An Unknown Idea: The Famous Jets Coach Was Wrong

You can thank "Unknown" for this, though any actual NFL on-field highlights here are going to have to be linked, because of the NFL's non-permission for direct embedding of their content, that you would have to click through to YouTube.  Not my rules, theirs.

But Unknown, in the course of a couple of comments he's made (and thinking that I care how many "followers" or "clicks" or whatever I have -- I don't make anything from this) basically pulled out the old Herm Edwards standby:

Herm, bless ya, but you'd have to explain a number of these situations.

1) Whenever I hear anyone talk about "You Play To Win The Game", my first go-to is this play from the NFC playoffs, divisional round, 2013-14.  Marques Colston of the Saints, down eight to the Seahawks with ten seconds to go, throws an illegal forward lateral by at least five yards to run out the clock with the penalty when he could've stepped out of bounds and given the Saints a chance for the TD and 2 to tie it.

And CBS found out afterward the call to actually lateral the ball across the field, as non-sensical as that was before the lateral went forward, came from the Saints sideline!  If that does not CONFIRM the game was fixed and scripted and that Colston was acting under NFL orders to lose the game, I don't know what to tell you.  There.  Is.  No.  Other.  Explanation.  Watch the play for yourself.

2) It's Super Bowl XLIX.  After a penalty, there are 26 seconds to go in the game.  The Seahawks, down four, have the ball at the New England 1-yard line with Marshawn Lynch on the field.  If "You Play To Win The Game", HOW IN GOD'S NAME do you do THIS?

Even if you have a mass pileup at the 1 and they somehow stop him on the first play, you have at least enough time to down the ball and take two more shots.  WHY, if you are playing to win the game, are you not playing to your absolute strength in that call and Beast Moding your way to another title?

(Which is why I will never disagree with this fan, staged or not...)

3) I know Pat McAfee is a character.  But someone has to explain to me...

Again, under the premise of "You Play To Win The Game", what the Hell is this?

No, serious question.  That makes so little sense, what the Hell is that?

4) I could probably add the Tony Romo playoff fumble if you're a believer in the Jessica Simpson situation.  (That's more, if "You Play To Win The Game", you take care of your business so that you have your mind on the game during the game and that doesn't happen!)

5) A more general one:  Have we ever gotten an accurate and acceptable explanation as to why Malcolm Butler was benched for Super Bowl LII?

(There's some belief about Todd Gurley in the last Rams Super Bowl, but Gurley was apparently nursing a knee injury.  This came out of the blue just before the game.)

I'll do more, but that's a start.  There are some things that you look at (and I know I've mentioned a significant number of them in the blog -- like the recently-completed Iron Bowl, to give a college example).  The point being:  In a cooperative situation, which is what American sports are at the pro and college-pro levels, you do not play to win the game.

You are employed by the league first and your team second.