Lesson Learned

[csx]

Eric Allen was just discussing this. His take is that Carroll is accepting the blame for whomever  on his staff is in charge of putting personnel packages on the field. That they should have anticipated better what they might need being in the place they were on the field. The package they had was not ideal but they still should have attempted to run despite not being in the ideal grouping of players to do so. But it gave some perspective on why it came about. Calling it the worst play in NFL history is a bit over the top.

[CoastalCat]

Everyone is buzzing about the "worst play call in NFL history" this morning, and I have to agree the call was terrible. Looking deeper into it, I feel there is a lesson that can be taken away from Seattle's misery. It is a simple notion, but one that the Carolina Panthers and many other NFL teams have lost sight of at times.

 

If you cannot impose your will at the most critical time, you don't deserve to win.

 

I understand Seattle's thinking in the situation. New England was in their goal line defense and appeared ready to sell out and stop the run. A seemingly reasonable option then would be to throw the ball. Unfortunately for Seattle, the old saying "Three things can happen when you throw the ball, and two of them are bad" rang true.

 

Seattle forgot that they were the team marching down the field. They were the team one yard away from a Superbowl victory. They were the ones that had New England against the ropes, waiting for a knockout punch.

 

And then... they flinched. They doubted themselves and their ability to impose a one yard run in three tries. Even with Marshawn Lynch. Even with Russell Wilson. They doubted their own resolve, and it cost them the game.

 

Losers take what is given. Winners impose their will and take what is theirs. Sometimes the game really does come down to who wants it more, and last night the Seahawks became complacent at the worst possible moment.

 

I suppose I understand why one would choose to toss it in that situation. Based on the reasoning (Pats playing the gut run), I will still never understand why you throw it in between the hash's where the entire defense is. 

[Hawk]

amen to that....if you insist on throwing...lob one into the back of the endzone or something....right up the gut....come on man

[KendrickPanther]

They over thought it. Why do teams run the ball on 2nd and 1? To get a first down. Sometimes it's that simple. Carroll was trying to take three chances at the end zone when he only needed one. 

 

It all comes back to Indiana Jones for me.

 

[csx]

Another thing Eric Allen mentioned is that when the defense is in goal line with DBs in man coverage they are aiming to take away the inside pass. If anyting to go outside as mentioned above.

[KJ89]

They shula'd it.

[CoastalCat]

They over thought it. Why do teams run the ball on 2nd and 1? To get a first down. Sometimes it's that simple. Carroll was trying to take three chances at the end zone when he only needed one. 

 

It all comes back to Indiana Jones for me.

 

 

You really can't ever argue with that.

[Johnny Rockets]

66 TD's on 108 throws from the 1 yd line in the NFL this year with no turnovers until......

 

 

 

 

[pstall]

66 TD's on 108 throws from the 1 yd line in the NFL this year with no turnovers until......

I heard this today as well. Staggering stat.

I have said this before but I always thought Bobby Cox was bad about overcoaching. The only time Carroll did this might have been this one play.

The Pats gameplanned for this.

[Johnny Rockets]

I heard this today as well. Staggering stat.

I have said this before but I always thought Bobby Cox was bad about overcoaching. The only time Carroll did this might have been this one play.

The Pats gameplanned for this.

 

 

Another crazy stat I heard a few days before the Superbowl (that isn't  related to this play) was that the Patriots have not scored in the first qtr of any of their last 4 SB appearances. They didn't last night either so that is now 5 in a row if their facts were correct. Hard to believe for a team known for their ability to score. 

[Nate Dogg]

I have to agree with others in this thread. As crazy as it may be I really do think they wanted Wilson to be the one to win the game and get the glory. Still very surprised with the play call. Thought for sure they were running that little fake keeper around the edge he always does.

[AU-panther]

If they would have ran on second and third down and not got in, and time had ran out, they would have been criticized for poor clock management.

 

With only one timeout would it have been possible for them to run it 3 times?

 

If not there are three scenarios that allow them to run it twice:

 

pass-run-run

run-pass-run

run-run

 

How many times have we criticized coaches for not maximizing opportunities in a late game situation?

 

In that situation the QB has to throw the ball away if there is any chance of a turnover.  Unfortunately for the Seahawks the play design doesn't really allow for that.