Possibly the worst play call ever

[chriseibl]

I think the real criticism had Seattle scored would have come on Belichick for not calling a timeout after Marshawn's 4-yard run to the 1-yard line. There was 1:05 left when Marshawn ran the ball and Belichick could have called timeout with 1:00 left. Instead, he allowed Seattle to run it down to around 25 seconds when they snapped the ball. Had Seattle scored there, the Patriots would have had just 20 seconds and 2 timeouts down 31-28. No way they do anything with that. Why Belichick sat on those two timeouts was beyond me. He had to hold them out of the end zone at that point or it was done.

There sure would have been some second-guessing there on the greatest coach of our generation, but now nobody remembers that. Lucky for him.

Agreed, noticed this during the game and couldn't believe he didn't use the timeout. He ended up getting extremely lucky because if he DOES call timeout, the Seahawks likely run (instead of pass) on 2nd to bleed the clock.

[Coach JP]

I think the real criticism had Seattle scored would have come on Belichick for not calling a timeout after Marshawn's 4-yard run to the 1-yard line. There was 1:05 left when Marshawn ran the ball and Belichick could have called timeout with 1:00 left. Instead, he allowed Seattle to run it down to around 25 seconds when they snapped the ball. Had Seattle scored there, the Patriots would have had just 20 seconds and 2 timeouts down 31-28. No way they do anything with that. Why Belichick sat on those two timeouts was beyond me. He had to hold them out of the end zone at that point or it was done.

There sure would have been some second-guessing there on the greatest coach of our generation, but now nobody remembers that. Lucky for him.

I would probably call the timeout, but here is the logic for not calling it:

If you call timeout at 1:00 left, Seattle has 3 plays and one timeout. This now gives Seattle the opportunity to script their final 3 plays, and even run the ball 3 times.

By not calling timeout, you force Seattle to either use their timeout early, and don't give them the option to run 3 times.

I still would have called it though flat out expecting Seattle scores. Turns out what he did won the game just as much as Carroll losing it. Lucky but oh well. The Seahawks were lucky to be at the 5.

[nails]

Carrol, was horrible. i'll give you another horrendous play call that put them in that situation. 3rd down and I think 6 or so.. in 4th quarter trying to add to lead and keep ball out of brady 's hands .. they throw that long pass to kearse who drops it.. why take such a risk on a play like that when if you get a1st down you basically seal up the game or make it very hard to win if your patriots.. bad play call after bad play call.. they didn't run Wilson enough.. that play calling in 4th quarter was horrible.. seattle's big time d, got carved up by the tiny Edelman.and vereen.. (I called that mis-match at start of game). vereen was horrible all year, but this was his type of game.. huge mismatch.. kept those Linebackers from blitzing and really deflecting balls and t'ing off on WR's..they had to account for vereen and he came through big time..

despite that.. carrol simply should have run ball or let Wilson boot.. worse case Wilson throws it away and you have 3rd down.. then worse case you go for it on 4th. just don't get it.. an NFL coach.. every human on face of earth sees the same thing.. and he sees a pass in the middle.? what?

im a Denver fan who went to super bowl last year.. I'd rather that outcome any day then what seattle just did .. if I am a seattle fan, I could never get over that.. never. would have been worse then losing badly ..

Mike Weber.

[Cocktails and Dreams]

Like Glenn mentioned, the fault was not in passing the ball, the fault was in the type of pass that was called. With only one time out, 2nd down is a great time to pass since you only have time to comfortably run it either on 2nd or on third down but not both. But you call a boot or roll out of a Lynch playfake and have Wilson throw it into the 5th row if nobody breaks open on the fake action and he is unable to run it in. If you run Lynch and he does not get in, you call time out and are almost forced to throw on 3rd down or risk the game ending on 3rd down. Then it is much easier for NE to play the pass.

Other than the type of pass called, the far dumber and quite honestly one of the most idiotic coaching moves I have ever seen is Bellicheck not calling time out. Just horrific coaching on both sides in that final minute. I would have personally loved to see Bill squirm around answering the no time out questions after a loss in the game.

[nails]

Like Glenn mentioned, the fault was not in passing the ball, the fault was in the type of pass that was called. With only one time out, 2nd down is a great time to pass since you only have time to comfortably run it either on 2nd or on third down but not both. But you call a boot or roll out of a Lynch playfake and have Wilson throw it into the 5th row if nobody breaks open on the fake action and he is unable to run it in. If you run Lynch and he does not get in, you call time out and are almost forced to throw on 3rd down or risk the game ending on 3rd down. Then it is much easier for NE to play the pass.

Other than the type of pass called, the far dumber and quite honestly one of the most idiotic coaching moves I have ever seen is Bellicheck not calling time out. Just horrific coaching on both sides in that final minute. I would have personally loved to see Bill squirm around answering the no time out questions after a loss in the game.

I agree about the time out issue.. I was screaming at screen however looking back now it's genius because it put more stress on seahawks.. if they called time out I have a very distinct feeling that they would have re-grouped and ran the ball. I doubt they would have run that idiotic pass play.. so in the end Bill come out on top!

[Fourslot40]

Pete Carroll had Patriots on the money line. Btw, he also had the over on the national anthem. Big day.

[JETS SB]

You MUST run it on 2nd down. This still gives you 2 more downs, 3rd down to pass the ball and 4th down to do whatever.

If you run it on 2nd down, then they call a timeout. They can then throw it on 3rd down and if it is incomplete, they can do whatever on 4th down, all or nothing. Pete Carroll said today that they would be strapped to passing it on 3rd and 4th down, if they ran it on 2nd down.... NOT TRUE.

If they made it to 4th down and I doubt that would have even happened, they could call whatever they want. The fact that New England didn't call a time out was outright nuts as well, but in the end, obviously the right call since they won the game because the Seahawks cracked under the pressure.

[Don Draper]

Belichick's non timeout was genius. Reduced Seattle's options. Likely the greatest coach ever.

[Cocktails and Dreams]

The non time out was one of the most idiotic things i have ever seen in such an important situation. Both staffs shit their pants on the big stage, Was quite interesting to see it unfold.

[Don Draper]

I was screaming at screen however looking back now it's genius because it put more stress on seahawks.. if they called time out I have a very distinct feeling that they would have re-grouped and ran the ball. I doubt they would have run that idiotic pass play.. so in the end Bill come out on top!

Same here. Man is a friggn genius. Record speaks for itself