Great moment in sports
If you haven't seen New England Patriots quarterback Doug Flutie's stunning drop kick of an extra point from over the weekend, check it out by going here. He's been waiting a long time to try that, and, as they say, it's up, it's good!
If the significance of this maneuver escapes you, there's an explanation here.
| Posted at 6:22 PM | Permalink |
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Comments (7)
What an excellent thing. Bravo, Mr. Flutie.
Posted by Alan DeWitt | January 3, 2006 7:05 PM
Thanks for the '98 article from SI on this. My favorite line was, "Would it not be a darn shame if he goes back to the bench when the big-money guy in Buffalo, Rob Johnson, is deemed healthy?" What happened to Rob Johnson?! Flutie has outlasted many overrated or injury-prone QBs over the years.
As I said under Ring in the New, this was so awesome that I took it to be an omen that good things are happening this year.
Posted by Travis | January 3, 2006 7:28 PM
So is the rule that the ball has to touch the ground? If he were to kick it like a punt and strike it before it touched the ground it would be no good?
I'm curious, as a lifelong NFL fan, what is the advantage of doing this? I mean, it seems like it would be easier to miss than an extra point... Am I missing something here?
Posted by KMS | January 3, 2006 10:33 PM
There is absolutely no advantage because (1) the PAT would be ruled no good if the ball did not hit the ground first, and (2) as you know the football has an unpredictable bounce so the drop kick would have a less PAT % as compared to the place-held PAT. This is why the last successful drop-kick PAT was over 60 yrs ago.
This is a game that had little meaning to the Pats so Bill Belichick let Flutie complete his NFL career with an asterisks and allowed Bill to be part of something truly unique.
Posted by travis | January 3, 2006 11:00 PM
Not to get all sports-analysty here, but the Pats were somewhat interested in *losing* that game, to keep the #4 playoff seed. Hence the backup QB most of the game and the infamous drop-kick.
I know I'm a biased Pats fan, but one need not look further to find an example of a class act in today's mostly cringe-inducing professional sports teams. Belichick letting Flutie try the drop-kick and celebrating afterwards with him is just another example.
Posted by Flynn | January 4, 2006 1:11 AM
With no holder needed, it's one extra blocker available.
If I were New England, I'd have a trick play ready in which a surprise drop kick is used to attempt a field goal. And another in which a drop kick is threatened but not used. Keep the defense guessing, I always say.
Posted by Jack Bog | January 4, 2006 3:46 AM
It made me happy that a jerk like Terrell Owens is at home watching this on TV while a classy guy like Flutie gets honored for doing something quirky and interesting.
Posted by Dave J. | January 4, 2006 11:17 AM