Conviction On Display For Frank Reich On Gutsy Fourth-Down Call

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NASHVILLE, Tenn. — There’s a crystal clear risk or reward when going for it on a 4th and 1, up two points from your own 35-yard line with about two minutes remaining in the ballgame.


If your team can’t convert and turns the ball over on downs, then the opposition is already in prime position for a potential game-winning field goal. If you get the conversion, you’re able to keep milking the clock and continue inching towards victory.


Frank Reich didn’t even consider the possibility of his Indianapolis Colts offense not converting in that exact same situation Sunday afternoon against the Tennessee Titans. Up two points, 19-17, on a scorching hot day in Nashville, Tenn., Reich had all the confidence in the world in his offensive line and his quarterback to get the job done in that scenario — even after a failed attempt to draw the defense offsides.


Reich called timeout, but he had already made up his mind long ago — he was going for it.


So quarterback Jacoby Brissett lined up under center Ryan Kelly, took the snap and took advantage of a big push from Kelly and left guard Quenton Nelson, getting the yard needed to move the chains and force Tennessee to call its second timeout.


Though the Colts would have to punt four plays later, the conversion allowed them to milk more than a minute off the clock, making the Titans scramble for yards on their final drive of the ballgame. Tennessee would eventually turn the ball over on downs, and Brissett was able to take a knee to send Indy home with its first win of the season.


Reich said after the game he wasn’t “trying to sound like a tough guy,” but he was so confident in his offense that going for it on that 4th-and-1 scenario, in his own territory, “really wasn’t much of a decision.”


“I never even considered anything else other than going for it,” Reich said. “I just thought since we had the timeouts it made sense to try to draw ‘em offsides — I figured we weren’t gonna get them. But at that point, with the confidence in our offensive line, confidence in Jacoby, who’s a big, strong guy, as well, there was no chance we weren’t going for it.”