Super Bowl

[wh]

I can't believe what I just saw. I'm sure that play call will be questioned for a very long time. Fans of both teams must be emotionally drained right now.  Very entertaining.

[a3uge]

As a Packer fan, I enjoyed watching the win get ripped out right from under them. Really great game, just wish the NCAA tourney final could match that. The past 20 Super Bowls have featured some outstanding games, and over half of them very close, but the past 20 national championships have featured only a handful of games decided by a couple of possessions.

[valpospartan]

IMHO, calling for a pass was not only ill advised, but down right stupid.

[FWalum]

Out thinking themselves. That was the explaination that was used.  Everyone knew they were going to give it to Lynch so they were breaking tendency.   

[valpo64]

Pete Carroll...the ultimate ego!!   You go with your best. ..not pass to a third rate receiver at best who didn't make an effort to keep the ball from the DB.  Calling it a stupid play is a compliment.

[vu72]

I would have run it as well.  If, for no other reason as it keeps the clock running and removes any chance of a miracle comeback.  Still, ESPN radio (Colin Cowherd) reports this morning that Lynch was 1 for 5 from the 1 yard line this year and that of 109 passes this year from the 1 that was the first one intercepted.  Carroll said that it was matchups.  New England had their goal line defense in and thought a pass, then run was the play.  We wouldn't even be talking about this had there not been an unbelievable catch a few seconds before!  What a game and, the half time show was OK as well. 

[VULB#62]

This makes up for the "helmet catch" vs. the Giants.  Not a bad record over the last 14 years  -- 4 wins in 6 SB appearances and a couple of losses in the AFC championships mixed in along the way.  I'm a happy New Englander shoveling snow now in Wisconsin.

[Jase01]

This thing being tagged as the "worst play-call in super bowl history" will definitely result to a lifetime scar - especially to Seahawks. what a shame..

[a3uge]

I would have run it as well.  If, for no other reason as it keeps the clock running and removes any chance of a miracle comeback.  Still, ESPN radio (Colin Cowherd) reports this morning that Lynch was 1 for 5 from the 1 yard line this year and that of 109 passes this year from the 1 that was the first one intercepted.  Carroll said that it was matchups.  New England had their goal line defense in and thought a pass, then run was the play.  We wouldn't even be talking about this had there not been an unbelievable catch a few seconds before!  What a game and, the half time show was OK as well. 

I get not wanting to get sucked into hindsight, but how many of these 109 passes were quick slants? The potential for that play to go wrong WAS high. You've got a short QB with a weak arm and bad receivers. If you throw there, you go play action or throw a fade where the chance of an interception is low. A slant, especially at the goal line, has any number of ways it can go wrong. A tipped ball at the line is a big possibility due to 5+ down linemen, and the chance of it being intercepted is high because the entire defense is concentrated in 10 yards. Also, a dropped slant could result in a ball flying in the air right to the defense. Finally, the Seahawks aren't a quick slant team. Wilson doesn't have the timing down for it, so running it in the most important play of the season makes no sense.

[classof2014]

Many will call me a liar but I was actually at the game sitting in the endzone where the play happened, my dad won the right to buy tickets at face value via the Super Bowl lottery.

Anyways as many have pointed out that was a terrible play call. I don't like New England but Belichick outsmarted Carroll. The Seahawks barely ran the ball in the 4th, playing to their weakness and New England's strength. You have Marshawn Lynch, the best power rusher in the NFL since Jerome Bettis. Everytime he touched the ball in the second half he was getting good chunks of yardage, yet they had Wilson throw down field, which allowed New England to come back. Brady didn't play well till the fourth when they were down 2 scores, then he became Tom Brady and won the game.

And to the play in question. As many have pointed out a slant was an awful idea, yes some of that is to blame the coaches but Wilson has to know better than to throw that. He needed role out and use his legs, if someone is open pass it if not try to get to the corner or throw it away.

I guess if Lockette would've caught the ball for a TD nobody would be talking about what a stupid play, they'd be talking about the resiliency Seattle showed being up 10 only to have the lead taken away and need to drive 80 yards in 2 minutes to win the game.

This was by far one of the most entertaining and best Super Bowl games in recent memory and had one of the greatest, if not greatest ending in Super Bowl history. Marching down to the 1 yard line about to take the lead with 20 seconds left just to have the ball ripped away. What a turn of events and what a game.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

Seattle got just what it wanted on the play call, though.  Two things happened:  Wilson threw behind him, and Butler made an amazing break on the ball, considering where he is at this point (the yellow box).

[a3uge]

Seattle got just what it wanted on the play call, though.  Two things happened:  Wilson threw behind him, and Butler made an amazing break on the ball, considering where he is at this point (the yellow box).

This is true, but that's what makes the call even stupider. Butler said before the play he knew it was a pass since they went 3 wide at the goal line and once the receiver broke in, he knew exactly where the ball was going. Since it was at the goal line he could break on the ball while if it were at, say midfield, he would have to worry about the slant and go.  It was a great play by the defender, but they put themselves in a position where the defense could end the game if the play execution wasn't perfect. The offensive execution actually wasn't terrible - the ball should have been thrown lower (hard for Wilson) but the receiver actually ran a good route and the ball wasn't tipped at the line. With a run or a fade poor execution would have resulted in 2 more tries.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

With a run or a fade poor execution would have resulted in 2 more tries.

ah, i was hoping someone would say that.  check out this article with a provocative title...not an easy read, but a compelling one.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-head-coach-botched-the-end-of-the-super-bowl-and-it-wasnt-pete-carroll/

[a3uge]

With a run or a fade poor execution would have resulted in 2 more tries.

ah, i was hoping someone would say that.  check out this article with a provocative title...not an easy read, but a compelling one.

http://fivethirtyeight.com/features/a-head-coach-botched-the-end-of-the-super-bowl-and-it-wasnt-pete-carroll/

Not sure if I agree with the article. He's implying that a slant = any type of pass. I'd argue that a goal line slant from anyone not Aaron Rodgers or Tom Brady is a dumb decision. Of the 66 passe on the 1 yard line, how many were quick slants? Furthermore, the majority of passes at the 1 are play action, fades, or back-shoulder throws. Its easy to hindsight here, but the call was terrible and ended up terrible. I'm not even claiming a pass was a bad idea - it's the actual play call that was stupid, given the team playing offense.

[VULB#62]

When Kearse made that unbelievable catch, I was thinking the Pats would just let Seattle score on first down to conserve time on the clock and then let Brady get them within field goal range to tie and and then go to OT.  Belichick has allowed a safety on purpose near the end of a game to save a win, and it would not have been beyond credibility for him to make a call like that here.  But I'm glad he wasn't listening to me.

[bbtds]

Many will call me a liar but I was actually at the game sitting in the endzone where the play happened,

LIAR!!!

Just kidding!

I absolutely believe you. Why in the world would you fib about this?

Did you get to do anything else in San Diego while you were there? University of Phoenix Stadium is a most unique set up, would you not agree?

[classof2014]

Many will call me a liar but I was actually at the game sitting in the endzone where the play happened,

LIAR!!!

Just kidding!

I absolutely believe you. Why in the world would you fib about this?

Did you get to do anything else in San Diego while you were there? University of Phoenix Stadium is a most unique set up, would you not agree?

There was actually more to do outside, they let you into the grounds, the gates were more on the perimeter than actually at stadium entrances. So once you were in you could go in and out as you please. They had a big "tailgate" area set up and we were able to get lunch and stuff there. I wasn't able to wander around inside too much, I stood in line for about 45 minutes to get my wife something, then went back to my seats, it was hard to navigate inside since nobody knew where they were going.

The weather was absolutely beautiful too, I can understand why people would want to move to the Phoenix area. Upper 60s to low 70s, sunshine, and not humid, then I return home to 10 degree weather and a driveway with 15 inches of snow on it to shovel.

[usc4valpo]

Despite the incorrect call, Pete Carroll is one of the best coaches in the NFL.  The Bears would love to have Carroll as a coach compared to John Fox or the previous Dr. Death. 

BTW, Katy Perry definitely knows how to put on a halftime show.

[covufan]

If the play had worked, it would have been called a genius move - using Beast mode as a decoy.  99 times out of 100 that play is either a TD or incomplete.  That kid made a great read and reacted in time to move over for the interception.  We need to give more credit to NE for their coaching, and that rookie for making a great play.

Yes, Katy Perry put on a good show, which I expected.

[LaPorteAveApostle]

We need to give more credit to NE for their coaching

eh, if as you say the play had gone the way it had a 99% chance to, the whole world would still be talking about why Belichick didn't use his timeouts to give Brady more than 20 seconds to get a field goal at the end. 

[usc4valpo]

a lot of woulda coulda shoulda and Captain Hindsight is victorious again. Still, IMO it was a bad call and a great play by the rookie from West Alabama.

We should invite Katy Perry to attend a Valpo hoop game!  What an insane show!