All articles tagged with #punt
Indiana beat Miami 27–21 in the national championship, with Mendoza’s fourth-down TD and Sharpe’s late interception among the pivotal moments, and a standout punt-block TD that gave Indiana a 10-point edge; a Bear Bets analysis shows Miami nearly ran a tricky punt-play when Malachi Toney appeared to be a throwback target near the goal line, but the punter’s boot was too effective, preventing the trick from unfolding.
Miami was inches from a blocked-punt TD turning point in the 3rd quarter. A designed trick play on Indiana’s punt would’ve yielded a 95-yard return and a 14-10 Miami lead, but the punt was perfectly placed, forcing Malachi Toney to field at the 4-yard line and preventing the play. Miami then went three-and-out, and Indiana recovered the punt for a touchdown, widening the gap to 17-7 and creating a pivotal 14-point swing in the CFP final.
Facing fourth-and-9 at the Bills’ 40 late in the third quarter, Sean Payton elected to punt instead of attempting a 58-yard field goal or converting, and Buffalo answered with a 9-play, 85-yard drive capped by Josh Allen’s TD pass to Dalton Kincaid, giving the Bills a 24-23 lead in the fourth; the decision could spark questions if Denver loses.
In a game where the Packers lost 10-7 to the Eagles, their coach Matt LaFleur's decision to punt on fourth-and-11 instead of attempting a 58-yard field goal in the fourth quarter backfired, as the punt resulted in poor field position and the Eagles scored the winning touchdown on the next drive. Analytics suggest attempting the field goal would have been a better choice, potentially tying the game or giving the Packers a chance to win.
Ravens head coach John Harbaugh explained his decision to punt on fourth-and-3 late in the game against the Bills, citing it as the most common choice despite considering going for it, which contributed to their narrow 41-40 loss after giving up a late comeback.