Seahawks Get Cute Late, Costs them the Championship
After the Seattle Seahawks were given a gift seemingly by the football gods, they somehow managed to choke it all away.
After wideout Jermaine Kearse hauled in a miraculous 33-yard pass that deflected off what looked like his head, shoulders, knees, and toes, the Seahawks were in business to score the game-winning Super Bowl touchdown with just seconds left, already on the Patriots 5-yard line, down 24-28:
However, after running the football to Marshawn Lynch on 1st and goal and picking up 4 yards to the New England 1-yard line on the ensuing play, the Seahawks did the unthinkable.
They threw it.
Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler made a great play on the football and jumped the inside route, picking off Russell Wilson‘s throw right in front of the goal line.
Ball game over.
In what very well may come down as the worst play call in the history of sports is nothing short of a devastating loss for the Seattle Seahawks.
They had it, and all they needed was 1 yard.
You have arguably the best power running back in the NFL.
A player who is simply a load between the tackles carrying the football.
His nickname is “Beast Mode”, which tells you more than you need to know.
You’ve ridden him all season as a power-running football team.
And you throw it?
Did the Chicago Bulls dare take the basketball out of Michael Jordan’s hands in the final seconds?
He’s your best player.
You run it with Lynch on 2nd down.
And you run it again with Lynch on 3rd down.
And maybe on 4th down you throw it depending on the Patriots’ defensive personnel package.
This is going to be a play call that may haunt Pete Carroll, his Seahawks players, and their fans forever. The decision was inexplicable, and even after hearing Carroll’s explanation about the Patriots goal line personnel, it still makes little sense.
Why even leave it up to chance where a thrown football can be deflected or as we saw, intercepted? Why not put the football in your best player’s hands, who also happens to be arguably the best power running back in the NFL? He’s been your bell cow all season, and when you just need less than one yard to become Super Bowl Champions?
You throw it.
The Seattle Seahawks have no one else to blame for this Super Bowl loss than themselves.
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports