With less than two minutes remaining in the contest, the New York Jets went for it on fourth-and-one from midfield. The Green Bay Packers stuffed the Jets like a Thanksgiving turkey.
Jets offensive coordinator Frank Reich came under fire for running the ball out of shotgun on that fourth-down attempt. On Thursday, September 24, he met with the media for the first time since that controversial play call. Reich was asked if he regretted running that out of shotgun.
“Yeah, that’s a fair question. Listen, just at the outset, I would say this: I mean, as a play caller, as a staff, and as I think about it as a play caller in those situations, everything is always on the table. When I look at my career as a play caller, we will get under center, we will get in shotgun, we will throw it, we will run it. The bottom line is I’m always going to call what I think is the best play in that moment, and that’s what I did in the game,” Reich explained.
“When it doesn’t work out, sure, you’re upset about it; you think, ah, maybe I should have called something else. You know what I mean? Because it didn’t work, but you’ve got to live with the results. I’m comfortable and confident in the calls that we called,” Reich said.
Reich revealed some analytics behind the decision.
“Over a three and five-year study, excluding quarterback sneaks, gun runs on fourth and one are 71% conversion. Under center are a 67% conversion. So the gun run is actually better, and the reason it is better percentage-wise over a five-year period is because there’s a threat of a pass, and they [the defense] doesn’t get so tight. So, like, we had that perspective going in,” Reich added.
Why Not a Quarterback Sneak?
One of the big complaints wasn’t that the team went for it on fourth down, but the way they went for it. Fans have been demanding a quarterback sneak get worked into the playbook.
Reich explained that there are only “three or four” elite QB sneak teams in the NFL: “There is a couple, and they’re really elite at it.”
A media member followed up by asking if Reich considered calling a QB sneak in that situation.
“We had a full yard to go. There is a difference between a half yard and a yard. Every team feels the same way about this with fourth and one and the game on the line. I made the best call that I thought we were going to get,” Reich answered.
A 50-50 Proposition
In Week 1, the Jets ran from shotgun on fourth and short. It worked. In Week 2, the Jets ran from shotgun on fourth and short. It didn’t work.
Such is the nature of football. You gotta call what you think is the best play and live with the results.
Moving forward, there will be an extra spotlight on these situations. History is written by the victors. When the Jets convert, they can pound their chest. When the Jets fail to convert, they will be criticized.
Frank Reich Explains Controversial Jets Play Call vs. Packers