Worst play call in the history of the NFL

[Youngsta71701]

And if it had been a TD you would have been the 1st one on here posting about what a great call it was.

I would have still thought it was a bad call.

[007 License To Squeal]

The ball was snapped with 26 seconds left.  If you hand it to Lynch and he doesn't score you call timeout with something like 22 seconds remaining.

From there, you call two plays in the huddle. 

22 seconds is plenty of time to run two plays, especially considering you won't have receivers 40 yards downfield who have to get back to the line of scrimmage.

Besides, how much time did Seattle run off the clock before snapping it between the Lynch run and the interception?  They were certainly in no hurry to get their plays off.

It was a stupid play call and time is no excuse.  Throwing the ball into the middle of the field when every defender is within two or three yards of the line of scrimmage is crazy, especially with the Super Bowl hanging in the balance.  A lot of things could have gone wrong...and one of them did.

^^^^This^^^^^

[hogwild6700]

How many steps did he have to take to get there?  Why would you assume the DBs would wait until the receivers are in the end zone to pick them up?

How much arc is the QB going to get on a one yard pass?  How many defensive linemen does he have to throw it past...at head level?  There are about 15-16 bodies in a ten foot deep space.  What if the ball is tipped in the air by either a defender or your receiver?

It's not just that everyone is saying it was a dumb call.  It was a dumb call.

Forget the amount of steps it took. A DB doesn't have a whole lot of time to make a play on a throw like that. It's not like the ball was in the air for 4-5 seconds. Russell's throw wasn't that bad. The DB (funny I don't even know his name) made a quick and physical play towards the ball-all 185 pounds of him. That is a lot more difficult to do in a goal line situation than you are giving credit for.

As for the call-YES, looking back on it now it was a dumb call....even more so when you consider the result. But again-it's easy to play the blame game after seeing the outcome.

What I saw was a Patriots team down 10 that came back and won. That's the largest deficit a team has ever overcome in a Super Bowl. They did it with Offence and Defence. The Seahawks wouldn't have even been in a position to make that "dumb call" had it not been for an immaculate reception/David Tyree type of catch on 3rd down.

For what it's worth I didn't have a dog in the fight. My team was at home watching it (in Dallas). I just wanted to see a great game and we all obviously got that.

[oldbear]

I completely agree with Eastex.  I didn't like the pass call at all.  However, if you are going to throw it, how does the oc justify having your 5'11" quarterback try to throw that short of a pass directly over the heads of his oline and the dline on a ball that needs to be thrown down low?  If you are going to throw, go with the boot leg, or fade or a swing or something deeper in the end zone and away from so many bodies.  There is nowhere to throw the ball away to on that play.  If you want to throw the slant, throw the slant out wide.  Throw the back shoulder wide.  Nothing that is thrown over the middle and short, into the middle of a dozen bodies makes any sense.  You game plan for two weeks for this.  It is not that difficult to know your personnel and that play should not even be in the play book unless your quarterback is about 6'5".  He has no angle to throw from.

[Youngsta71701]

Another great point.  With not calling the timeout it actually made the Seahawks outmatched in that situation with a spread attack vs a goal line defense. Carroll was probably anticipating a Timeout.  Carroll was probably baffled a bit, had NE called a timeout Seattle probably wins that game

They were in a goal line 3 corner defense so there was no mismatch. No excuse is good enough there. Run the ball...

[twistitup]

But still a catch

Obviously....luck is a beautiful thing

[moses_007]

The ball was actually on about the one foot line when the quarterback threw that ball.  Wilson could have scored on a quarterback sneak.  I suspect Carroll thought he could catch the Patriots napping and complete the easy slant pass for the touchdown, but the play simply didn't work.

[PorkSoda]

Only three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of them are bad :razorback:

same can be said for running the ball

[RonBurgundy]

Lost in all of this back-slapping, circlejerk of a "discussion" is the fact that if that pass is complete or if the Seahawks take the lead on the next play with very little time left, Belichick not taking a timeout with :50 left would be the consensus "worst call in the history of the NFL."  They were both risks.  One paid off, the other did not.

[Youngsta71701]

Obviously....luck is a beautiful thing

Yes sir! Sometimes it's better to be lucky than good.

[Youngsta71701]

Only three things can happen when you throw the ball and two of them are bad :razorback:

I hate to be technical but actually a lot of things can happen.

Good- Complete pass or Pass Interference
Bad- Incomplete pass or Interception

[007 License To Squeal]

I hate to be technical but actually a lot of things can happen.

Good- Complete pass or Pass Interference
Bad- Incomplete pass or Interception

In this particular case, an incomplete pass would have stopped the clock....which would have been a good thing.

[ghostzapper]

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

[1hogfan]

They didn't want Lynch to score 'cause he wouldn't talk to the media!

[Choctaw Hog]

I would have still thought it was a bad call.

Of course you would, just like you did when Russell threw a TD pass from the 3 yd line in the 3rd.

[Choctaw Hog]

They were in a goal line 3 corner defense so there was no mismatch. No excuse is good enough there. Run the ball...

You obviously have a great football mind and are one of the very best play callers, after the play has been run, that mankind has ever seen.  Really, you should apply for the Seattle job and share these post with them.  I'm sure they will give then the appropriate consideration. 

[rusvegashog]

Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman's faces were priceless, especially Sherman's. These two spoiled jack holes made me actually pull for the New England Patriots, I'm so glad it went down that way. Just curious post game did Lynch have any comments on the situation and how many times did Sherman remind us all of his superior intellect. Y'all know he went to Stanford, right?

[Pistol Pete]

I still have images of Pete Carroll in my mind, laughing his ass off when they beat the crap out of us...

Hey Pete! Hahahaha, HAHAhahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

[Hogfaniam]

Fan party Language.  Reaction part is at the end.

[sooeey pig pig pig]

Fan party Language.  Reaction part is at the end.

Hahahahahahaha

That's great Hogfaniam!

[Inhogswetrust]

I still have images of Pete Carroll in my mind, laughing his ass off when they beat the crap out of us...

Hey Pete! Hahahaha, HAHAhahaha! HAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!

And guess where he was a GA coach in 77...........

[20gauge]

Saw it again this morning on Mike and Mike. Golic brought up a good point. If you watch the replay even if he catches the pass it would have been a TD. The DB knocks him back from the 1 yard line and they would have had to use a TO. Even with forward momentum he still woudlnt have been in the endzone.

Bad call and bad pass.

[majp51]

Pass play called on 2nd and goal from the 1 with Lynch just running for a 4 yard gain on the previous play. What are you doing?

I don't know, I kind of found it fitting that the Head Coach who benefitted from the rare brand of Head Coaching lunacy employed by Mike McCarthy, pulls a Mike McCarthy the very next game.

[jesterzzn]

same can be said for running the ball

Everything bad that can happen on a run play can also happen on a pass play.

[Steef]

Didn't watch the game. Just saw the replay of the interception....just now.

How was that not pass interference?

[Inhogswetrust]

Didn't watch the game. Just saw the replay of the interception....just now.

How was that not pass interference?

Butler was playing the ball all the way.

[Steef]

Butler was playing the ball all the way.

Looked to me like he hit the receiver before he touched the ball.

Admittedly, I dont ever watch pro ball. But that ought to be PI.

[jesterzzn]

Looked to me like he hit the receiver before he touched the ball.

Admittedly, I dont ever watch pro ball. But that ought to be PI.

Both players have an equal opportunity for the ball.  The contact came making a play on the ball.  No foul.

[Steef]

Both players have an equal opportunity for the ball.  The contact came making a play on the ball.  No foul.

Well, there wasnt a flag or replay. So you must be right.

Used to be, if you physically knocked a receiver out of the way, it was PI.

Im glad I gave up pro ball.

[Pistol Pete]

Well, there wasnt a flag or replay. So you must be right.

Used to be, if you physically knocked a receiver out of the way, it was PI.

Im glad I gave up pro ball.

Receivers climb all over the DB's to get to a ball in the air. They have no special privilege to not be touched when both are going for the ball.

[Pistol Pete]

And guess where he was a GA coach in 77...........

Yes, I know.

He's a great coach, a players coach. He even looks the other way when his star running back's parents live in a house in Malibu that they don't own...

Or something like that. 😉

[Inhogswetrust]

Looked to me like he hit the receiver before he touched the ball.

Admittedly, I dont ever watch pro ball. But that ought to be PI.

You could also say the receiver hit him and interfered with Butlers right to the ball then. Butler was clearly making a play on the ball and got to the spot before the receiver. Interception.

[Albert Einswine]

You could also say the receiver hit him and interfered with Butlers right to the ball then. Butler was clearly making a play on the ball and got to the spot before the receiver. Interception.

The defender has the right to arrive at the ball at the same time as the receiver, and has the same right to the ball that the receiver does. You are correct, good interception.

[Inhogswetrust]

Yes, I know.

He's a great coach, a players coach. He even looks the other way when his star running back's parents live in a house in Malibu that they don't own...

Or something like that. 😉

Haha! Good one. He doesn't have to worry about those things in the pros. I think that's one reason among many why a lot of successful college coaches want to try the pros.

[Dumb ole famrboy]

I hate to be technical but actually a lot of things can happen.

Good- Complete pass or Pass Interference
Bad- Incomplete pass or Interception

Incomplete pass is not bad in the Seahawks situation with only 1 timeout- it stops the clock. A pass insures 3 plays at a TD without having clock worries and hurried alignments.

The play was not the smartest of calls. But the execution was even worse. The receiver should have run a diving route. Laid out at knee level or lower. The pass should have been low with a groundward type trajectory. Still a pass to the middle is not the smartest option.

[RazorChuck]

Marshawn Lynch and Richard Sherman's faces were priceless, especially Sherman's. These two spoiled jack holes made me actually pull for the New England Patriots, I'm so glad it went down that way. Just curious post game did Lynch have any comments on the situation and how many times did Sherman remind us all of his superior intellect. Y'all know he went to Stanford, right?

I am pulling for you to die in a fire.

[RazorChuck]

Fan party Language.  Reaction part is at the end.

I HATE YOU SO MUCH!
HOW I WISH I COULD HURT YOU!