You have a guy called “Beast Mode” on your team, but you chose to throw it at the 1 yard line.Millions of Americans celebrated New England Patriots’ Super Bowl win last night. In my opinion, the Seattle Seahawks lost a game that was theirs to win, on the stupidest offensive play call in recent memory. They had a second-and-goal at the 1-yard line and the league’s most violent runner in Marshawn Lynch. But offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell opted to have Russell Wilson throw the ball. It was intercepted by a New England Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler at the 1 yard line.
They should have run it three straight times. If Lynch gets stopped on second, you give it to him again. Stopped on third, give it to him again. Same on fourth down.
There was over 30 seconds left, and Seattle had one timeout. They panicked with what Pete Carroll later called “a throwaway play,” essentially called to help control the clock. Instead they threw away their chances of being back-to-back Super Bowl champions.
Check out this tweet from ex-Seahawk Golden Tate.
Yeah, Butler was in the game, and the rookie who attended West Alabama looked like fresh meat, subbing for the ineffective Arrington. But Butler had covered very well on the drive, only allowing the miracle catch to Jermaine Kearse two plays earlier. Obviously he redeemed himself with the game-winning interception.
After the game, Pete Carroll took the blame the play, saying it was “his call” and that they didn’t want to run the ball out of “11” personnel (one running back, one tight end), even against the Patriots’ version of a goal-line defense that had three cornerbacks on the field. Still, Carroll put that one on him.
“I told those guys, ‘That’s my fault, totally, but we had plenty of time to win the game … we were playing for third and fourth down, give them no time left … but didn’t work out that way.”
What gets me is that Russell Wilson threw the ball into the heart of the defense; he deserves the blame. Literally anything else would have won them the game.
Here, let me list them: he could’ve ran the ball in himself, he could’ve pitched the ball where there was less coverage, or he could’ve handed the ball to THE BEST RUNNING BACK IN THE NFL, MARSHAWN LYNCH for 1 yard. One yard folks. One yard.
And yet after Carroll took a bullet for both Russell Wilson and offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell, Bevell fired one of his own off at Lockette, “Lockette could have been stronger to the ball.”
That play–and Bevell’s reaction to it–shows his lack of leadership for this promising team. It also could undermine his authority within the locker room. That was the post-game buzz–that Seahawks players up and down were questioning the call–and it’s a play that will linger with this team for a long time.
The Seahawks had victory all but sealed up. They chose to throw it away.
In case you were under a rock yesterday, check out the highlights below.
Syed Mikhail Hussain is fan of all things NYC and Hip Hop. Winner of the sperm race back in ’89. He does a weekly basketball podcast. Follow him on Instagram or Twitter at @swishthis.
