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Thursday, January 4
Mora's decisions go awry in loss
By John Clayton
ESPN.com
MIAMI -- In Indianapolis, fair or unfair, the focus after Saturday's 23-17 overtime loss to the Miami Dolphins was Colts coach Jim Mora and his decisions gone awry.
|  | | Hunter Smith's fake field goal attempt was foiled by the Dolphins. |
Mora, who endured his sixth defeat in six postseason games on Saturday, is now the losingest coach in playoff history. It was his second playoff loss with the Colts after going 0-4 with the New Orleans Saints.
Colts fans may look back at the fake field goal that shouldn't have been called, as well as Mora's decision to run out the clock with 31 seconds left in the first half and 0:34 remaining at the end of regulation in a close game. But what they likely will remember most is a critical decision in overtime -- a play straight out the textbook, but, nonetheless, a play that cost the Colts the game.
Facing fourth-and-12, Peyton Manning hit Marvin Harrison for an 11-yard gain that put the Colts in field-goal position at the Dolphins' 31. Dolphins defensive end Lorenzo Bromell had jumped offsides, giving the Colts a free play and an option. Kick the field goal or take the penalty, creating a third-and-7 at the Dolphins' 37?
His kicker, Mike Vanderjagt, had missed only two field goals all season and 10 during his NFL career. And Vanderjagt already had made a 50-yarder in the fourth quarter. Mora opted to go for the 49-yard attempt.
It was wide right.
The Dolphins drove 61 yards, eventually winning the game on Lamar Smith's 17-yard touchdown run.
"I considered taking the penalty," Mora said. "It would have been third-and-7. I looked at Mike and he said, 'I can make it.' He's had a great year, and he missed one today. I wouldn't second-guess my decision to kick the field goal. Not with Mike's ability to come through in the clutch and our success with him. He's won some games for us and he is a great kicker."
Even the Dolphins players concurred with Mora's rationale. Middle linebacker Zach Thomas thought it made sense to go for the field goal because had the new third down play not worked, Vanderjagt would have been out of range at 54 yards.
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(Mora) had confidence that his field-goal
kicker could get the game over and get the win and go home. But they were
wrong. ” |
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— Robert Jones, Dolphins linebacker |
"I was a little shocked they went for the field goal, but I guess they felt they had a kicker who could kick that distance," linebacker Robert Jones said. "Plus they were kicking with the wind. He had confidence that his field-goal kicker could get the game over and get the win and go home. But they were wrong."
Mora explained his decision to run out the clock at the end of the second and fourth quarters -- even though the Colts have the league's best no-huddle offense.
"There were only 30 seconds left and we had a long way to go (80 yards)," Mora said. "One little mistake and they have another opportunity to score. That was the right decision."
The wrong decision came in the second quarter.
Vanderjagt, the kicker in whom Mora has all the confidence, had a 46-yard attempt set up with 12 minutes remaining in the first half. The Colts led 3-0 but faced a fourth-and-1 at the Dolphins' 27. Special teams coach Kevin Spencer called for a fake field goal based on an alignment he spotted in the Dolphins.
Holder Hunter Smith, normally the punter, briefly placed the ball on the ground, then ran to his left. Defensive end Jason Taylor tackled Smith for a 6-yard loss.
Mora shouted at Spencer immediately after the play.
"We call the fake if the defense is in a certain look," Mora said. "We had a little trouble communicating with the crowd noise. I don't know if that was a problem or not. The holder, Hunter Smith, makes that call."
After the game, Taylor still wasn't sure the play was a called fake.
"I kind of look when they are kicking a field goal because I'm on the backside," Taylor said. "If the guys are leaning down, they aren't going to seal down and get a cheap block on the backside. I just thought it was a kick, but I wanted to get to the outside to get past the block. I just happened to be at the right place at the right time.
"I wish I could say that I read the play."
Like he has done so often during the season, Mora praised his team for its effort after the game.
"We busted our tail and played about as hard as we can play," Mora said. "I don't feel snake bit at all. We just have to get better so we can get the job done."
John Clayton is the senior NFL writer for ESPN.com.
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