FOXBORO — The Patriots knew they had six seconds left in the first half of Sunday’s loss to the Bills, but head coach Mike Vrabel’s play-calling might have changed depending on the exact time on the play clock.
Vrabel said Monday morning that he’d like to see decimal points added to the game clock.
The Patriots ultimately decided to run up the middle with Rhamondre Stevenson at the end of the half. Stevenson slid after gaining 11 yards before Vrabel called a timeout. He might have elected to call a passing play if he knew what decimal was attached to those six seconds.
“I thought about taking a shot. Is it 6.1 on the clock, or is it 6.9? I would hate to look up there and have a go ball from the 30-yard line, and look up and have it be zero (seconds) and not one, and then look like an idiot. So if it was 6.9, I would have taken a shot. If it was 6.1, I probably would have done what we did, if that makes any sense.
“And for any of you that are interested in the technology of football, they have considered that. It came up a few years ago that I heard about having the NBA clock, and this is where I think our fans would like it. I think the coaches would like it. Is there 11.9 and you don’t have any time outs, or is it 11.1 and can get it clocked, you know?”
The game clock actually didn’t even run on that final offensive play of the first half, so the officials had to estimate there being two seconds left on the clock.
The Patriots ultimately settled for a field goal at the end of the half to make the score 24-7. The defense allowed touchdowns in four straight possessions in the second half, while the Patriots scored just one more touchdown, resulting in a 35-31 loss.
