Let's talk about that last Seahawks play

[Everlong]

I'm not entirely convinced it's as terrible a call as everyone else seems to be saying, now that I've had a bit of time to sober up ( ) and soak it all in. You have four chances, I can get wanting to take a shot in the air once. It was just really poor execution and an iffy route.

One thing I do find interesting is how people in sports media will spin what happened. If Russell Wilson had not won a Super Bowl yet, or if he were certain other players in the league, there would be so much talk about how Wilson just had one of the biggest choke jobs in the history of the Super Bowl. Throwing an interception on the opponent's one yard line with the game on the line? I mean, holy shit. And yet, not a peep is being made about it... everyone is focusing on the call.

Don't get me wrong, Wilson is a great player, it's just shocking to me how there seems to be no attention at all on his responsibility for that interception.

[The Legend]

I think part of it is it's surprising he made all of the big throws that he needed to make just to put them in that position pinned deep with two minutes left and everything.

As for the call itself, it's a tricky position, once they decided to bleed the clock all the way down on second down with only one timeout left it became pretty obvious that to get four chances at the end zone one of the plays was going to have to be a pass. It's tough because you could tell they over thought it and wanted to leave Brady with as little time as possible. So you can either run it on second down and try to get it in, but if the Patriots stuff the run then you take the timeout with like 16 seconds left and everyone in the world knows that it's going to be a pass on third down. In that respect I understand why they chose to throw there, here's my biggest problem though, a slant into the teeth of a goalline defense that's trying to clog the middle is the wrong choice. They should have reversed roles there and had the slant guy try to rub the inside corner and ran Kearse on a flat route to the pylon of the end zone. That throw stands little chance of being picked off, it's either a TD or an incomplete pass, in which case you cna then safely run on third and fourth down if need be with time left on the clock.

The other problem simply was ball placement, if Wilson throws that ball low and brings the receiver to the ground for a sliding catch there's no way the corner can intercept it.

[Kyle]

I still can't believe Belichick let the clock run down. If Seattle does get the score there then Brady wouldn't have any time to get them back in FG position.

[The Legend]

I still can't believe Belichick let the clock run down. If Seattle does get the score there then Brady wouldn't have any time to get them back in FG position.

Belichick is a defensive coach in his background. I think he just had faith in his defense to do whatever it had to do to keep the Seahawks from scoring.

[CubsIn5]

Well lets look actually at their last play, you're at the goal line. Brady is gonna try to keep the ball out of the end zone with the QB sneak he is great at, focus on stuffing that, getting the safety and then going for the field goal. Jumping offsides like Bennett ALWAYS does showed how poor the Seahawks actually are.

[The Legend]

^^^ Here's the problem with that strategy, unless you are ready to jump at first blush a defense isn't going to react fast enough to stop Brady in the end zone. It's a no-win situation.

[DBSoT]

The reason no one is talking about Wilson is the same reason no one questions Brady's two horrible picks. They both made every other play possible to win that game. With that said I do think it wasn't a bad call, but definitely not the best choice. If they were going to pass they should have went to the roll out pass. Give Wilson options with the moving receivers or let Wilson run to the corner. He was making people miss in the back field all day. The play they chose didn't have any reads, it was designed from the start to go to the quick slant. The guy who made the interception read the play from the snap.

[DanielsonTHAGOAT]

Looking back at the play over and over again, the Pats knew exactly what was coming despite having their run personnel out there. They knew Wilson was going to attack the 4th string CB and Browner was able to disrupt the play by seeing the pick set by Kearse.

I have no idea why Wilson let that ball go though, the defender was right there in perfect position. At the very least he should've thrown it low or a back shoulder pass or something else other than this nonsense..



What a play call by Belichick though, he gambled it all and it worked.

I agree with Tim, I really was mad at the play call but I can see why the Seahawks decided to pass it because of New England's personnel and the Seahawks looked like they had the advantage before the snap. It's just that the Pats knew exactly what was coming and Wilson made a bad read/pass.

If the Seahawks had to pass it, I wish they did it on 4th down. Marshawn should've been pounding it in IMO. The Seahawks have a 300 pound FB and Lynch, why they didn't think about that is beyond me.

[xgamr]

ironically, out of all the same plays called this season from the exact spot, this was the only one that was an interception. will try to find source for this but saw something like this

pats outplayed them the whole game but have to give credit to Seattle to still be 1 play away from winning

[DBSoT]

ironically, out of all the same plays called this season from the exact spot, this was the only one that was an interception. will try to find source for this but saw something like this

pats outplayed them the whole game but have to give credit to Seattle to still be 1 play away from winning

This is just not true. Seattle had a ten point lead and picked off Brady twice. New England earned that win, but Seattle made them earn it.

[Daz]

Let's put it this way ... I'm in no way a football aficionado, and even I know it was bloody stupid.

[Philip Rivers]

What about Lockett? At that moment you fight for the ball and go 110%, fly to it. He was lazy.

[The Legend]

What about Lockett? At that moment you fight for the ball and go 110%, fly to it. He was lazy.

He went after the ball, right up until the point he got hit and dropped to the ground.

[Philip Rivers]

What about Lockett? At that moment you fight for the ball and go 110%, fly to it. He was lazy.

He went after the ball, right up until the point he got hit and dropped to the ground.

What I saw was a simple, basic slant route. It looked nothing more than ordinary. Lockett did NOT attack the ball like the Super Bowl was on the line. It was probably my second biggest issue with the play.

I understand what Butler and Browner saw, a DB should never beat you to the ball like that. No extension, nothing. Lockett waited on the football in his route...very little aggression to make the play in his body language.

No way you can tell me he wasn't lazy in his execution.

[Kyle]

I found it odd that Carroll said in his interview with Steve Wyche "we put out 3 receivers to run the ball." The fact that they put out 3 receivers is exactly why NE had the matchup advantage at the goal line, so really, they were looking to pass it the whole damn time.

[Everlong]

For what it's worth, Bill Belichick says that people have overblown how bad the final play call was.

[The Legend]

ironically, out of all the same plays called this season from the exact spot, this was the only one that was an interception. will try to find source for this but saw something like this

Yeah I heard ESPN say the same thing yesterday. There was like 108 plays from the 1-yard line this year when teams decided to throw the ball and this was the only one that was intercepted.

Heard another interesting stat that in five attempts from the one yard line Marshawn Lynch only scored once all season long. Those two things definitely change the discussion a little bit.