How about a Super Bowl 49 thread?

Belichick says he was ready to call a timeout but didn't because he liked the matchup.

Bill Belichick explains decision not to take timeout at end of Super Bowl - New England Patriots Blog - ESPN Boston

During his weekly appearance on sports radio WEEI, Belichick said he considered a timeout but decided against it after seeing what personnel Seattle brought onto the field (three receivers).

“We put our goal-line defense in probably around the same time they were sending in their multiple receiver group, and that's kind of what we wanted to be in there, to make sure they didn't run the ball in,” Belichick said.

“I'd like to think had they tried to run the ball against our goal-line defense, with three receivers on the field -- we couldn't ask for any more than that in terms of trying to stop the running game. We saw that matchup and we certainly gave some consideration to taking a timeout there and leaving some time on the clock. I don’t know if that would have been a bad thing to do. It might have been a good thing to do.

“But it just seemed like in the flow of the game that we were OK with where we were.”

 

Is it possible that Lynch would not have been ready to go on the play where they threw?

He had a reasonably tough run right before as well as a bit of a sprint after the long catch. Would he have been gassed and not ready to go?

 

After watching the All 22's on Game Rewind one piece to the final 2 minutes that I've not seen mentioned was
how Seattle burned through 2 timeouts because they let the 40 sec clock run down twice. Once around midfield
when Wilson was trying to audible and the other after Kearse catch when they did not set up quick enough for
the next play.

I believe that leaving themselves with only one timeout created a lot of conflict in calling the play. They were not going to
use final timeout and had to make a quick decision so they did not once again run down the 40 sec clock.

If Seattle had one more timeout I believe the outcome would have been different.

The Kearse catch was a crazy circumstance but Wilson should have had team lined up and ready to go.

 

I've been having Katy Perry songs stuck in my head all week, and I don't think I like it.

 

So here's a question jumping off all of the discussion of the Butler interception.
Let's forget for a moment, just a moment, how idiotic the play call was. We can all agree that's an incredible play by Butler to pick that off right?
OK. Now, having said that, how big a play are we talking here?
Rhody and I were having this discussion and we both agree it's the second greatest play in New England Patriots history (Behind the Snow Bowl kick from Vinatieri that basically jump started the Patriots path to the top of the NFL.)
Where would you rank it in terms of best defensive plays in league history? It's got to be on the list right? Super Bowl-clinching turnover? Has to make it right? (I'm a Pats fan so I may not be able to see this objectively.)
To me, the single greatest defensive play in history is Mike Jones' tackle of Kevin Dyson in the Rams-Titans Super Bowl it's not even close. But I wonder where this play ends up being ranked after some time passes.
I know right now the easy thing is to criticize Carroll ... and rightfully so. But I wonder how history will look at the efforts of Butler and rank what is in essence one of the most clutch defensive stops in NFL history.

 

I go with Charles Woodson's strip-sack of Tom Brady in January 2002.

 

Depends on the criteria. Does the fact that it was the game-clinching play overwhelm every other consideration? In that case, the plays by Butler and Jones have to be 1-2. If not, some others deserve consideration.

James Harrison's interception return for a touchdown against the Cardinals was a better play. That Harrison recognized the play and dropped even though he was supposed to rush the passer is every bit as good as what Butler did. That he returned it the length of the field for a touchdown raises the level considerably. It didn't clinch the game, but if Harrison doesn't drop in coverage, that is a touchdown. His play was a 14-point swing and probably did more than any other play to determine the outcome.

I'm sure there are others that deserve consideration as well.

 

Harrison's play immediately jumped to my mind.

LTL's post was pure trolling gold. Absolutely fantastic.

 

Does Don Beebe count?

Maybe something someone did to Tony Eason?

 

Not going to lie. That's great trolling.
Also, eat a bag of dicks.

 

Ahem. On Page 26

 

Seattle burning two timeouts was actually discussed several times on this thread.