by Greybeard » Tue Feb 03, 2015 5:30 pm
I don't watch TV Any more at all, but I used to be quite a fan and payed a lot of time analyzing offense and defenses. After a day reading many articles, and quotes from players on the field at the time, my take is that the Patriot coaching staff had a plan for just the short yardage situation that appeared. Not so much the last 40 seconds of the game, but for any such short yardage goal line situation
Seattle had used that play many times during the season, with good success. They had a mindset in the offensive coaching staff that this was a great play made better by having the beast in the backfield. The Patriot defensive staff studied the play, and developed a strategy to defend against it. Butler, who made the intercept said he knew where the ball was going, that they had practiced against it.
How it played out: Seattle runs the ball to the half yard line, 3 downs left, one time out, clock running. A very high percentage of the time, the defense would call time to preserve time so they might get off a play and kick a field goal to tie if Seattle scored. This didn't happen. The Pats knew that Seattle would Pass in a high percentage of the time and have to if they needed three downs, didn't call time, probably rattling the Seattle offense (what are they doing?) into that play. Seattle probably thinking throw, if he drops it, the clock stops. They played right into the defenses plan. The Pats knocked the receiver off his route, or down, and the ball went right where Butler said he knew where it'd be. I read that Seattle didn't even make it look like a run, so every one of the Pats defense involved with that play, and that receiver did their job perfectly.
Had the Pats called time, Seattle would have had two minutes to calm, discuss options, and we may have seen a different outcome. By not calling time, the Pats forced the Seattle offensive coordinator to blink. He was trying to plan for three downs with one timeout, and then had to run something right now cause the clock was running. Seattle had no idea the Pats were prepared for that play. Although I'd have preferred a different outcome, I have to hand it to the Pats.
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