http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/news/story?id=3696990 "It cost us the game," he said, according to CBSSports.com. "We go to the 1 -- or the half-yard line -- then spike the ball when, all of a sudden, officials tell us they're going to look at the replay. While they're looking at it, the ball stays at the 1. So we send in a play. Then, when they make their decision, they move the ball back to the 2? and tell us they're going to start the clock on the official's wind. "We couldn't change the play. We had to go with what we called. If it would've been at the 1, we would've made it. But they moved it and didn't give us any time. So what are we going to do? If they would've moved it to the 10 we still would've had to run the play that was called. We got screwed because of the spot, first and foremost."
Interesting. I wonder if Martz is telling the truth or is just being a good soldier so as to not stab Singletary in the back.
Martz is semi right though, that clock had no business to start because Hill had already spiked the ball. That's stupid to all of a sudden restart the clock from out of nowhere.....Its a bitch already to set the lineup but to pressure the team to hike the ball and do something is tough too. However 2 running plays when Shaun Hill couldent be stopped on that drive is absolutely dumb. Let Hill win or lose it for you, his passing to the other Hill is what drove SF all the way.
I bet he's telling the truth because the fullback dive is a decent call from one yard out. Martz has never been accused of being stupid, just arrogant and fond of overly complicated schemes.
Since they apparently had a "spike" in them left, and it was what they were going to do to stop the clock anyway, why didn't they indeed spike the ball, and inform Martz to run a different play now that the ball is at the 2-1/2 yard line? Seems to me Hill, Martz, or Singletary fell asleep on that play. By the way, I think the ball was spotted correctly after the review.
Sometimes it's amazing how stupid coaches can be at the end of games regarding clock management and such. Spike the ball and you have 2 seconds left to run any play you can come up with in 40 seconds.
The spike never took place because the booth issued a challenge before the play. Anyway, they could have still spiked the ball when the clock started with 4 seconds left and then passed or run. At least they could have set up a play. Other than that Martz was right.
