Super Bowl: Two days later it’s still a horrible play call
What a great Super Bowl.
Too bad the play everyone is still talking about two days later isn’t even a play, it’s a play-call.
I don’t have a problem with the decision to pass the ball from the 1-yard line in that situation … just not into the middle of the defense on a compressed field.
My beef isn’t with not giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch. Contrary to popular belief, one-yard at the goal line is not a gimme even for Lynch. He was 1-for-5 in those situations during the season. You can call a 1-yard run a layup, but it’s a contested layup against a goal-line defense set up to stop exactly that.
The thing is the Seahawks had plenty of other options to go with and picked a dangerous play. The outcome of a turnover wasn’t predictable, but it was much more likely than other plays that are just as likely to succeed.
As the most ticked off Seahawks fan in Hawaii, the play call was the worst of all time in a big game in team sports that I can remember. You’re asking your QB to do the one thing he’s least equipped of all of his skills to do, throw a short slant as a 5-10 quarterback over the middle into a sea of players.
With that said, the defender made a heckuva play to save the day.
The 1-for-5 stat with Lynch has been a popular one today, but the truth is, two of those runs came against a good run defense (NYG) when Seattle was without Unger and I think Okung too. I don’t remember the other two attempts. One might have been Kansas City, which is pretty good against the run as well. Football Outsiders has the Patriots as the team with the worst short-yardage run defense in the entire NFL this year. I think they faced 1-yard runs for TDs eight times this year and gave up a score seven times.
Seattle had its entire offensive line healthy with 24 in the backfield. You’ve been a team for three years that has forced the entire league to adjust to what you do. With 1 yard standing in the way of a repeat Super Bowl title, you decided for once to adjust to the other team. Brutal mistake.
It will become obvious, but I am no football expert. Here’s my question. Why are all the writers and media members who say a pass is ok, all say that that pass was not? There was only one linebacker and no safeties in the defensive backfield on the play. Hightower is lined up over the left tackle. The middle of the defense is open. Isn’t a quick slant to the empty space the safe play? It seems to me that the extra split second it takes Kearse to get going on the play is the difference maker. He is just engaging his block when Wilson is cocking his arm. If he gets a clean block, TD and there is no discussion.
Worst call EVER? Wrong. You act like the coach is supposed to divine that Wilson was going to throw a short pass in the one place where it was not supposed to be thrown.
The ball only goes about 5 yards.
Wilson throws it right toward the defender. That’s faulty play calling?
Throw the ball a foot to the right and it’s a TD catch.
But everyone has the gift of hindsight.
I’m so happy they lost. The look on Sherman’s face after the interception was priceless. Use it as my new screen saver on my laptop.
I was a bad call. Russell Wilson has a great set of wheels. Why didn’t they consider a play-action? Of course its all hindsight, but aren’t you supposed to go to your highest probability play? Over the middle was not.
It was a call that if successful would have naysayers screaming”brilliant” because no one saw it coming. Having said that, it wasn’t and Seahawks lose. I am neither a Seahawk or a Patriot fan but what drives me nuts is what happened after the interception. It looked very likely that Patriots would have had a safety called on them had the Seahawks not gone off-side. If so, it would have been 2points and a punt which would in all likelihood given the Seahawks decent field position and a possible field goal attempt that if made would have won the game. Just sayin’ lack of discipline cost them a chance.
Really, this Super Bowl should have been remembered for Seattle’s great TD celebrations, eg crotch grabbing and pooping footballs.
http://deadspin.com/nbc-director-cut-away-from-ball-pooping-celebration-to-1683506143
Patriots had brought in their jumbo package goal line defense with 6 lineman, 3 linebackers (LB) and 2 defensive backs (DB). When Pats saw 3 wide receivers (WR), they replaced LB Ayers with DB (Butler).
Seahawks intially line up WR Baldwin on the right with Lynch on the right of Wilson. Seahawks send Baldwin in motion to the left and Lynch moves over to the left side of Wilson. Patriots DB moves and defense shifts over to their right.
At the snap, Lynch moves to his left with nearly everyone on the Patriots’ side taking that step towards him. Kearse doesn’t push back the DB hard enough to block (pick) DB Butler off and Butler goes through WR Lockette to seal the deal.
Go look on youtube and run it at quarter speed. The guy was open and Wilson had a clear shot. DB Browner made a heck of a block on Kearse preventing the push back and DB Butler makes a heck of a play on the ball. 9 times out of 10, that’s a TD. Paper is one and that’s why you go out and play the game…for 60 minutes.
Calling it a “bad call” gives too much credit to Carroll.
This is simply bachi
Remember his days at USC (how quickly we forget). Doing fakery like giving false sign to Leinart to spike the ball (yes, about 1 yard from the end zone)? Resulting in — of all things — a running play into the end zone?
His arrogance cost him and the team a second ring. The really sad part is that he gets to learn from the mistake (assuming his trademark arrogance doesn’t override that).
June would throw.
shoulda ran the ball.