Frank Reich is already ruing his controversial decision that contributed to the defeat against the Bears.
Carolina Panthers coach Frank Reich faced a moment of reflection less than a day after his team's narrow loss to the Chicago Bears on Thursday night.
In the game's final moments, with the Panthers trailing 16-13 and less than two minutes on the clock, Reich made a pivotal choice. From the Bears' 41-yard line, he decided to go for a 59-yard field goal instead of pushing for a 4th-and-10 conversion. The field goal attempt was unsuccessful, a decision Reich defended post-game as playing by the numbers.
By Friday, Reich's perspective had shifted. In a media briefing, he acknowledged his mistake, expressing regret for not trusting rookie quarterback Bryce Young with the crucial play.
«Looking back, I should have put the ball in Bryce's hands,» Reich admitted, as reported by Josh Alper of Pro Football Talk. «We had enough time left. Even with a successful conversion, we could have continued to advance and score. It's always easy to look back and wish you had chosen differently. I weighed all the options and chose what seemed statistically sound at the time.»
Despite the challenging situation, given the Panthers' lackluster offensive performance, opting for a 59-yard field goal was always going to be a gamble.
Following the loss on Thursday, the Panthers' record now stands at 1-8. In hindsight, as Reich now seems to acknowledge, taking the riskier path of going for the 4th down might not have had much downside for the struggling team.
| POLL | ||
10 NOVEMBRE | 27 ANSWERS Frank Reich is already ruing his controversial decision that contributed to the defeat against the Bears. Will the Bears have two top 5 picks in the draft? | ||
| Yes | 14 | 51.9 % |
| No | 13 | 48.1 % |
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