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GLENDALE, Ariz. (AP) — Pete Carroll made the call.
"It's not a great matchup for us to run the football, so we were going to throw the ball,Discount NFL Jerseys, really to waste a play," Carroll said. "If we score, we do, if we don't, we'll run it in on third or fourth down."
"I had a feeling I was going to make a big play today," Butler said. "But not that big."
Only moments earlier, things were playing out much differently for Butler. He was in coverage — good coverage — against Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse and appeared to bat the ball down for an incompletion. But as Kearse was falling, the ball bobbled between his legs, and he kept it in the air by batting it twice while tumbling. Kearse made the catch on his back for a 33-yard gain that gave Seattle a first-and-goal at the 5.
"I thought it was going to be a touchdown," Wilson said. "But I put the blame on me. I'm the one who threw it."
"I made the decision. I said, 'throw the ball," Carroll said. "Nobody to blame but me."
A play later, Lynch had bulled the ball to the 1.
Butler went to the sideline.
But this one was hard to explain away.
And this from NFL career rushing leader Emmitt Smith: "Worst play call I've seen in the history of football."
Seattle had a timeout left with the clock ticking down when Wilson fired into a cluster of blue and white shirts. Butler dug inside of Seahawks receiver Ricardo Lockette and made his first career interception.
Patriots rookie backup quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo, who spent lots of time working against Butler in rookie camps during the summer, called him "a character."
Let the second-guessing begin on what surely will be one of the most debated play calls in NFL history.
Malcolm Butler made the play.
Carroll's explanation: He saw the Patriots bring in a formation with eight big guys and three cornerbacks and didn't think Lynch,Stitched Jerseys, who tied for the league lead with 13 touchdowns rushing this season, would be able to bull it in against that defense.
"My teammates were saying,Cheap MLB Jerseys Authentic, nine out of 10 times,Cheap Jerseys Store, that ball is incomplete," he said. "It was devastating."
The Seahawks coach chose a pass on second-and-goal from the 1 instead of giving it to Marshawn Lynch,NFL Jerseys Outlet, and Butler made him pay — stepping in for the game-saving interception with 20 seconds left Sunday to lock down New England's 28-24 victory in the Super Bowl.
"We've got Marshawn Lynch, one of the best running backs in the league,Cheap Jerseys Free Shipping, and everybody makes their decisions and unfortunately, we didn't give him the ball," Seahawks linebacker Bobby Wagner said.
Butler saw the stacked receivers on the right side of the field and said Wilson's eyes tipped him off. He ducked inside of Lockette and made the play.
Seattle had a timeout and three plays to try to win the game.
Quite a moment for a player who wasn't drafted, wasn't even signed to a contract right after the draft. He was an "invited tryout" player — offered a chance to show what he could do in May. A long shot to make the roster, though Patriots cornerback Brandon Browner said he's been proving he belongs all year. Browner, a former Seahawk, said Butler leads the team in interceptions during practice.
"And he's fast," Garoppolo said. "I don't know what his 40 speed is, but his play speed is incredible. He broke on that ball pretty well."
Carroll's call ended it all.
But about that play call again:
But there was blame to go around, and Wilson wasn't letting his coach take the fall all alone.
It left them speechless in Seattle, too. Well, practically.
Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson shouldered his share, too. Both coach and quarterback also gave lots of credit to Butler, the rookie free agent out of West Alabama who made the roster, then saved the Super Bowl.
Give credit where it's due.
"The guy made a great play," Wilson said.
"Dumbest play call in the HISTORY of NFL football," tweeted former 49ers receiver Dwight Clark, who made a pretty good grab himself: The Catch. |
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