Analysis: Victory formation never meant for trickery the Saints used on Atlanta.
Just as the Atlanta Falcons defence will surely do the next time they play the New Orleans Saints, victory formation attacks differently now.
That is the result of Jameis Winston, the backup quarterback, going over the deep end while playing mop-up and guiding New Orleans to a game-winning score on Sunday against an opponent who truly wasn’t worthy of such antics.
Defying his coaches’ call for a couple of kneel-downs near the goal line following an interception with about a minute to go and the Saints up by 24 points, Winston put it to a vote, then handed the football to running back Jamaal Williams, who hadn’t reached the end zone since joining the team as a free agent in the offseason after rushing for a league-leading 17 touchdowns last season in Detroit.
Was one TD against air really that much better than none?
All it did was two things:
a) leave coach Dennis Allen to answer for his players’ insubordination and
b) transfer the embarrassment from the vanquished to the shameless.
Calais Campbell, a defensive tackle for the Falcons, expressed his displeasure with the way New Orleans deceitfully set up as if to take a knee, even if he understood the Saints’ desire to score a touchdown for Williams.
Campbell remarked, “I wish they had lined up in run formation.” “Don’t look like you’re going to take a knee and then run the ball.”
The main point is that if you’re going to attempt to score, you should do so against a defence that is attempting to stop you from scoring. Then, even if you do cross the goal line, it won’t be a cheap shot, a sucker punch, or even a nasty, dirty smack in the face. At least it won’t be pile driving.
Arthur Smith’s final act as Falcons head coach before his midnight firing a few hours later was to angrily confront his counterpart as Allen tried to apologize for his players’ dereliction.
“They carried that out independently. That’s not right,” Allen remarked afterwards, adding that he could relate to Smith’s rage.
Tyrann Mathieu’s late, 74-yard interception return gave the Saints the ball at the Atlanta 1. Winston told the offence in the huddle that he would hand off to Williams if they all agreed to ignore their coaches’ orders, rather than running out the clock by taking a knee after a few snaps as directed.
Apparently, nobody spoke up to quash the defiance.
“The question was posed in the huddle about what we wanted to do on the play, and we had received our instructions and went against them,” Saints tight end Foster Moreau explained. “Right or wrong or indifferent, it’s just kind of what happened. Jamaal had no touchdowns on the year. He bleeds and fights just like the rest of us — awesome, awesome dude. I’m glad he got in the end zone.
“I wish we didn’t do it out of a victory formation.”
It’s one thing to fake a spike to deceive the defense. It’s quite another to fake taking the high road and a knee only to hand the ball off and score a trick touchdown when you’re already ahead by four scores.
Victory formation was legalized in the NFL in 1987 when the league permitted the quarterback to declare himself down by kneeling with the ball. Before that, a defender had to touch him before he was declared down.
That rule change came nine years after the practice of taking a knee was popularized following one of the most notorious bloopers in NFL history, the “Miracle at the Meadowlands.”
The Giants were leading the Eagles 17-12 on Nov. 19, 1978, but instead of taking a knee to run out the clock, the coaches called for a running play and quarterback Joe Pisarcik flubbed a handoff to Larry Csonka. Philadelphia’s Herman Edwards scooped up the ball for a stunning score and a 19-17 Philly win.
Also known as “The Fumble,” few victory formations ever since have been so dramatic and problematic as Sunday’s fake kneel-down in New Orleans.
“The Bumble,” as we’ll call it, wasn’t the only call in Week 18 that was ripe for regret.
Colt jolt
The Indianapolis Colts missed out on a playoff berth with their 23-19 loss at home to Houston.
On fourth-and-1 from the Texans’ 15-yard line after a timeout with 1:06 remaining, coach Shane Steichen dialed up a make-or-break play not for star running back Jonathan Taylor — who had 188 yards on 30 carries and caught both passes thrown his way for 8 yards Sunday — or for top receiver Michael Pittman, who had a team-high five catches for 44 yards in the game — but for third-string running back Tyler Goodson, who hadn’t touched the football all afternoon.
It actually looked like a good call when Goodson ran into the flat to quarterback Gardner Minshew’s left and was wide open for the first down and maybe even the touchdown. Only, Minshew’s throw was behind Goodson, who couldn’t contort his body to haul in the catch, which would have been just his seventh reception of the season and first in four weeks.
Lions lament
The Detroit Lions played their starters in the regular-season finale against Minnesota, hoping to improve from the No. 3 to No. 2 NFC seed in their first postseason appearance since 2016. (They found themselves in this position because of a referee’s controversial call that cost them a win in Dallas a week earlier).
The plan of action was unsuccessful. A few hours after the Lions defeated the Vikings 30–20, the Cowboys crushed the Washington Commanders 38–10 to claim the No. 2 seed. On Sunday, the Lions suffered knee injuries that sidelined Pro Bowl tight end Sam LaPorta and star return specialist Kalif Raymond.
There is a chance, according to coach Dan Campbell, that LaPorta will return on Sunday. That will be the first time former Detroit quarterback Matthew Stafford has visited Ford Field since he was traded to the Rams for current Lions quarterback Jared Goff three years ago. It will also add a little spice to the Lions’ first home postseason game since 1993.
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