Obviously, most post-game questions surrounding the Atlanta Falcons' overtime loss to the New Orleans Saints were centered around the decision to go for it on fourth down in their own territory in overtime. Afterwards, Falcons' head coach Mike Smith took full responsibility for the decision.
"It was something that I take full responsibility for. It's my decision and my decision solely. First we were going to punt the football, then had a change of heart and I wanted us to go for it. I thought that the ball was inside a half a yard and thought that we could get it. I did not want to give the football back to the Saints. In previous games, in close games that we've played them, we've punted the ball and they've gotten the ball back with three minutes to go in the ballgame. We never saw it again, and they ended up winning the ball game. That was the decision making process that I went through."
Smith also said that they talked about running a quarterback sneak as opposed to handing the ball off to Michael Turnver several yards behind the line of scrimmage.
"We talked about that as well. We had gone through the process. This isn't something that you do half-hazard. These are things that you talk about. You have fourth and inches, you have fourth and one calls, you have fourth and three calls. We had seen the way that they lined up, because they called timeout, and we felt in the place and time the best play for us was the play that we ran. Unfortunately, it did not work out."
For more on Sunday's game, check out The Falcoholic, SB Nation's Atlanta Falconsblog, and Canal Street Chronicles, SB Nation's New Orleans Saints blog.