Wally Buono Tries Punting a Game Winning Rouge in Overtime (2006)

[lemonator]

Wow why wouldn't you at least try to run the ball 2 times and then kick? That was a wacky decision.

[RobRochon]

Love Buono but he didn't think this one through. There is no clock in this overtime format...they could run their offense as normal and attempt to score a TD. On a 3rd down they could then make a field goal attempt or a rouge then but why not try to drive the ball closer to the end zone and make that attempt easier before simply commtiting to making the score with one play like they did there?

If you're going to attempt a rouge on either 1st or 2nd down don't do it in a punt formation because that tips your hand and allows the receiving team to send a punt returner in the end zone. Instead try to catch them by surprise with a quick kick from a normal offensive formation and then the defensive team might not have anyone back in the end zone. But even then the distance in this specific spot in the field would still require a pretty long and accurate punt.

I think it would have been better to go on offense and try at minimum get another 7 or 8 yards (obviously if you can get a first down and continue the drive even better) and then on 3rd down from the 27 or 28 yard line either punt and get a rouge like they just attempted in this play here, or line up and attempt a field goal. If you kick a field goal then the game is over, but if you miss a field goal at least the ball is deep and your kick coverage might stop the returning team from getting out of the end zone and then score a rouge there.

[goodmaro]

Therre's a right and a wrong way to do this. This was the wrong way. The right way to punt a game winner on 1st or 2nd down is as a quick kick. But they probably didn't have one in their playbook and were afraid to improvise it.

[bjdon]

Punt-kicking for a single point is such an odd play that the punters themselves aren't really used to it, nor the rest of the players on the punt team. Not something they probably practice more than once or twice the whole year in training camp.