The Most Overlooked Play in NFL History

[NashuaPats]

he got lucky on it for sure, yes. He made a terrible decision on the no time out.

If it was Madden football, you would be right. But this is real life with real people playing the game. Belichick saw the personnel on the field and the chaos on their sideline. By not calling a timeout as they were expecting, he forced them to panic and call a predictable play which his team was prepared for. One of the greatest minds the game of football has ever known won that chess match. He's made unconventional calls in the past that he's been criticized for, but the man is a master at situational football and got this one right.

 

[stinkypete]

Bill Belichick pointed this out in the Belichick Breakdown that the pats D stuffed Lynch on 3rd and short. Belichick said this may have factored into their decision to call a pass. Lynch was also was pretty bad at converting the short yardage during the regular season. Most likely teams sold out on the run. The Pats did as well. Even when the seahawks stacked two receivers out wide on both sides the DB's had no help since McCourty crept up into the box as well.

On the Butler pick. The Seahawks went lighter after Hightower made the game saving tackle. Where as the Patriots D went heavier. They also had bigger personnel than on the two other plays where Lynch was stopped short earlier in the game.

Saying Carroll made a bad decision for calling a pass is such a copout that Seahawks fans and others use all the time. Lynch got stuffed on slightly smaller Pats personnel earlier in the game. Now with even heavier goal-line personnel, Carroll calling a pass play is the correct decision.

They want to question the type of pass play called, fair enough. But saying Carroll made the wrong decision by calling a pass play is such a big copout.

By the way, I thought the best matchup was Lynch on Chandler Jones. Lynch was coming open on the other side.

I agree with all of this. How would we feel if, at 2nd and goal from the 1 yard line, McDaniels called run, run, run and Blount got stuffed for a turnover on downs?
The Pats defense went heavy with McCourty in the box, and the Seahawks had success most of the game moving the ball through the air.

All reports indicate that this exact play had been practiced heavily leading to the game. The "mistake" Carroll made was calling the one play that the Patriots defense was perfectly prepared for. Maybe - throughout the year - Seattle showed an over-reliance on that particular play, or were somehow telegraphing the playcall, and the Patriots coaching staff discovered it studying game film. All the credit goes to Butler and the coaching staff for being ready for the biggest moment of their careers.

 

[Wheelman]

The Pats defense went heavy with McCourty in the box, and the Seahawks had success most of the game moving the ball through the air.

I just want to say when I said McCourty was in the box I just meant on the 3rd and short plays where Lynch got stuffed. It's possible he did that regularly in the game but I don't remember.

 

[mosslost]

If it was Madden football, you would be right. But this is real life with real people playing the game. Belichick saw the personnel on the field and the chaos on their sideline. By not calling a timeout as they were expecting, he forced them to panic and call a predictable play which his team was prepared for. One of the greatest minds the game of football has ever known won that chess match. He's made unconventional calls in the past that he's been criticized for, but the man is a master at situational football and got this one right.

It was the wrong decision, definitely, but I am not trying to show anyone any disrespect. The fact remains, we ARE very fortunate that SB is a win instead of a loss. Butler made an amazing play no doubt about it.

However, the Seahawks should have scored a TD, without question. If you rewind the situation and figure in probabilities... Hightower stopping Lynch at the one was actually the second worst play besides the Kearse catch. If he has simply scored there Brady would have had the same time he had in SB 36 and 38 roughly and with 2 time outs (maybe 1 but I think it was 2)

Again, Belichick simply got his ass bailed out in that situation. Brady was going to have less that 20 seconds left quite possibly.

The no timeout decision there was a terrible decision by Belichick that he just got lucky. All the "Belichick" is a Super Jedi etc talk is silly. Bad decision. Closed case. He is the GOAT coach but he was entirely bailed out on that one.

EDIT: Anyone who disagrees or dislikes this post does not understand situational football. Also, go ahead and try to defend your position without looking like a fool. The couple that have defended the position including Belichick have made idiotic arguments. Belichick was simply blowing his own horn after the fact, after he was bailed out.

 

[Mogamedogz]

If I had watched that game live, I might have lost my damned mind watching that catch.

I did, and I did.

Dont think I ever went from such sheer terror to pure ecstasy that lopsidedly and sudden in my entire life.

 

[Mogamedogz]

What about the fact Kearse never got up ( Ala Freeman & that Vikes defender thinking he made a "play") and went to the end zone? I think Butler pushed him out. If Butler walks away like that Vikes defender did....we are singing a different tune today.

Butlers situational awareness is even more more overlooked than the catch. What a heads up play that was. Arrington never would have thought to push him out.

 

[jmt57]

The most overlooked play in NFL history, to me, is the Jermaine Kearse catch in the Super Bowl.

All anyone talks about is "Brady would have 3 losses if Seattle would've ran it" and completely ignore one of the most insane catches I have ever seen.

Sorry, venting. I watched TV this AM.

Whenever people tell me that the Patriots were 'lucky' to beat Seattle because of Pete Carroll's decision to throw on that down, I point that (a) Lynch did not score on the previous play; (b) the Patriots had seen Seattle in similar situations that season and were ready; and (c) the Kearse catch was luck, the Butler interception was preparation.

Usually I get scoffed at, but receive no other response. I then ask what they thought of the Kearse catch and virtually none comment because they don't even remember it.

 

[Pats1989]

Whenever people tell me that the Patriots were 'lucky' to beat Seattle because of Pete Carroll's decision to throw on that down, I point that (a) Lynch did not score on the previous play; (b) the Patriots had seen Seattle in similar situations that season and were ready; and (c) the Kearse catch was luck, the Butler interception was preparation.

Usually I get scoffed at, but receive no other response. I then ask what they thought of the Kearse catch and virtually none comment because they don't even remember it.

Here's my question with the Seattle " Pass play". If they score a TD & win are people saying it was a " bad play"? Doubtful.

 

[Mogamedogz]

Here's my question with the Seattle " Pass play". If they score a TD & win are people saying it was a " bad play"? Doubtful.

It would be remembered as "gutsy".

Dear god I want to break my own fingers just typing that. Can you imagine how furiously annoying that would have been.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

The no timeout decision there was a terrible decision

You seem to be under the impression that if you say the same thing over and over again, it somehow becomes true. In this case, it doesn't.

1 TO, 3 downs. If they run it and you stop them, they have to pass. Call a TO and you let them off the hook and they can run it twice. Don't and they are worried about time and choose to pass.

You seem to be the only one who can't grasp this.

 

[Grogan14]

Asante Samuel dropped interception against the Giants.........

1. No one would be talking about Tyree's helmet catch
2. Eli Manning would be viewed as complete choke artist
3. Tom Coughlin may have never won a super bowl
4. Perfect Season is completed
5. Complete euphoria
6. Vindication for "Spygate" BS
7. 2007 Pats would be cemented in history as greatest team EVER without any argument from anyone

 

[Pats1989]

It would be remembered as "gutsy".

Dear god I want to break my own fingers just typing that. Can you imagine how furiously annoying that would have been.

Yepp. Glad they won that game. Brady got his 4th ring. Couldn't imagine losing the Seattle & Atlanta ( Knock on wood doesn't happen) games to make T.B. 3-4. Now a loss still leaves him with four rings.

 

[mosslost]

You seem to be under the impression that if you say the same thing over and over again, it somehow becomes true. In this case, it doesn't.

1 TO, 3 downs. If they run it and you stop them, they have to pass. Call a TO and you let them off the hook and they can run it twice. Don't and they are worried about time and choose to pass.

You seem to be the only one who can't grasp this.

Dude, you don't grasp it. Belichick should have called a timeout with a minute left. This is an obvious fact for anyone knowledgeable about football.

And you are a total hypocrite for saying otherwise. If the Seahawks had scored with less than 20 seconds left the entire football world (including you if you have a brain) would be talking about Belichick making one of the stupidest decisions in SB history rather than Carroll.

 

[Palm Beach Pats Fan]

If you are convinced that your D cannot possibly make a stop, then you do call timeout. If on the other hand you want to take advantage of the opponent's confusion, lack of TOs, and known goal line tendencies, you do what BB did. Not hard to understand... except for Jets fans and mosslost

 

[Pats1989]

Asante Samuel dropped interception against the Giants.........

1. No one would be talking about Tyree's helmet catch
2. Eli Manning would be viewed as complete choke artist
3. Tom Coughlin may have never won a super bowl
4. Perfect Season is completed
5. Complete euphoria
6. Vindication for "Spygate" BS
7. 2007 Pats would be cemented in history as greatest team EVER without any argument from anyone

The ball glanced off his fingertips. By no means was that an easy interception. Nonetheless, if Rodney Harrison knocks the ball down we likely win.

 

[Pats1989]

What would've happened had the Rams scored with 45-50 seconds to tie it in SB 36? I wonder if BB would've ordered a " knee". When they left 1:20 left...I had no doubt the Patriots would go for it.

 

[40yrpatsfan]

Dude, you don't grasp it. Belichick should have called a timeout with a minute left. This is an obvious fact for anyone knowledgeable about football.

And you are a total hypocrite for saying otherwise. If the Seahawks had scored with less than 20 seconds left the entire football world (including you if you have a brain) would be talking about Belichick making one of the stupidest decisions in SB history rather than Carroll.

The result doesn't put you in any position to argue, as we won that play and therefore the game. Who says it was luck besides you? He was confident they couldn't run it in, and assessed that Carroll felt the same way. He even baited them into the pass by sending out his jumbo package, saw the personnel they sent out suggesting a pass, and knew what pass play they would likely run. He hit the trifecta, and also Seattle only had 1 TO left that they couldn't use there, so why call a TO and let them change their minds when he had them right where he wanted them? That's about as far from luck or a mistake as you can get.

 

[mosslost]

The result doesn't put you in any position to argue, as we won that play and therefore the game. Who says it was luck besides you? He was confident they couldn't run it in, and assessed that Carroll felt the same way. He even baited them into a pass play by sending out his jumbo package, and also knew what pass play they would likely run. That's about as far from luck as you can get.

he let the crucial clock wind down, which statistically and by football knowledge.. was there only chance left in the game barring major fluke, having enough time for Brady. Just a fluke that Seahawks did not get in.

 

[Danger Zone]

Seattle Didn’t Throw Away the Super Bowl. The Patriots Won It.

On first down, Seattle ran Marshawn Lynch off left tackle for four yards, down to the one. Carroll said after the game he expected Belichick to call his second timeout here, daring Seattle to score quickly and give Tom Brady the ball back. But Belichick didn’t do that. The clock kept running—50 seconds, 40 seconds—and suddenly time no longer seemed to be on Seattle’s side. Now Bevell and Carroll faced second-and-goal from the one, which is normally an invitation to slam Lynch into the line again and see if he can push it through. With a single timeout left and the game clock wasting away, however, Seattle no longer had time enough for three Lynch runs. If it was going to get off three more plays, one of them would need to be a pass.

Having the football on the 1 yard is not a guaranteed touchdown.

2003
Goal line stand wins it, 38-34

It was one of the most courageous goal line stands in Patriots history. With time running out and on the Patriots 2-yard line, the Colts needed a touchdown for the win.

But on four consecutive plays -- three of them runs by Edgerrin James -- New England met the Colts head on and preserved the win in heart-thumping manner, 38-34.