Decisions, Decisions… Aaaaah Payday!

I’m likely making myself look ‘old’ but, does anyone remember that old board game Payday? http://www.fatbraintoys.com/images/products/large/WIN004.jpg They used to have this cheesey commercial that had game players saying… ” Decisions, decisions… aaahhh… Payday! ” That’s all I could think on Monday night when Chris Cooley hauled in a 16-yard touchdown pass to put the Redskins up 10-6 at the half. If you missed the game, Washington had first and goal from the one yard line, and having no timeouts left, Jason Campbell spiked the ball to stop the clock with just fourteen seconds to go in the half. Decision time for Joe Gibbs – try to get off another play and risk not being able to stop the clock again, or send out Shaun Suisham for a field goal and go into the half tied at 6-6. Surely there’s time to take one crack at it, right? Gibbs sends in a play and keeps Suisham on the sidelines. The Redskins line up to run a play, but not before the play clock runs down, and they’re tagged with a five yard delay of game penalty. Starting from the six instead of the one, Gibbs sends in the kicking unit and decides to go into the half even, but Philadelphia calls a time-out before Suisham can kick. Were they trying to freeze a kicker that proved last week that he has ice water in his veins? Regardless of the Eagles reasoning, now Gibbs was faced with “Decisions, decisions,” those of you that remember the old Payday commercials can fill your own head with the old commercial right now please. Coach Gibbs changes his mind, and sends the offense back on to the field. At this point, it’s becoming near comical as the units run and off the field. The Redskins line up for the play, and Jason Fabini moves before the ball is snapped – false start Washington. It seemed like everyone in the stadium, on the field, and in TV land all looked at Gibbs to see if the Redskins were still playing musical units. Not this time – the Redskin offense stays on the field to run their play, but this time from from the eleven yard line. They line up again and unbelievably, with the exact same results. Fabini moves early again, and the Redskins are tagged with another false start and five more yards; they’re now first and goal all the way back at the sixteen yard line. Again, the collective mass looks on at Gibbs to see what he will do; cue that Payday clip in your head again please. “Decisions, decisions…” After three straight penalties, it was actually a bit of a surprising ‘decision’ that Joe didn’t change his mind again at this point. With sixteen yards of real estate between the ball and the end zone, there was certainly a much greater risk of running a play that didn’t reach the end zone and having the clock run out as they tried to get up and spike the ball again. Gibbs dug his heels in though, and appearing firm in his conviction, looked on as the Redskins finally got the play off without a penalty. Campbell drops back, surveys the field, and threads the ball between two defenders to Chris Cooley in the end zone. Payday! (Now would be a good time to let that old ad play in your head it’s entirety – “Decisions, decisions… aaahhh Payday!”) After a bit of comedy, and a bit of drama, coach Gibbs’ decision to bring Suisham off the field and put the offense back out there, ultimately resulted in the Redskins’ second big payday of the…