Super Bowl XLIX was a great game. Entertaining. Each team played well enough in spurts to win it. And it was fitting that both teams had their opportunities to close the deal. Seattle made the wrong playcall (understatement of NFL history?!) and NE took the game.
Seattle was the recipient of another NE “cursed” moment when Jermaine Kearse caught a ball of his toe for a 33 yard reception down to the 5 yard line. After Lynch gained 4 yards to the 1 yd line, on 2nd and goal from the 1 with 1 timeout and ~27 seconds left, SEA saw a NE goalline package and decided to throw a slant. This is quite simply the biggest brain fart of all time. If it were a poor OL, ok. If you did not have a good RB to get the yard, ok. If you did not have success throughout the game running the ball, ok. If it was not the 4th Quarter with a worn down defense, ok. If you did not have any timeouts left and were concerned about getting 3 downs, maybe. But none of these things were there. You have arguably the best RB in the game of football to get the rock over the goal line. KEEP IT SIMPLE STUPID. STOP OVERTHINKING. Lynch is the guy to get it done.
Emmitt Smith: “That was the worst playcall I’ve seen in the history of football.”
Doug Baldwin: “I think we were all surprised.”
ex-teammate Golden Tate: “If I’m Marshawn I’m livid.”
CJ Spiller: “You have the best back n you throw the ball”
former WR Andre Reed: “Marshawn Beastmode!!!! Bad call by the OC!!!!!!!!!”
former S Brian Dawkins: “Was that like… Bottom of the 9th. Down by a run… one man on 1 out & u send the bunt signal to the Babe?”
I’d only add to Dawkins that the pitcher was Ralph Branca.
I am very grateful. I am grateful I did not have a bet on the Seahawks. I am grateful I am not a Seahawks fan. I am grateful I did not lose 15K on the 1/8 box pool (saw that retweeted). I am grateful that the NY Giants, who received the same curse gifts (Welker drop, Tyree helmet etc..), were competent enough to cash in and beat this team. It is absolutely crazy to not hand that ball off to Lynch. Carroll was interviewed after the game, he admitted overthinking it and costing his team.
The Patriots should have won the game in the first half. The Seahawks are slow starters whose running game is a diesel that overtakes you in H2. For the score to be tied at halftime was a total miracle for the Seahawks. And that momentum carried forward in Q3 with the Hawks grabbing a 24-14 lead. But the Hawks went into the prevent offense and thought that their defense could wrap up the game. It could not. Too much time for Brady, an entire quarter. A little hubris there. Even still, SEA got the ball back with enough time to come back. Wilson was great, throwing a perfect ball to Lynch to get them to midfield. Then a first down to the 40. Then the toe miracle to Kearse. This was Seattle’s game to win. It was not complicated. The wrong call was made, the rookie Malcolm Butler made a terrific play and the game was over. Congrats to the Patriots. I am eternally grateful that I will not have any nightmares about this one. Seahawks nation will have to live with this one … until they can exorcise this with another title. That is the only antidote.
See you guys in 2015! Stay with us as the Giants, OBJ, Spagnoulo and all the rest try to get back to the Super Bowl. Super Bowl L!
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