As you're watching the Raiders and Cowboys (or, for late eaters, the Giants and Broncos) butt heads this Thursday, ponder this: NFL teams don't go for it enough. That can teach us a lot about more consequential fields, including foreign policy. The attachment to punting, at the expense of winning, shows how conventional wisdom discourages leaders from doing what is best for their teams, firms, and country.
Consider the controversy that's still raging in Boston: the New England Patriots' decision to go for the win on fourth down against the Indianapolis Colts on Nov. 15. The Patriots led the Colts by six with about two minutes left. It was fourth and 2. Going for it and failing meant giving the ball back to star quarterback Peyton Manning, in his home stadium, 28 yards from the endzone. Punt and the Colts would have to drive some 60 yards to get the touchdown. Punting, we all know, is the safe thing to do there. Coach Bill Belichick went for it.
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