Ty Montgomery should have left the "hero" business to Rodgers

Packer fans might remember how special teams player Brandon Bostick tried to be the “hero” and ignored his instructions to be a blocker to assist Jordy Nelson in recovering that Seattle Seahawk onside kick, that would have insured victory in the 2014 NFC Championship game and a trip to the Super Bowl. We all know how that turned out. Bostick was cut shortly thereafter; he reportedly received death threats from some irate fans. Now, I don’t think Ty Montgomery is going to be cut from the team for his special teams miscue against the Los Angeles Rams this past weekend—given the fact that the Packers special teams play as a whole had “special” responsibility in snatching defeat from the jaws of victory—but Montgomery should have known better than to fill his head with delusions of grandeur. 

The Rams had just taken a 29-27 lead with just over 2 minutes to play, more than enough time for Aaron Rodgers to perform his magic act. It almost seemed preordained. Few had given the Packers a chance to pull off a win against the unbeaten Rams on their own home turf, given the Packers’ unpredictable play this season. Yet here we were, on the cusp of another miracle win, as if “miracle” was even the proper designation to describe what many had come to expect from Rodgers (and Tom Brady) in moments like this. 

But no, Ty Montgomery thought he could pull a rabbit out of his fundament. Taking the kickoff two yards deep in the end zone, instead of kneeling, he ran the ball out, was hit around the 20 yard line, fumbled the ball away, and that was that. First of all, the chances of running the ball back to the touchback line at the 25 was maybe one-in-four. Plus running the ball out wasted valuable seconds, and given Mike McCarthy’s clock management acumen, it was a dumb move. What was Montgomery trying to accomplish? Did he actually think he could run the ball out to, say, the 30-yard line? Or maybe even a little farther? Was he hoping to run it back for a touchdown? That might have been nice, but then again you would be giving the ball back to the Rams’ potent offense with plenty of time left. 

I was reminded of the 1974 hit “Billy Don’t Be a Hero.” Just keep your head down when the bullets are flying. I’m sure that fans will “forgive” Montgomery, maybe, especially if the season goes south or north, but if the division is dependent on that lost victory, it will be something that fans and commentators will remember.