Thanksgiving Day, the Atlanta Falcons were in must-win status versus the red-hot New Orleans Saints. Trailing 17-3 in the second half, Atlanta lined up to punt on 4th-and-inches. “You gotta kick it away,” NBC announcer Mike Tirico declared. Sure the spot was the Atlanta 18. But on 4th-and-inches a conversion is likely, and the Falcons were facing the league’s highest-scoring team. Possession of the football is the most important aspect in football tactics—don’t give possession away because you are afraid to try to gain a few inches!

Six snaps after “you gotta kick it away,” New Orleans led 24-3. Falcons coaches might as well have called it a day and ordered blueberry-almond martinis.