Great job by Don! It is great that Castefootball is back now! Don should perhaps be brought up on charges for having such an addictive product.
ainkiller: This site was sorely missed by all of us.
The ending to this Super Bowl was not only the greatest ending for a Super Bowl it might just be the greatest ending to any sporting event ever. It was that special.
But Pete Carroll did not screw up at the end. He actually did the right thing as far as clock management goes. After Lynch's run to the 1 yard line it was 2nd and goal. If Belicheck had called a timeout the Seahawk's could have run the ball on 2nd, 3rd & 4th down with plenty of clock to work with.
When Belichek didn't call timeout he forced the Seahawk's to pass the ball at least one down to be assured of having all 4 downs to work with.
If what Carroll said was true, that they didn't have the right matchup for a running play on 2nd down, then they could have lost a couple of yards and been looking at 3rd and goal from the 2 and not enough time for 2 running plays. They would of been forced to pass on 3rd down and the Patriots would have put their nickel 'D' on the field.
I was screaming at Belichek to call timeout with :55 seconds to go but by letting the clock run he actually handcuffed what Carroll could do somewhat. A great strategy that seemed like a huge mistake at the time.
Many teams find themselves having to pass to the end zone when time is running out. Sometimes having to pass every down so they either score a TD or only burn a few seconds off the clock.
If Carroll had run the ball on 2nd down and not made it, then run the ball on 3rd down and not made it, there might not have been time left for a 4th down, and Carroll would have been crushed for clock mismanagement with fans screaming that he should have passed on 2nd down to save some clock and his 1 timeout.
Bottom line: I will agree with some that a safer pass play may have been available, But in the end it's all about the execution. The Patriots might have been just as prepared for any number of pass plays the Seahawks tried.
The Patriots victory was a direct result of better execution on that pass play by the players involved. But we all know why Carroll and the Offensive coord. had to take the fall for it.