hes a genius.
Its either a dumb decision to kick an onsides kick or a smart decision. It doesnt matter if they recover it or not.
Its funny Andy Reid kicks an onsides kick and its dumb Sean Payton does it and hes smart. PFT Writers please explain how 1 decision is smarter then the other.
I personally like when teams do suprise onsides kicks. I think it shows iniative and guts. Thats why I wouldnt ever say its a bad decision. Its a gamble that coaches take it doesnt make it a smarter decision if you recover it.
But when Tomlin did it, it was idiotic? Hypicrits...
Congrats to the Saints, their fans, the city of New Orleans and the state of Louisiana. You deserved to win that game! The Cowboys couldn't do it this year but as usual...Wait till next year! Again...Congratulations.
I wouldn't call the onside kick "cheating". It's completely legal. HOWEVER, I really got turned off by this move on Payton's part. And I was actually rooting for the Saints! That is, I was rooting for them until this onside kick happened. To me, just my opinion here, this should be looked into by the league, as to whether an onside kick to start a half is allowed in the future. Taking nothing away from the Saints victory, in my mind this onside kick just isn't in the spirit of the game. Why? Because the Saints won the opening coin toss, they elected to receive the ball to start the game, and so **it is just the way the game is played** that the Colts receive the ball to start the 2nd half. Bash me all you want, I know, the Colts *had* a chance to receive the ball, etc etc... But I have *never*, at ANY level, seen an onside kick to start the 2nd half of a football game. Has anyone else? I'm honestly curious to know. When this happened last night, I couldn't help but think it felt like Boise State's bowl games... This was the SUPER BOWL for God's sake, and this move by Payton just cheapened the game, making it feel like they didn't think they had what it took to win the game on the up-and-up... And like I said, I was actually a Saints fan. So yeah, I hated this kick, and this move by the Saints. It took away from the victory and an incredible game by Brees. It falls into the category of "Win at all costs", and it's one of the reasons this country is in the mess it's in... We all need to do everything in our lives with INTEGRITY and sportsmanship. IMHO...
It just occurred to me... one way to put this very simply, my objection to this rule of allowing an onside kick to start the 2nd half:
The Saints won the opening coin toss. They took the ball, which is of course their right. Then, to start the 2nd half, they basically said to themselves "We're gonna toss the coin again so we have a chance to win the right to receive again". No, this is WRONG! I think the league should institute a rule to prevent onside kicks to start a 2nd half.
And, like I've been saying, I was a Saints fan last night... I wanted them to win. Just not in the way they did... at least not with this trick crap.
Matt H. says:
February 8, 2010 10:52 AM
I'm thrilled that it worked. I just wonder if you would feel the same way if the Colts recovered. I know I would have been killing Sean Payton for making such a reckless call in a close game. It's easy to say it was a great call after the fact but would you say the same thing if it failed? Be honest.
------------------------------
Do you realize I referenced Bill Belichick's 4th and 2 call as a "brilliant call"? That one failed and they lost the game.
Yes, I'd say it was a great call even if it failed. There's two things here: strategy and execution. The strategy can still be great, even if the execution isn't.
Then again, I probably had considerably invested than you. I was rooting for the Saints, but I'm not a Saints fan. So mostly I just wanted to see a good game. One way or the other I wouldn't have cared. But it's nice to see NFL coaches act like they've got a pair now and then.
Zeke...it didn't happen. The Saints won, IF Detroit or Oakland had won a few more games, they may have made it to the Superbowl(IF you want to talk about IF's).
Let me get this straight, Colt/Viking/Cardinal fans can talk about finishing what Katrina started all they want, while Saints fans trying to defend our city are classless. Look at Pervy_Harvin, MNFANINAZ and any other Packer fan STILL here whining and crying, they are the epitome of classless. Oh, can't forget WashingtonRedstorm, just seeing where he is from shows me his class level. It's a little below sea level.
id_vs_ego says:
February 8, 2010 12:47 PM
Gentleman, the duel is pistols at 20 paces.
**10 paces, turns fires**
Lookit that! I totally shot him in the back and killed him. That was amazing. What a gutsy call. I changed history.
----------------------------
Apples to oranges. Onside kicks are allowed in the NFL. As are flea-flickers, fake punts, fake field goals and play action.
Pacing off 10 paces and shooting, as in your example, would be cowardly and against the rules.
@8man. Funny Silence of the Lambs reference. Gave me a good chuckle. All other comments are evidence that you all don't know what you're talking about.
alangtown.
Sorry but your suggestion of having the NFL not allow an onside kick to start the 2nd half is by far the DUMBEST thing I have ever heard. The whole idea of an onside kick is to catch the other team off guard. It's a gadget play used on occasion to fool the other team. They can be used anytime the coach desires. I can't beleive you had the gall to type something so foolish.
"I rooted for the Saints to win, but with the lack of cyber-class, there cinderella status is over. They should now be considered the dregs of NFL society based on most of their fans' lack of class."
Do you even realize that just about any Saint fan worth their salt was faaaaaaar away from a computer monitor partying until the wee hours on the morning,
& waking up maybe only a few hours ago.
Those people you speak of are called Bandwagoners.
Usually 10-16 year olds who's parents let them stay up late to watch the game. That love to flame & troll the internet for reactions to their stupidity.
The Saints have been the hot button topic for people such as this. A perfect topic forum to get
optimal attention.
The call was great.
Even if I were not a Saints fan I would still have thought this was one of the greatest calls in championship history in any sport.
I think the Saints are the better team period.
They played tight the entire 1st half & still won by a clear margin.
Underestimated.. Not so much by the Colts, but by
many NFL fans who haven't seen them play beyond 2 to 4 national games. 2 impressive.
1 so-so, & tight , & 1 not impressive.
Analysts love it because they are scripted & feast on playing the Cinderella angle whenever they can because it gets ratings.
Ratings = revenue.
This comment is coming from a true Colts and Peyton Manning fan...The onside kick was a great call because it worked! That play was not the defining moment of the game or the game-changer, but rather a confidence booster for the Saints. The game-changer was the interception by Porter in the fourth quarter. Up to that point it was still a one score game and the Colts were moving down field...they probably would have scored a touchdown or a field goal within a few more plays. Although I am huge Peyton Manning fan, I feel that he choked under pressure in the fourth when they were down. That interception looked as though he was throwing it straight to the Porter, and Reggie Wayne had not been the go-to guy the entire game...his head did not seem to be in the game from the start.
Second, why did the Colts quit running the ball??? They were extremely successful early on, and probably could have used a few more spark later in the game. I just feel that the Colts were not mentally prepared in this game, and the Saints came ready to play, plus the coaching from Payton was much more superior than that of Caldwell. The Saints deserved to win...I just hope the Colts can rebound next year and have their entire team back healthy and hungry!!!
"This was the SUPER BOWL for God's sake, and this move by Payton just cheapened the game, making it feel like they didn't think they had what it took to win the game on the up-and-up... And like I said, I was actually a Saints fan. So yeah, I hated this kick, and this move by the Saints. It took away from the victory and an incredible game by Brees. It falls into the category of "Win at all costs", and it's one of the reasons this country is in the mess it's in... We all need to do everything in our lives with INTEGRITY and sportsmanship. IMHO..."
How about preparedness ?
How about accountability ?
How about perseverance ?
Lack of the above has the country in more trouble than your statement.
Examples
preparedness:
9/11 & Katrina, The recession.
3 huge examples
accountability:
Politics... Pick your poison on the party.
The not my child mentality.
There are just too many here to list.
perseverance:
Unemployment, drug & gun dealing on streets where kids are taking the easy road to a fast death.
This country is not in trouble because of a win at all costs mentality.
Win at all costs using your god given strengths & abilities is what it is all about.
How many movies are there about this just in the sports world?
All motivational. All good.
What about the armed forces of this here USA?
Ever hear of the Battle of Midway.
The NFL is war. This is the drama of the game.
When you are down & tight you have to inspire the troops to get them to push forward. You must win at all costs.
The trouble I think you speak of is a cheat at all cost mentality.
Bend the rules, pay the man, lie, & mislead.
Payton's call was firmly WIN at all costs.
It cam at the price of himself, his team & his fans. We love him for it, because he is willing to be accountable & willing to trust his players & instinct enough to roll the dice.
First of all, all of you idiots (including the sport's writers and newscasters) who believe that individual greatness is solely decided by championships, especially in a team sport, get over your idiocracy!! Super Bowls, just like NBA Championships, are won by a whole team effort, and if you have a great team around you, you are more likely to win. Peyton Manning has proven himself year after year since 1998. He has the opportunity to hold every individual quarterback record imaginable, and he has accomplished this feat with a mediocre defense consistently and an offense that rarely gets the credit it deserves. Tom Brady, Ben Roethlisberger, Joe Montana, Terry Bradshaw, and Troy Aikman all have more TEAM CHAMPIONSHIPS than Peyton, but none, with the exception of possibly cry-baby Brady, are worthy of carrying his jock strap when it comes to his individual talent (numbers don't lie!!!!!!!!). All of those guys with multiple rings had great teams around them, and none were relied upon more by their team than Peyton has been since entering the league. The Colts made it to the Super Bowl, and with the exception of a couple of tide-changing plays, outplayed the Super Bowl Champions with several of their key players out with injuries. Imagine what could have happened if all of their original starters were health and able to go!
Now in response to the game itself...the onside kick was a good call, even if I do not agree with the decision...it worked, but it was in no way the game-changing play of the night. That honor goes to the play in the fourth quarter by whom I still believe is the greatest of all time already, Peyton Manning. Uncharacteristically, Peyton choked on a few key plays, and much of that is due to the fact that his surrounding cast was not consistently effective all game long. His interception to Porter looked as though he threw it to Porter on purpose. Before that play it was a one score game and the Colts were moving the ball effectively. Their would have more than likely been a score in afew more plays, then the pressure would have been back on the Saints.
Third, whu did the Colts stop running the ball when they were so effective early on??? They could have used a few more sparks to retake the momentum in the latter part of the game. Also, why was Peyton so determined in the fourth quarter to make Reggie his go-to guy on crucial plays? Reggie obviously wasn't into the game as usual, and had really been ineffective the entire game. With that said, the Saints deserved to win...they outlasted and outcoached the Colts when it mattered, so congrats to the Saints. I just hope that the Colts can get their team back healthy next season and give Peyton another shot to cement his legacy as the greatest ever, which we all know he is, like him or not!!!!
You got one point correct HOVI, "WIN at all costs"....... while playing within the NFL rules and always displaying sportsmanship like conduct. Isn't that the object of the game after all?
Payton made a gutsy call because the percentage for success was on his side. And by the way, Payton informed the referees he was starting the second half with an on-side kick. He out-coached his counterpart and left the field the victor.
The Who Dat Nation would have stood behind Payton even if the on-side kick did not succeed. How else could we hang 43 years without a SB Championship; we're not fair weather fans.
Not bad points HOVI, although I didn't mean to launch a discussion into such grand issues as all those... To take it back to just football, I can see your point about "win at all costs", but I don't agree with it. There are some things in every sport that just *aren't* done. Tennis players don't use the net to score points. Nope, they generally apologize if a ball hits a net on a big point. (For just one example...) There are unwritten rules for how games are meant to be played, to keep the game honorable, and without taint. So, I still have to ask: has anyone *ever* seen an onside kick to start a 2nd half, at *any* level of football? No, because it's just not done... I still feel that it is basically totally equivalent to a 2nd coin toss (and thereby, a complete change of the game rules), because in fact one team IS tossing a figurative coin that they can win receivership AGAIN. When in fact one team should be guaranteed to get a legitimate shot at possession of the football to start the 2nd half, because the other team got that very thing to start the game. One can go around and around on this argument -- what does "legitimate" mean (the Colts should have been prepared), the Colts could've tried an onside to start the game, how does one even define an onside vs regular kickoff (in terms of rules), etc. etc.... At the end of the day we all just have to make decisions, and judge others' decisions (to a degree that's appropriate), based on our own understanding of class, how the game is to be played, etc. And I personally feel that this decision by Payton has most likely been considered and abandoned by many coaches over the years, because it just isn't in keeping with the spirit of the opening coin toss, etc. Bottom line? IT JUST FELT DIRTY AND BENEATH THE GAME WHEN IT HAPPENED. To me anyway. I'd rather lose having played the game it was supposed to be played, than win feeling / knowing deep down inside that I did something no one else has ever done before -- and didn't do FOR A REASON.
Great post Hovi.
@ jrshep:
All of the other QB's you mentioned most definitely hold Peyton's jock strap. Some have the hardware to warrant them tugging them up his ass and giving him a wedgie with it too. To even have a great team you have to have great talent. It takes a winner on many levels to manage the egos that come along with all of that talent. Manning is great, don't get me wrong, but stats are just stats. Brett does hold most the records that Peyton will most likely break, and after this years playoff performance, I don't think anyone is willing to give Favre the crown any longer.
The organization chose to pay Peyton the highest premium (rightfully so) and they have built exactly the type of team they want. So it's not by accident that their team overall isn't packed with greatness. Had they chosen to allocate resources differently maybe he gets more rings. The Colts have applied the fitted sheet, tightened up the corners, and fluffed the pillows. Now, it's time for bed!
@alangtown:
I really don't see how an on-side kick to start the half is "dirty" or dishonorable. I assume you realize that the majority of on-side kicks are recovered by the receiving team? This is because the rules regarding on-side kicks are specifically written to keep the kicking team from having an unfair advantage when utilizing on-side kicks. Because the rules are written to preserve fairness, the Colts had every opportunity to recover that kick and take advantage of some great field position, courtesy of Coach Payton. They didn't get the job done. Their bad.
I think you are equating "dirty" with "unconventional." As others have pointed out, the Saints made that on-side kick at enormous risk, and if it had failed, the consequences could have been game-changing. As far as I'm concerned, the Saints played the game EXACTLY the way it's supposed to be played: having fun, taking risks, playing sandlot football in the biggest game of the NFL season.
If the Saints were "not playing football the way it's supposed to be played" by kicking an on-side kick to start the second half, what should we say about the Colts pulling their starters for the last two games of the regular season? You do what you need to do.
If anyone was going to make the onside kick, it would be Sean Payton and I expected one. A couple years ago he did something similar vs the Cowboys and Bill Parcells. I didn't expect it to be the halftime kickoff though.