Ernie Adams, a longtime advisor to Bill Belichick who has been a part of all six New England Patriots Super Bowl victories, criticized the San Francisco 49ers’ decision in this year’s Big Game. Adams believed the 49ers made a mistake in choosing to take the ball in overtime, ultimately leading to their loss against the Kansas City Chiefs with a score of 25-22. During a podcast with former Patriots receiver Julian Edelman, Adams expressed his opinion on what the right call should have been. He highlighted the benefits of choosing to kick and play defense first, explaining that it allows for better strategic decisions, especially when it comes to knowing you’re in four-down territory. Adams emphasized the importance of this approach in shaping the way a team can call the game on the crucial downs.
The main reason is that being aware of the situation and knowing you are in a position to go for it on fourth down completely changes the game strategy on first, second, and third downs. San Francisco scored first with a field goal, but ultimately couldn’t stop the Chiefs from scoring a game-winning touchdown on a crucial fourth-down play. Adams emphasized the importance of having possession last in order to determine what is needed to secure the win.
