Patriots Had Game Handed to Them Again

At the end of Super Bowl 49, the Seattle Seahawks lost the game when they threw the ball at the 1-m line and Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler jumped the road for a game-sealing interception. Since that day, people blubber nonstop about Seattle's "error," non handing the ball to Marshawn Lynch at that moment. I'thousand here to ready something straight. Seattle had to throw the brawl. The New England'south defensive alignment didn't go out them any other choice.

I've always been fascinated to see the reaction to play calling on the interweb. If it works, it was genius; if it didn't, it was a terrible play telephone call. There is nuance to this stuff. Yes, there are times where a play call is a genius ... the play sequencing sets up a home run, it sets up a great matchup considering of the formation and then on. Nosotros can meet that. In that location are also times when teams go lucky. They call a poor play phone call, but information technology works out anyhow. Not every play call is the best one, even if it works.

And vice versa, if a play call doesn't work, it's not the worst decision ever. There are times where the opposite side of the ball wins a rep. My favorite offensive line coach would tell u.s.a. "the defense just wins a rep sometimes." Information technology tin can happen. The best designed plays tin go beaten by a defense that'south well prepared.

And then where does this fit into that terminal offensive play for the Seahawks in their last Super Basin appearance?

On the previous play, the Seahawks handed the ball to Lynch and he was tripped upward at one. As the clock ran down, the Patriots declined to take a timeout, but instead, ran a defensive look they hadn't shown often. The Seahawks stayed in their 11 personnel, and the mismatch was created.

What the Patriots did was unique, another reminder of what makes Bill Belichick a remarkable motorbus. They went with a goal-line front with a nickel secondary. They had six, plus a homo coverage player over the tight cease, lined upwardly over the offensive line, with a single linebacker in the box.

In most goal line defenses, at that place isn't a 3rd defensive back, commonly known as a nickel defender. But to match with the Seahawks' personnel, the Patriots added an actress corner to the mix. They were in man coverage so they could blanket all the possible pass options. The corners accept the wide receivers, the backers have the tight finish and the running dorsum.

For those who argue that Seahawks should have run the brawl, where would you have liked them to run it? At that place are eight defenders in the box against half dozen blockers, and they accept leverage based on alignment against a possible inside zone from shotgun.

Here's what Russell Wilson saw at the time. There's nowhere to run.

(Defenders circled in yellow are in man coverage.)

Passing the brawl was the best option in this state of affairs. Against man coverage, a choice play was a sound choice.

There is a off-white argument to be fabricated that Seattle could have chosen a dissimilar laissez passer play, to i of its more than experienced options. However, given this pre-snap look, Wilson had to expect possible zero coverage, where anybody who's not guarding an offensive actor in a route is rushing the passer. That doesn't leave much time for much of a road concept. This play, in theory, is a great press human coverage beater.

"Sometimes the defense only wins a rep." That's exactly what happens on this play, and it'south beautifully told in this YouTube clip from "Do Your Job."

Clearly New England was prepared for the option play, and information technology was executed brilliantly. If you desire to get upset with the Seahawks, then you should be upset they weren't equally prepared for this situation as the Patriots were.

I've e'er said one of Belichick's best traits is his power to force teams into mistakes, or ameliorate withal, he eliminates terrible mistakes by his squad. This is what happened here.

Alright, this felt similar therapy. I needed to go all of this off my chest.

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Source: https://www.sbnation.com/nfl/2018/6/5/17426540/seahawks-patriots-super-bowl-49-malcolm-butler-interception-run-the-dang-ball

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