Official Super Bowl XLIX Thread

[Cheesehead Craig]

I must have listened to 30 different radio shows on 18 hr drive from Denver, all 30 blamed the seachicken offensive coordinator, no one blamed carrol. Doesn't head coach always review and agree/disagree with plays?

Bevell calls the plays. I bet Carroll stays out of it for the most part.

[Patler]

Bevell calls the plays. I bet Carroll stays out of it for the most part.

If that's the case, did Bevell just push back his head coaching opportunities by a couple years for "getting too cute", out-thinking himself?

[pbmax]

I must have listened to 30 different radio shows on 18 hr drive from Denver, all 30 blamed the seachicken offensive coordinator, no one blamed carrol. Doesn't head coach always review and agree/disagree with plays?

He staying with Bevell on the call, today even stating that they did not even debate a run on second down. But he has not said he demanded that call, so that has left people clear to blast Bevell. Bevell also managed to make it sound like he blamed the receiver for not going hard enough to the ball. So Carroll looks like a mensch defending his guys, Bevell has come off as partially passing the buck.

[wist43]

Capers would have run a 1-5-5 and vacated the middle of the field

I'm tired of Belichick getting credit for screwing up the last minute of the game. He played it horribly and would be getting a ton of blowback if Seattle had just run the ball like they should have. Go back to my stat that NE had allowed rushing TD on 5 of 6 attempts from the 1.

LOL. Unsound!

Don't know what you guys are laughing at, or mocking... we've actually seen that idiot do that on the goal line, lol...

Capers is a disaster waiting to happen... the Seattle game is but another example of how he simply cannot be trusted - EVER!!!

56 minutes of winning football, followed by 4 minutes of franchise killing disaster; and this is after being embarrassed how many times in the playoffs?? Yet the guy keeps his job?? It's truly amazing.

[mraynrand]

Don't know what you guys are laughing at, or mocking... we've actually seen that idiot do that on the goal line, lol...

Capers is a disaster waiting to happen... the Seattle game is but another example of how he simply cannot be trusted - EVER!!!

56 minutes of winning football, followed by 4 minutes of franchise killing disaster; and this is after being embarrassed how many times in the playoffs?? Yet the guy keeps his job?? It's truly amazing.

As always, just mocking your over-the-top hysteria!


Franchise-killing! LOL. That's a good, new one I'll have to re-purpose. I guarantee the seats will be full and the televisions tuned in next fall. Excelsior!

[woodbuck27]

I don't think this was a dumb move by Carroll as much as a brilliant and gutsy move by Belichick. He baited Carroll into throwing the ball by letting time run off the clock and by bringing in his run package. When Wilson threw the ball they knew what was coming because they had seen Seattle run it before. That's why Butler was able to get such a great break on the ball.

Here's what went down from new England's perspective. When Seattle went with a 3 receiver set right 'the look' certainly spelled a pass 'pick play'. So what was the NE defensive strategy?

http://www.nytimes.com/2015/02/03/sp...ef=sports&_r=0

True Hero for Patriots Put Rookie Butler in Spotlight

By: CHASE STUARTFEB. 2, 2015

" ...the Seattle Seahawks lined up in a three-wide-receiver set at the 1-yard line. To the right of quarterback Russell Wilson, Ricardo Lockette stood nearly directly behind another wide receiver, Jermaine Kearse, a yard back and on Kearse’s outside shoulder — an alignment commonly used on pick plays.

cornerback Brandon Browner stood across the line of scrimmage from Kearse, a couple of yards in front of Malcolm Butler, who was tasked with guarding Lockette..... " cont'd See LINK.



Comment woodbuck27:

It's like Seattle was shouting out with a megaphone that "we're going with a passing play here world".

A perfect time for 'the Beast Mode Blast' for six.

[gbgary]

sterling and his buds on nfl network broke that play down, and lynch's runs against short-yardage/run-stop d, and didn't have a problem with the play. i didn't either really. they guy was open but the ball didn't come out soon enough and he led him too much.


glad it went down that way though. i hate sea.

[Maxie the Taxi]

New England didn't call a timeout after the first down carry because they were not going to even contest a rushing attempt. If Lynch had been given the ball on second down, the line would have allowed Lynch to score. The timeout is worth more than the time to New England at that point.

Think about it, why was New England in a 4-3 look 2nd and goal from the 1-yard line? They were playing pass all the way because they didn't want anything other than a TD/turnover/incompletion. Had the Seahawks scored a TD, the Pats would have had the ball with 24ish seconds left and all three timeouts, needing only a FG to tie.

Smuggler has it right and I can't be convinced otherwise.

First of all, I heard that Belichick criticized Chip Kelly for not letting the other team score in a similar situation. So you know Belichick has thought through the strategy of "letting them score."

Second, Belichick has to assume Seattle is going to score from the half yard line in that situation. Who in the world didn't assume that? I did. I think we all did.

Therefore, in that situation, New England has just two ways to win the game: 1) Force a turnover; or 2) Allow Seattle to score and keep time on the clock to play for the tie.

As Smuggler suggests, Belichick put his players in the best position to do both.

Of course, Belichick would never admit it because it would open up a whole nother can of worms.

[Joemailman]

Smuggler has it right and I can't be convinced otherwise.

First of all, I heard that Belichick criticized Chip Kelly for not letting the other team score in a similar situation. So you know Belichick has thought through the strategy of "letting them score."

Second, Belichick has to assume Seattle is going to score from the half yard line in that situation. Who in the world didn't assume that? I did. I think we all did.

Therefore, in that situation, New England has just two ways to win the game: 1) Force a turnover; or 2) Allow Seattle to score and keep time on the clock to play for the tie.

As Smuggler suggests, Belichick put his players in the best position to do both.

Of course, Belichick would never admit it because it would open up a whole nother can of worms.

If Belichick was going to let them score, why would he let 40 seconds run off the clock instead of calling the timeout? He had all 3 timeouts. He could have called time out and gotten the ball back with nearly a minute left and 2 time outs. Having the ball with a minute left and 2 time outs is better than having it with 20 seconds and 3 time outs. With 20 seconds left and 3 time outs, you might not even get the chance to use them all.

[pbmax]

They weren't in any kind of 4-3. It was goal line defense with 3 DBs. Seven on the LOS, 1 backer behind the line and 3 DBs on 3 WRs. That's a run defense.

[woodbuck27]

If Belichick was going to let them score, why would he let 40 seconds run off the clock instead of calling the timeout? He had all 3 timeouts. He could have called time out and gotten the ball back with nearly a minute left and 2 time outs. Having the ball with a minute left and 2 time outs is better than having it with 20 seconds and 3 time outs. With 20 seconds left and 3 time outs, you might not even get the chance to use them all.

" If Belichick was going to let them score, why would he let 40 seconds run off the clock instead of calling the timeout? He had all 3 timeouts. " Joemailman

Joe ... Bill Belichick had already used one TO - Please see below.

I agree with Smuggler and Maxi the taxi...and I'll add this:

This whole thing as it is unraveling IMO may cement Bill Belichick as 'absolutely the Greatest Head Coachs in the NFL All Time' in many NFL Experts minds.

As it's unraveling it may also makes Pete Carroll look bad too ** outrageously so **.

** I havn't begun to look for the impact of the post game analysis to get to the full extent of it as I had other priorities yesterday but (IMO again and analysis) "there (may be) something stinking in the State of Denmark."

Certainly in all the post game analysis you get lots of stuff that's highly emotional. In the end it should always be 'cooler heads prevail'.



http://www.nfl.com/gamecenter/201502...yze=playbyplay

Full Game Play By Play.


Timeout #1 by NE at 02:52.

1-5-SEA 5 (2:52) 71-C.Fleming has reported as eligible. 29-L.Blount up the middle to SEA 3 for 2 yards (72-M.Bennett).


Comment woodbuck27:

Look at this next New England play and compare it to the subsequent Seattle possession and controversial play call on a 2nd down that works out costing the Seahawks their second consecutive Super Bowl Championship.

2-3-SEA 3 (2:06) 12-T.Brady pass short left to 11-J.Edelman for 3 yards,TOUCHDOWN


3-S.Gostkowski extra point is GOOD, Center-48-D.Aiken, Holder-6-R.Allen.


NE 28 - SEA 24 Plays: 10 Possession: 4:50

[woodbuck27]

Comment woodbuck27:

See post # 306 and as a follow up:

http://www.nfl.com/news/story/0ap300...-on-gamewinner

Malcolm Butler a late substitution on game-winner

By: Chris Wesseling ...Around the NFL Writer

Published: Feb. 3, 2015 at 09:53 p.m. ... Updated: Feb. 3, 2015 at 10:26 p.m.

[Maxie the Taxi]

If Belichick was going to let them score, why would he let 40 seconds run off the clock instead of calling the timeout? He had all 3 timeouts. He could have called time out and gotten the ball back with nearly a minute left and 2 time outs. Having the ball with a minute left and 2 time outs is better than having it with 20 seconds and 3 time outs. With 20 seconds left and 3 time outs, you might not even get the chance to use them all.

All good points and there is no pat answer. Maybe Belichick wanted to disguise what was going on by showing a run defense. I don't know. I just can't accept the idea that Belichick was staking the game on stopping Seattle from scoring from the 1/2 yard line! Even if you make one stop, or two, you're left with virtually no time when the score finally comes.

Did you honestly believe the Patriots could win that game with a momentous goal line stand?

[woodbuck27]

They weren't in any kind of 4-3. It was goal line defense with 3 DBs. Seven on the LOS, 1 backer behind the line and 3 DBs on 3 WRs. That's a run defense.

that Pic and the Patriots defensive alignment:

It sure looks thin to me to stop a Marshawn Lynch run.

As a pass defense it has to be something very lucky to spectacularly so...and it was !

Bill Belichick was expecting NE to score. So was Tom Brady. Gronk was on his sideline thinking about the next New England possession and how to score and win or extend the game.

Those three were amongst the most surprized people in the world when DB Malcolm Butler made that aggressive play and successful pick.

[Bossman641]

All good points and there is no pat answer. Maybe Belichick wanted to disguise what was going on by showing a run defense. I don't know. I just can't accept the idea that Belichick was staking the game on stopping Seattle from scoring from the 1/2 yard line! Even if you make one stop, or two, you're left with virtually no time when the score finally comes.

Did you honestly believe the Patriots could win that game with a momentous goal line stand?

If the Pats were going to let them score, then you would have seen the DL come off the ball with a very lethargic rush. Watch the DL on the INT, they fire off the ball. They weren't letting them score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8

[woodbuck27]

If the Pats were going to let them score, then you would have seen the DL come off the ball with a very lethargic rush. Watch the DL on the INT, they fire off the ball. They weren't letting them score.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=U7rPIg7ZNQ8

The Seattle offense was showing pass.

Bill Belichick saw that and adjusted for that and prayed for a turnover.

Didn't a 'Higher Power' bless him?

[Bossman641]

The Seattle offense was showing pass.

Bill Belichick saw that and adjusted for that and prayed for a turnover.

Didn't a 'Higher Power' bless him?

If anyone adjusted for it, it would have been an on the field defender. Seattle didn't get the line until there was about 14 seconds on the play clock. At that time, communication between the coach and the player had already been cut off.

Reality is Belichick screwed up and got away with it.

[mraynrand]

I agree that Cheat was letting his D win or lose the game. So you let the clock run to reduce the other guy's options, make them make decisions. And you trust your guys to make plays. That's what a defensive coach like Cheat does, and it's won him 6 superbowls.

[woodbuck27]

Comment woodbuck27:

Your challenge for today.....

Before reading this. What most likely would have been Mike McCarthy's call on 2nd and goal from the oppositions 1 yard line?



http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/2/2...e-on-2nd-and-1

What the other 30 NFL teams would have done on 2nd-and-1

By: Ryan Nanni  @celebrityhottub on Feb 2 2015, 2:50p

[Bossman641]

Comment woodbuck27:

Your challenge for today.....

Before reading this. What most likely would have been Mike McCarthy's call on 2nd and goal from the oppositions 1 yard line?



http://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2015/2/2...e-on-2nd-and-1

What the other 30 NFL teams would have done on 2nd-and-1

By: Ryan Nanni  @celebrityhottub on Feb 2 2015, 2:50p

Unfortunately probably the tired FB give to Kuhn