Super Bowl XLIX perplexing
As a public service to all you out there going through fantasy withdrawal, I鈥檓 pleased to announce (via a promo I saw on ESPN while doing the elliptical Monday afternoon) 鈥淪election Sunday鈥� is a mere 40 days away, so start getting those brackets ready!
Also, as most must know by now, Punxsutawney Phil, the most-celebrated rodent this side of Mickey Mouse, saw his shadow, somehow, so prepare for six more weeks of this little slice of meteorological heaven.
With the announcements of the day out of the way, time for my rehash of Super Bowl XLIX.
(XLIX is such an awkward collection of Roman numerals. No. 50 seems to flow more with 鈥淟鈥� than what looks like some government acronym for 49.)
Time to throw people under the bus since venerable Peter Carroll didn鈥檛. I admire that in coach Carroll, or maybe HE REALLY DID make those curious calls/decisions.
Guess I鈥檒l go back-to-front, starting with the ill-time encroachment call on the Seahawks鈥� Michael Bennett with New England at their own 2-yard line in the victory formation with 20 seconds to go.
Now I know a veteran like Tom Brady understands how to take a knee and not lose any ground (Ben Roethlisberger does it and Charlie Batch was the master at taking knee for no yards lost), so I can forgive Bennett鈥檚 anxiousness.
Plus, Pittsburgh fans know if the Steelers were in the same situation, Troy Polamalu would鈥檝e been called, too, after he mistimed his launch over the offensive line.
Well, no avoiding it, I鈥檒l call it 鈥淭he Pass.鈥�
Jermaine Kearse makes a top-10 all-time Super Bowl catch with just over a minute to go, setting up Seattle at the NE 5.
Seattle timeout, that makes sense, considering what鈥檚 at stake and all. (Though Seattle鈥檚 first timeout after an incomplete pass is befuddling.)
Marshawn Lynch powered his way to the 1-yard line for the final four of his game-high 102 yards.
Then, strangely, everything slowed down. I understand they鈥檙e top flight athletes and all, but everyone just took their time. Bill Belichick surprisingly didn鈥檛 call a timeout, making me wonder if he, the genius that he is, knew what was coming next.
Russell Wilson in the shotgun on second-and-goal? Really Darrell Bevell, the Seahawks鈥� offensive coordinator, and/or Carroll? No matter how much Todd Haley is reviled in these parts, you鈥檇 think he鈥檇 at least have Big Ben under the center.
One yard 鈥� 36 inches 鈥� the length of a normal human stride 鈥� about three lengths of an NFL football (whether properly inflated or not) 鈥� one yard, and you have Wilson in the shotgun?
Betcha Todd Haley lines up Martavis Bryant on second-and-goal and tells Big Ben get the ball to him.
I might be alone in this, but, as much as I admire Carroll鈥檚 integrity on taking the heat, Russell Wilson has to bear the brunt of the disaster.
Malcolm Butler, the defensive hero, was lined up in the end zone (probably looking for a fade route) along with the other safety, so the Seahawks ran a pick play on no one, all within a yard or two (3-6 feet) of huge human beings putting physics to work at the line of scrimmage.
Even if he completes the pass, it鈥檚 doubtful Ricardo Lockette gets into the end zone 鈥� again, from three feet away.
You have Chris Matthews, a Bryant-sized receiver, and, of course, Mr. Skittles himself, along with one of the most dangerous quarterbacks on the move, and that鈥檚 the play? Guess that鈥檚 why I write about sports instead of diagramming them.
As befuddling as the final offensive call was, Seattle defensive coordinator Dan Quinn鈥檚 decision to single cover all-world tight end Rob Gronkowski, the Woody Hi flash, is just as confusing. I鈥檓 surprised Tom Brady didn鈥檛 get a penalty for a false start (or excessive celebration) when he saw that coverage. Gee, even I saw that!
Quinn鈥檚 reward for such masterful play-calling? A 5-year contract as the new head coach of the Atlanta Falcons.
Now, Super Bowl XLIX did not boil down to one singular play. Seattle had a 10-point lead and the ball in good field position on their own 36 and could鈥檝e really made a fourth-quarter comeback difficult with any points, but instead go three-and-out.
With the aid (of, at least in my eyes, a bit of a suspect late hit) of a personal foul penalty on, the Patriots score and, voila, the recipe for comeback was in the bowl, ready to be mixed.
Now, with his position among the pantheon of great quarterbacks cemented for evermore, maybe Tom Brady鈥檚 self-esteem issues of how he was shunted will go away.