Worst Play Call in Football History?

[Blue & Gold]

Pete Carroll throwing the ball on the goal line when Beast Mode is lined up in the backfield.

Given the context of the play - goal line, Super Bowl, less than a minute left in regulation - I say it goes down as the worst call in the storied history of the NFL. Period.

[Dave in Green]

The storied history of the NFL is older that most posters on ZipsNation, and I don't believe any of us are astute enough NFL historians to make the call of the worst play in history. But you could certainly see the agony on Pete Carroll's face when he was asked about that call. Then again, who would have expected an undrafted rookie defensive back, the first from South Alabama to play in a Super Bowl, to make that incredible defensive play? It was not as bad a call as so many are making it out to be in retrospect. But plays that fail are always subject to question in hindsight.

[LZIp]

Worst call in history. hands down. Sneaky Pete was trying to be cute and it backfired big time.

[a-zip]

If beast mode gets three tries from the one yard line, he scores……….guaranteed!!!

[Dr Z]

You call a timeout there (after running the play clock to 1 second). Period. Biggest mistake. They would have NEVER called that play if they talked it over on the sidelines.

The Hawks last playcall, come in late, and the players weren't even lined up properly. Get your head straight, and get your team on the same page. Call timeout, and set up two plays with options. Hawks win game over. Bad decision. I made this comment out loud as they were trying to get lined up, so an NFL coach should be in the same mindset.

Hell, I might have called timeout just to enjoy the moment some more before I hoisted the trophy.

Seattle Seahawks offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell says the play call that may have ultimately cost his team the Super Bowl was made with the game clock in mind. The Seahawks had second-and-goal at the New England 1 with 26 seconds to go Sunday, but instead of giving the ball to Marshawn Lynch, Seattle ran a slant route intended for Ricardo Lockette that was intercepted by Malcolm Butler in the 28-24 loss to the New England Patriots. "We were conscious of how much time was on the clock and we wanted to use it all," Bevell said. "It didn't turn out the way I hoped it would. "Of course I can say now I wish we had done something different. There are 20 different things going through my mind that we can do. If you run it that doesn't mean you would score on that play." Source

The worst call, was not giving Malcolm Butler the MVP. I know Brady is the media darling, but Butler made one of the biggest plays in SB history to SAVE Brady's third loss in a SB (all post Spygate, I don't count any victories before that, because he shouldn't even have been there). If Brady doesn't give that MVP truck to Butler, he is out of his mind.

[skip-zip]

At first, I thought the call was ridiculous. But, I will echo most of what Dave said above after seeing the situation several times and listening to interviews, and add a few things. And I am not defending Seattle at all. I actually wanted New England to win.

1) Seattle was simply reacting to the defense. It was a goal line defense that was going to be hell-bent on stuffing the run on the next couple of plays.

2) Based on where the DBs were as the receivers broke open, if Wilson throws it to the opposite shoulder of the receiver, away from the defender, his receiver would have been the only guy on the field who could have caught that ball.

3) As Dave stated, it was an unbelievable play by a guy who made a perfectly timed jump on the ball.

4) That type of play happens so fast, underneath the DBs, that the odds of something going really wrong are very improbable. You could probably run that play 100 times, and it's either caught, knocked down at the last moment, or simply falls incomplete.

[zippy5]

If beast mode gets three tries from the one yard line, he scores……….guaranteed!!!

You sure? He was 1 out of 5 from the 1 this season.

[zippy5]

I think everyone is getting so caught up on the call that the guy who made the play isn't getting enough credit. It was an absolutely brilliant read and play by him to jump the route and hang on to the ball through the contact.

[Dr Z]

I think everyone is getting so caught up on the call that the guy who made the play isn't getting enough credit. It was an absolutely brilliant read and play by him to jump the route and hang on to the ball through the contact.

I think it's an awful way to lose the game, but four posts up, I gave Malcolm the MVP. Malcolm could actually use the truck too. Gisele won't be seen in that big ugly red truck. Terrible idea making it red btw.

I thought it was interesting that Malcolm was so filled with emotion that he couldn't even describe the play to an NBC reporter. I turned over to the NFL channel and caught another interview where he did describe recognizing the formation and saw RW3 look toward him before the snap.

I was rooting for the Foot Locker worker, and former Cleveland Brown (until they cut him) to get the MVP.

One day, around this time last year, his phone rings. It’s a Seahawks official, and they want Matthews to come to a tryout. Tonight. Matthews looks at watch, pauses, and says, “I don’t get off of work until 9 p.m. I don’t know if I’ll make it.” “Alright,” the caller said. “We’ll let you know.” Click. A few minutes later, Matthews agent calls. “What are you thinking! Get yourself home, pack up and go. Are you out of your mind?!” Matthews made the flight. Source.

Way to stay classy Bevell

OC, play caller Darrell Bevell: "We could have done a better job staying strong on the ball" Lockette breaking on final slant.

I was surprised to read Marshawn Lynch's comment on the last play, when asked about it.

Bud Shaw wrote a few funnies on the play call. He includes Dwight Clark's tweet "That was the dumbest play call in the HISTORY of NFL football."

Bud also includes: One ESPN.com headline flatly stated "Pete Carroll Botches The Super Bowl." And included the following comment: Timothy Robinson · Top Commenter: I'm Rob Lowe and I have Direct TV. "I'm incredibly stupid Rob Lowe and I call a pass play when I have the most powerful running back in the NFL one yard away from winning the Super Bowl for me, and I have cable. (Hey, Pete. Don't be THIS Rob Lowe!)"

Emitt Smith, among others, call it the worst playcall in the history of football.

[Blue & Gold]

From Yahoo Sports:

http://sports.yahoo.com/news/what-were-seahawks-thinking-on-russell-wilson-s-goal-line-pass--explanations-make-little-sense-062200547.html

"A head coach known for swashbuckling moves and imaginative ways had made one of the worst choices in pro football history."

[skip-zip]

Let me throw something else in here....

If Russell Wilson just throws the ball away on 2nd down, because the coverage was too close for comfort, Seattle could have still ran the ball on 3rd and 4th down, with the threat in the Patriot's defensive players minds that they may try to throw again.

[Dr Z]

If Russell Wilson just throws the ball away

On a one yard slant?

[Hilltopper]

I was thrilled that the Seahawks lost. They are the most arrogant team in the NFL . The players , the coaches and the fans. From Shermans antics after the game last year,to the run up to this years game (I'm only here so I don't get fined), to the bad sportsmanship in the last 18 seconds of this years game. Pete Carrolls strategy of committing a penalty on every play because the officials can't /won't call one on every play. I would have been rooting for whoever their opponent was.

[Dr Z]

From Sherman's antics after the game last year

Celebrate when you win, congratulate the other team when you don't. He can play for me any day of the week. I'll take 3 Sherman's in my secondary. One of my favorite Zips DBs used to have a similar demeanor in the NFL.

[Dr Z]

Who was that?

Celebrate on the biggest stage. Coach Bowden, please deliver me talent like this to watch.

I would love to see this image in B&W on the back of the info scoreboard with a title "It all starts at UA"...or something to that effect.

PS No comments on the UA SB commercials?

[Dave in Green]

Let me throw something else in here....

If Russell Wilson just throws the ball away on 2nd down, because the coverage was too close for comfort, Seattle could have still ran the ball on 3rd and 4th down, with the threat in the Patriot's defensive players minds that they may try to throw again.

Exactly. You have 26 seconds to score from a little more than a yard out but just 1 timeout. Odds of getting off 3 running plays in 26 seconds with just 1 timeout are small. You have 2 superior weapons -- Lynch and Wilson. You trust Wilson to make the right decision and throw the pass out of the back of the end zone if the receiver is covered. That stops the clock with about 20 seconds left and you still have 2 downs to score and 1 timeout. There's even an option for Wilson to run for the TD on 2nd down if the receiver is covered and he sees a clear path to the end zone. Trusting Wilson to make the right decision on 2nd down was a good choice. An incredible play by an undrafted rookie was highly improbable. Bad things could have also happened with the unimaginative option of running Lynch twice and praying there was time to run him a 3rd time if the first 2 failed.

[you am i]

The stats I heard on ESPN this morning reflected that Lynch was highly effective from inside the 3, and that the Patriots defense was last or near last in the league in stopping the run from inside the 3. Use your star running back to hammer it in. He just bulled ahead for 4 yards on 1st down. Let him win it.

When I saw that play develop, I could not believe my eyes. The Patriots defense were on their heels. Punching it in was a no-brainer. Stupid. Stupid. Stupid. If you are going to pass, you don't throw that. IF you are going to throw, roll out the QB with a pass/run option and throw it away if no one is open and you don't have an opening to run into the end zone.

Given the context - a miracle comeback by Seattle in the closing seconds of the Super Bowl including an unbelievable catch by a Seahawks receiver, after allowing the Patriots to take the lead in their own unlikely comeback only seconds before, and having a stud running back waiting to take it in - that had to be stupidest play call in NFL history.

[Dr Z]

I would love to see this image in B&W on the back of the info scoreboard with a title "It all starts at UA"...or something to that effect.

Hmmm, I don't remember reading this, but seems appropriate since the wrong person got the MVP again.

I never considered the same thing might have been the case with Malcolm.

Smith, a former University of Akron cornerback, should have been the Most Valuable Player in the Tampa Bay Buccaneers’ 48-21 victory over the Oakland Raiders.

Smith intercepted two Rich Gannon passes and returned them both for touchdowns, still a Super Bowl record. But because his second came with two seconds remaining, the honor went to safety Dexter Jackson, who also notched two of the Bucs’ record five interceptions. Jackson’s turnovers led to three points for the Buccaneers, Smith’s resulted in 12. That has prompted a few websites to list Jackson among the most undeserving MVP recipients. Because of deadline issues, members of the media who vote for MVP might turn in their choice with a few minutes remaining, although a league spokesman said there have been occasions where it wasn’t decided until the game ended.

HT, your dislike for one of the best db's (and nice guys) in the league befuddles me. Your dislike seems based on a twenty second interview of raw emotion seconds after walking away from a physical contact sport. I still agree with Tommy from Forbes. We'll have to agree to disagree. Oh yeah, one more thing...."LOB!"

I'll side with Shula on the dirtbag (long history) that participated in this SB. IMO, he shouldn't even be allowed on an NFL field, but I guess yelling into a microphone for some is viewed as more (insert your own word here).

[Hilltopper]

More class from the Seahawks.

Baldwin flagged for lewd gesture

Seahawks WR Doug Baldwin, after scoring a third-quarter touchdown on a 3-yard pass from Russell Wilson, made a lewd gesture, appearing as if he were pulling down his pants to, well, poop the football.

He was hit with a 15-yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct.

Baldwin said he directed the gesture at a Patriots player but would not single him out. “That’s between me and the guy it was directed at,’’ Baldwin said.

[Hilltopper]

Report: Only one of Patriots' 12 balls were under-inflated by two pounds

Only one of the 12 New England Patriots footballs used in the team's AFC Championship game win against the Indianapolis Colts was under-inflated by a full two pounds, according to NFL.com's Ian Rapoport.

"Several" other balls were found to be roughly one pound under-inflated, and "several more" were either right at, or barely beneath, the correct inflation mark.

[skip-zip]

Exactly. You have 26 seconds to score from a little more than a yard out but just 1 timeout. Odds of getting off 3 running plays in 26 seconds with just 1 timeout are small. You have 2 superior weapons -- Lynch and Wilson. You trust Wilson to make the right decision and throw the pass out of the back of the end zone if the receiver is covered. That stops the clock with about 20 seconds left and you still have 2 downs to score and 1 timeout. There's even an option for Wilson to run for the TD on 2nd down if the receiver is covered and he sees a clear path to the end zone. Trusting Wilson to make the right decision on 2nd down was a good choice. An incredible play by an undrafted rookie was highly improbable. Bad things could have also happened with the unimaginative option of running Lynch twice and praying there was time to run him a 3rd time if the first 2 failed.

Yep, there's another good point I had not thought about. Throwing on 2nd down was the only way to get 3 plays in 26 seconds.

[skip-zip]

I wonder if UoA will post something congratulating Edelman

I think that fits with the "Team Ohio" theme. For sure.

[UAZipster0305]

Anyone that has played a football game on Playstation could have called their way to victory in those last seconds. You are in BeastMode at the goal line with a timeout available and three plays and you run the ball. It is a dream setup. Why did Pete mention wanting to waste a down? That is insane. If the play by the defender wasn't so improbable, I would have suspicions of the game being thrown.

Edelman looked really solid. Kudos to him. #TeamOhio

[zipsfan33]

I still think worst play in football history is going for 2 to win! But, I am bitter!

[Dr Z]

Report: Only one of Patriots' 12 balls were under-inflated by two pounds

Spygate was a tad worse than a little pressure in some balls. Keep in mind Billy boy was found guilty, and is still in the league when he should have been, at the very least suspended. Yeah, that ranks right up there with a 15 yard penalty for unsportsmanlike conduct from Baldwin. Sorry, I believe your argument is lacking. If an image of Baldwin's juvenile "celebration" upsets you more than a coach and organization blatantly cheating (spygate), then I guess that's just your personal choice. Cheating multiple athletes/coaches/trainers/employees hard work and dedication trumps any "gesture" anyone on a football field can make in my book.

I'm with Ed. and coach Shula...and many others that played the game.

Getting back to the topic, coach Carroll says he would have run the ball if he had TWO timeouts!?! Well, I know when the clock hit zero, he still had one! Paper Champions echoes some of my previously posted thoughts in this article.