Dan Dierdorf was a Hall of Fame lineman with the St. Louis Cardinals and has been a longtime color analyst on various networks including a 12 year stint on Monday Night Football. Saturday night s divisional playoff game between the Indianapolis Colts and New England Patriots was the 64 year old Dierdorf s final game in the booth he announced his retirement during the middle of the 2013 season. So in honor of Dierdorf s wonderful 42 year NFL career we ll tone it down as much as we can.
But Dan dude stop it. The New England Patriots punter should not have fallen on the ball after an errant second quarter snap.
(Getty Images)
During his final night in football Dierdorf earned the scorn of the football viewing world when he suggested that Pats punter Ryan Allen should have fallen on this botched snap before it bounded into the Colts end zone.
On the play in question Patriots long snapper Danny Aiken hiked the ball well over the head of punter Ryan Allen. What had been a routine fourth and 2 punt from the 49 instead turned into a free football bounding down the field at Gillette Stadium. Allen was presented with two options
1. Fall on the ball thus giving Indianapolis a first and goal from the two yard line.
2. Kick the ball into the end zone and play for the safety.
Allen took option three channeling his best Garo Yepremian and trying to pick up the ball and throw it.
(GIFs via Buzzfeed Sports)
Allen lucked out. His throw was swatted down and went out of the back of the end zone. Through no doings of his own he backed into the safety he should have taken by kicking the ball out of the end zone. He took the wrong route to the right play.
Dan Dierdorf begged to differ.
He kept insisting the better play was for Allen to fall on the ball. That way Indy would have gained possession at New England s two yard line down 21 10. Dierdorf said the Pats defense could have then held the Colts to a field goal which would have led to a 21 13 Patriots lead. Even after CBS came back from commercial Dierdorf held firm with this belief spitting in the face of all prior football logic.
Granted in a perfect world Dierdorf s idea was best. But in the real world the one in which New England and Indianapolis operate the Colts were almost certainly going to score a touchdown to cut New England s lead to 21 17 under the Dierdorf plan. A safety and the ball are better than a possible touchdown every single time.
This proved correct. Here s what ended up happening after the inadvertent safety The Pats had a free kick and stopped Indy leading to a 21 12 New England lead at halftime. The safety worked.
Sorry Dan.
(USA TODAY Sports Images)
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