Possibly the worst play call ever

[JETS SB]

30 seconds and the clock is running. Ball on the 1 yard line and you have Marshawn Lynch. The Pats inexplicably don't call a time out and the Seahawks THROW THE BALL!!!!! Just unreal. If I am Pete Carroll and I made that call, I would hide for the next 3 months.

[76erfan]

the seahawks interviewed so far are saying "best back in football and we threw the ball"...unreal.

Carroll ruined it.

[chriseibl]

I didn't like the decision to throw anything in the middle of the field.

I actually would have thrown on 2nd down but would have tried a far more conservative play (away from the middle of the field for sure) if i was set on bleeding the clock. Clearly the Seahawks were set on this so not to give Brady an opportunity). Once they made the decision to bleed the clock and not let Brady have a crack at it, there were only 23 or 25 seconds when they snapped the ball. With one timeout, that really only allows for one run play.

The reason I would have thrown on 2nd is that if you run on 2nd and fail to convert, it locks you into passing on 3rd down since another failed run could possibly end the game, which in turn makes your offense more predictable on 3rd. Therefore, I think the best way to keep the defense off balance is passing on 2nd, running on 3rd, and then hinging your 4th down decision based on where the ball ends up.

I simply don't understand why the pass play called was something as aggressive as a slant towards the middle of the field... even if the ball is corralled by a receiver, it still allows a safety or linebacker a big hit opportunity which could also cause a loose ball. Fun Super Bowl.

[Glenneration X]

Easily the worst call in the history of the NFL and possibly sports history considering the magnitude of the play. And I don't think I'm being over the top at all.

There was no reason for that call. Timeout in your pocket, possibly the best short yardage back in football, a QB who's mastered the bootleg, a defense bunched up in the middle of the field, 1 yard to go, 3 chances to get it. Hand it to Lynch, roll out Wilson, or throw a fade to the corner of the end zone. Any of those options gives you another try if it fails. The one option you don't try is to throw a slant into the heart of a bunched up, charging defense. I just don't get the call.

Other than that, a great Super Bowl. Even with the evil Pats pulling out a miracle.

[JETS SB]

Easily the worst call in the history of the NFL and possibly sports history considering the magnitude of the play. And I don't think I'm being over the top at all.

There was no reason for that call. Timeout in your pocket, possibly the best short yardage back in football, a QB who's mastered the bootleg, a defense bunched up in the middle of the field, 1 yard to go, 3 chances to get it. Hand it to Lynch, roll out Wilson, or throw a fade to the corner of the end zone. Any of those options gives you another try if it fails. The one option you don't try is to throw a slant into the heart of a bunched up, charging defense. I just don't get the call.

Other than that, a great Super Bowl. Even with the evil Pats pulling out a miracle.

Agreed. Considering its the Super Bowl and in that situation, with Lynch and a timeout and the Pats NOT calling a timeout, they could have run that play and called a time out if they didn't get it. They would still have two downs to then throw in the end zone or run again. The ONLY play you can call on 2nd down is a run to Lynch. Its the frickin 1 YARD LINE. He is money. Its a play call that will go down in history as the worst ever.

[TR]

Easily the worst call in the history of the NFL and possibly sports history considering the magnitude of the play. And I don't think I'm being over the top at all.

There was no reason for that call. Timeout in your pocket, possibly the best short yardage back in football, a QB who's mastered the bootleg, a defense bunched up in the middle of the field, 1 yard to go, 3 chances to get it. Hand it to Lynch, roll out Wilson, or throw a fade to the corner of the end zone. Any of those options gives you another try if it fails. The one option you don't try is to throw a slant into the heart of a bunched up, charging defense. I just don't get the call.

Other than that, a great Super Bowl. Even with the evil Pats pulling out a miracle.

Agreed. Considering its the Super Bowl and in that situation, with Lynch and a timeout and the Pats NOT calling a timeout, they could have run that play and called a time out if they didn't get it. They would still have two downs to then throw in the end zone or run again. The ONLY play you can call on 2nd down is a run to Lynch. Its the frickin 1 YARD LINE. He is money. Its a play call that will go down in history as the worst ever.

The pats may have just let the seahawks score if they ran it in as well ala holmgren's packers

[Sandman62]

Totally agree on worst play call ever Glenn! That said, could it be that Carroll and the 'Hawks just didn't wanna give Lynch a 2nd TD and a shot at MVP - to not increase his off-season contract leverage? Or that Carroll wanted nothing more than for Wilson to be the hero, adding to his justification for having started him over Flynn two years ago (not that Wilson hasn't already proven himself)?

Just mindboggling.

[Marc Quitsch]

1990 Ravens, 1986 Giants, 1985 Bears, Steel Curtain Defense...

Those are probably the only defenses that MAY have had a chance at stopping M Lynch from getting 2 feet on THREE carries.

I would have run that ball. All 3 downs.

[Greg Ambrosius]

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.

[chriseibl]

1990 Ravens, 1986 Giants, 1985 Bears, Steel Curtain Defense...

Those are probably the only defenses that MAY have had a chance at stopping M Lynch from getting 2 feet on THREE carries.

I would have run that ball. All 3 downs.

They didn't have time to do this when they elected to bleed the clock to prevent Brady from getting another chance. (I'm not saying that was the right call, however, if they DON'T elect to do this and score on 2nd down you give Brady a minute and a timeout to get in FG range). I really think the correct call was pass on 2nd after bleeding the clock to 25 with a rollout of some kind, run on 3rd call timeout and then run on 4th if you're a yard away.

There was certainly no reason for a pass play over the middle on 2nd where a turnover is a possibility.