I imagine when the Seahawks ran that play in practice and games before the SB, it was never close to being intercepted. They mentioned that it's a play that has worked well in the past. The Patriots had stuffed Lynch earlier in the game on short yardage. The Patriots were in their goal line run defense. Carroll said he was worried that the run would be stuffed and that he would be forced to burn a timeout and pass on third down. His logic was that by passing in that situation, you either score or it's an incompletion. Having a ball intercepted never crossed his mind. If the ball is incomplete, you still have time to either run or pass on third down.
In reality, it was Belichick and the Patriots that dictated what happened at the end of the game. When Lynch was stopped on the 1 yard line on first down, Belichick didn't call timeout and let the clock run down. This negated two options for the Patriots. The "Let them Score" to preserve as much time as possible for Brady to go down the field or stop them and still have time to go down the field to score. Belichick was all in to letting the defense decide the game. Like everybody else he thought they were going to run, so he sent his defense to stop the run.
With time running down and the Patriots in the goal line run defense, the Seahawks were forced to make a quick decision and they made a fatal one. Belichick decision not to call a time out turned out to be brilliant. The Seahawks decided a pass play was their best option and were in a 3 receiver set. In what turned out to be one of the best moves of the game, Butler was sent in to cover the third receiver.
The final piece of Belichick tactical genius was about to be on display. The Seahawks sent Baldwin in motion to the other side, when Revis followed, the Seahawks knew the Patriots were in man to man coverage. This dictated that the pass would go to Lockette who was guarded by Butler. Belichick, knowing that this very play might be called had Butler defend it during SB practice. Although he was unsuccessful defending it in practice, when Butler saw Wilson take a quick peek to his side, he knew what play was coming. Preparation and recognition led to one of the greatest plays in SB history.
Through a series of moves, from not calling time out, to send in the goal line run defense, to sending in Butler when the Seahawks decided to pass instead, to using man to man coverage which forced the play to Lockette, the Patriots were ready for it. Belichick pressured Carroll to go away from Lynch their best player in that situation, to using Lockette who had 11 catches for 195 yards for the whole season.
Belichick simply outcoached Carroll.
