Rehash...Butler interception was not a bad play call

[RayClay]

I can't help watching that Super Bowl over and over and the big play, especially. Carroll's getting a lot of crap, but i don't think it's justified based on the call.

If run correctly, that was probably as safe as a running play. If the lineman blows his block and the RB gets ambushed and fumbles, same result.

What was bad, was the execution, including the decision based on our personnel. That's on Carroll.

Run correctly, the receiver making the pick has to be covered, or it's an easy TD. He just needs to forcefully run his route and he creates a pocket for receiver two, easy TD.

Butler has to cover the outside, or the receiver can waltz in. He makes a great forceful decision, but, if the play is run correctly, he has no chance, none. Two players between him and the receiver, in the "pocket."

First mistake by Carroll. He should damn well know Browners strength. Sure, the pick receiver didn't force the defender to create the "pocket" for receiver 2, but he was against the one CB on our team who can't be brute forced. Carroll should know that.

Lazy route. It's the Super Bowl. Lockette snaps that off and there's still no interception IMO. I don't think Wilson led him too much, there simply was no barrier created, because of Browner, and Lockette didn't attack the play, he nonchalanted.

Remember, pick, or no pick, Butler has to come all the way from protecting the end zone to the sideline, and go on the dead run,as soon as the receivers moved away. Browner totally blew it up, but a crisp attack by Lockette still defeated him.

I'm saying, with an average 190 lb CB, a crisp, physical attack on the route by the 2nd receiver [Lockette's role] and just an average pick against thast normal sized cb and that play is money in the bank 99 out of 100 times for a yard.

Call was fine, not knowing your own former huge cb needed to be picked and was the worst matchup, is on Pete, though.

 

[VectorPrime]

Clearly Petey agrees since he overpaid for Jimmy Graham just to be able to try again.

 

[RayClay]

Clearly Petey agrees since he overpaid for Jimmy Graham just to be able to try again.

Seems like the passive type, though big. I really see that as a brute force play, if executed correctly.

Of course the biggest, most physical corner as the object of the pick? that's a problem

 

[mgteich]

I do NOT believe that any passing play was as safe as running one of best runners in the league for two plays. Although I think that any pass was the wrong call, a pass over the middle was especially bad. A pass in the back of the end zone (TD or out of bounds) wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad a call.

In addition, waiting 30-45 seconds celebrating the miracle catch is also all on Carroll.

 

[RayClay]

I do NOT believe that any passing play was as safe as running one of best runners in the league for two plays. Although I think that any pass was the wrong call, a pass over the middle was especially bad. A pass in the back of the end zone (TD or out of bounds) wouldn't have been anywhere near as bad a call.

In addition, waiting 30-45 seconds celebrating the miracle catch is also all on Carroll.

I completely disagree. The pick receiver only needs a couple forceful steps and the receiver catches the ball untouched. Darrelle Revis is as good a corner back as there is, but he wouldn't be able to stop a physical receiver from taking a couple strides giving the other receiver an unmolested one yard catch.

He could, however, intercept any pass a receiver could that you described and RBs do fumble.

Also, they needed a touchdown. Teams do make goal line stands and the clock could run out.

 

[pheenix11]

I don't think it mattered what Carroll did, they weren't scoring there. I am positive we would have stopped Lynch. Belichick not calling a timeout had Carroll in Chinese fire drill mode.

 

[Ice_Ice_Brady]

Funny how the narrative was that they didn't want Lynch to get the glory. Remind me, what was the play call on first down again? Then again this is the same bandwagon of morons in the media and public who were ready to lynch Brady a week before.

It wasn't a bad play call, and it's the quarterback's job to make a read. Wilson could have waited a half second longer and recognized the play was blown up. No way Brady throws that pass in that situation, though again, it's not that the Patriots wouldn't have called a pass in that situation even if they had a strong power running game. Football is about misdirection and mixing it up.

Wilson trots to the bench after the play and asks Carroll "what happened?" Really, you are about to make $20M per year and want to be an elite QB, but you don't know what happened? That oblivious question right there is all you need to know when assigning blame.

 

[tigerjohn]

Passing on that down was the only way to ensure that the Patriots would have to defend both the pass and the run on every down. If they run it there and don't make it, they have to call their last timeout, forcing them to throw on 3rd down. If it reached 4th down the Patriots would likely assume they would be running.

If they pass it and don't make it, they can run or pass on 3rd or 4th down and use their timeout after the 3rd down play for full flexibility.

It was the right call to pass it and I don't think the play design was unsafe. However, I don't think it used their personnel to max advantage. I would have rolled Wilson out and let him try to run it in or pass, throwing it away if it looks like he'll get tackled in bounds short of the line. That would have accomplished everything that the play they called did in terms of forcing the Pats to defined both pass and run on 3rd and 4th down but use their personnel better.

 

[Brewskies]

What was great about this call was BB knew it was coming, worked on it with Butler in practice, then didn't call a time out. Just awesome.

 

[everlong]

Browner really doesn't get enough credit here. If he doesn't stonewall Kearse and even push him back as bit like he did then Butler as great of a play as it was best case probably breaks it up or stops Lockette short of scoring.

Granted it's a bang bang play but Wilson was throwing that ball come hell or high water. When he came to the sideline he didn't understand what transpired. Contrast that to Brady on the sidelines and he was breaking down what happened for Josh knowing his mistakes. I'm not bashing Wilson who I really like. He has a lot of the intangibles that Brady has with his desire and work ethic and he seems very humble and authentic. But he's not the GOAT.

With all of the great plays in Patriot history this has to instantaneously become number one. I've seen it hundreds of times already and just cannot tire of it. After that circus catch my Kearse coupled with the Tyree and Manningham plays it's almost like reconfirming that we didn't lose on another one in a million play. (To be fair the Manningham pass was just a great play but the other two.......)

Fisk's home run, Orr's goal, Havlicek stole the ball, Bird to DJ it's up and it's in, Do you believe in miracles? This is going to get replayed at that level and I love it.

 

[DarrylS]

There was a 3.1% rate of interception..

http://mmqb.si.com/2015/02/04/russell-wilson-super-bowl-49-interception-statistical-analysis/

In 2014, the Patriots faced seven plays at the goal line (six rush, one pass). They surrendered six touchdowns (five on rushes, one through the air). The Seahawks ran nine plays from the goal line, running the ball seven times (scoring just three times, 42.9%) and throwing twice (scoring once)There was a 3.1% rate of interception on this particular short yardage pass play.

The Seahawks had three downs to score a TD, with 26 seconds remaining... if the pass was incomplete there were two more chances to score, with one timeout..

It was not a bad call, or a great call.. Carroll played the percentages.. IMO Wilson blew it, and Butler played it outstandingly.

I wonder the percent of outcomes when a mediocre offensive play meets and outstanding defensive play..

 

[Tunescribe]

Lazy route. It's the Super Bowl. Lockette snaps that off and there's still no interception IMO. I don't think Wilson led him too much, there simply was no barrier created, because of Browner, and Lockette didn't attack the play, he nonchalanted.

Remember, pick, or no pick, Butler has to come all the way from protecting the end zone to the sideline, and go on the dead run,as soon as the receivers moved away. Browner totally blew it up, but a crisp attack by Lockette still defeated him.

I'm saying, with an average 190 lb CB, a crisp, physical attack on the route by the 2nd receiver [Lockette's role] and just an average pick against thast normal sized cb and that play is money in the bank 99 out of 100 times for a yard.

Call was fine, not knowing your own former huge cb needed to be picked and was the worst matchup, is on Pete, though.

I've always thought Lockette was a big culprit in that play's failure. He was looking the ball into his breadbasket vs. aggressively going after it and screening off his blindside in the process. The way Butler blew him off his feet with incidental contact tells the story.

I don't recall if it was Seattle's OC or a position coach who drew flak for subsequently throwing Lockette under the bus over the way he executed that play, but it's a valid point. Butler just wanted the ball more. Had Lockette been more aggressive/decisive, it would've resulted in either a score or incompletion.

 

[RayClay]

I've always thought Lockette was a big culprit in that play's failure. He was looking the ball into his breadbasket vs. aggressively going after it and screening off his blindside in the process. The way Butler blew him off his feet with incidental contact tells the story.

I don't recall if it was Seattle's OC or a position coach who drew flak for subsequently throwing Lockette under the bus over the way he executed that play, but it's a valid point. Butler just wanted the ball more. Had Lockette been more aggressive/decisive, it would've resulted in either a score or incompletion.

Absolutely, yet substitute a 190 lb cornerback for Browner, with Kearse forcefully running his pick route, and your granny could have caught that pass unmolested.

It took as lot of bad execution [assuming Browner could be defeated, the biggest] to make it even possible for Butler to make that great play.

Should be pitch and catch.

 

[Tunescribe]

Absolutely, yet substitute a 190 lb cornerback for Browner, with Kearse forcefully running his pick route, and your granny could have caught that pass unmolested.

It took as lot of bad execution [assuming Browner could be defeated the biggest] to make it even possible for Butler to make that great play.

Should be pitch and catch.

You'll recall BB gave Browner big kudos on that play. It's just great coaching and preparation by the Pats, they knew what was coming by the formation and motion.

 

[RayClay]

You'll recall BB gave Browner big kudos on that play. It's just great coaching and preparation by the Pats, they knew what was coming by the formation and motion.

He blew it up, yet you were right, it works with a crisper route and aggressive pursuit of the ball anyway. A lot has to go wrong to make it possible for anyone to come all the way from where Butler did to make a play. He has to wait at least a beat, or he's leaving half the end zone exposed and Browner can't play in front of his man, or he leaves an easy TD behind him. definitely a play for the ages and what should be a very safe goal line play.

I don't think it was Wilson's fault, but if he adjusts slightly and leads him less, it's also unstoppable.

 

[Oswlek]

It wasn't a bad play call, and it's the quarterback's job to make a read. Wilson could have waited a half second longer and recognized the play was blown up.

This isn't remotely accurate. That ball needs to be out quick and Lockette was open based on the read. Brady would have thrown the pass.

 

[BlueThunder]

I believe Butler said he looked in Wilson's eyes just before the snap and saw him glance at Lockette. That gave Butler the tipoff on the pass and he had seen that play in practice.

BINGO !!

Greatest play EVAH for Patriot fans !

 

[OhExaulted1]

Oops! I thought we were talking about this play......

 

[1960Pats]

Funny how the narrative was that they didn't want Lynch to get the glory. Remind me, what was the play call on first down again? Then again this is the same bandwagon of morons in the media and public who were ready to lynch Brady a week before.

It wasn't a bad play call, and it's the quarterback's job to make a read. Wilson could have waited a half second longer and recognized the play was blown up. No way Brady throws that pass in that situation, though again, it's not that the Patriots wouldn't have called a pass in that situation even if they had a strong power running game. Football is about misdirection and mixing it up.

Wilson trots to the bench after the play and asks Carroll "what happened?" Really, you are about to make $20M per year and want to be an elite QB, but you don't know what happened? That oblivious question right there is all you need to know when assigning blame.

The funny thing is that I was listening to WEEI a couple of days after the SB and Michael Holly was criticizing Carroll because he thought it was Carroll asking Wilson what happened.

The best answer to that question? The Butler did it.

 

[jmt57]

I am curious what others think in regards to the number of snaps Seattle would have been able to get off had they run the ball each time.

With 26 seconds left to play I am not so sure that they would have been able to run three plays. I am thinking that the Seahawks may have only had time to run two, even with one timeout available.