can't QB overrule decision

if russell makes the throw he gets superbowl mvp

QB can change the play call if he sees something in defence at line of scrimmage. Peyton Manning does it all the time. Carroll was just trying to be a smart ass. Everybody on the Planet who knows about NFL knew that running the ball was the call so Carroll tried to outwit them or tried to be too clever. Eejit

I'm not a big NFL expert but it did seem such a stupid stupid call. With such a short distance, running isn't that hard.
Running has a relatively low risk of losing the ball for a turnover. Throwing is far more dangerous, and really I'd say just from common sense, is tactically for trying to cover a large distance. So, such a STUPID call.
I was on the patriots so happy, but, objectively. Stupid! I was sure the Seahawks were just going to throw themselves over the line.

belicheck knew

Deffo Macca really strange ,as Nugget says HE KNEW

Yes in all the confusion ,he forgot to call one

if you cant beat'em

the cowboys and their backers > who were robbed against the packers> who choked away an unloseable game to seattle> who "threw it" against the patriots

should feel most aggrieved

but well done patriot backers you lucky pricks

Watching it back now. 1st & Goal at the 5, Lynch runs for 4 yards to the 1.
2nd & Goal at the 1 yard line.....disaster...

how convenient

boston strong

only on 4th down should of they passed it, they wouldnt have had to worry about it if they would of handed it to marshawn

marshawn would of had game winning td and superbowl mvp...

he got his comeuppance from how he treated ''the man''

Great game. Agree that it will now be overlooked at why Belichick didn't call a timeout with 50+ seconds remaining - very odd and the play call by the Seahawks to throw was just brainless. If anything, being stopped on second down with the run wouldn't have been the worst result in the world any way as the Seahawks could have then taken another timeout which effectively would have given the Patriots no time to get a field goal. Surely the percentage call was run on second down, run on third down and if needed they still had time to throw it on fourth down. Even though this would have been fairly obvious, the Patriots and teams in general always struggle to hold Lynch to less than a yard due to his ability to pick up yards after the first hit. Also if the Patriots managed to stop them three times one yard out then at least you would have made them earn the victory not just hand it to them. I thought the Patriots were the better side except in the third quarter where I think going in at 14-14 deflated them a bit as they should have had a fair lead going in at HT and the Seahawks seized the moment in the third quarter to build their lead.

Interesting to see how the Seahawks react next season as even though I felt the Patriots were the better team, as the Packers were against them, the way the game panned out the Seahawks should have won back to back Superbowls.

I also agree that Brady was a lazy vote for MVP. Two poor picks mixed in with some excellent throws but in that type of game it nearly always goes to the quarterback.

I wonder how many points Dallas will win the Superbowl by next season - Go Tony!!

LMAO, what a finish last night

Swagger, I disagree.....I thought Belicheck made the right call re timeouts.

Having two timeouts with 20+ secs remaining is still enough in the NFL to get into field goal range......look at Seattle did at the end of the first half with their timeouts in tact and not much time on the clock

He essentially thought Seattle would score on their next play. He probably wants them to score on their next play.
If they hadn't, Seattle would had to have called a timeout or have one run or two pass plays to get it into the end zone

By not calling a timeout when you thought he should kinda  spooked Seattle and in the end they made the wrong call

It's all about risk and reward and Belicheck got it right IMHO

I don't think so many teams have ever had so many tough losses in the play-offs ever (and even the winner was a millimetre away from heartbreak):-

1. If Patriots had lost then all the talk would have been about the lucky catch that set-up the winning TD
2. Seahawks who now look like being haunted by "the call" - I think the biggest play I've ever seen
3. Packers -  tough loss given their position, just needed to run for easy 1st down after the interception
4. Cowboys - tough break on Bryant's catch - though mind you it wasn't catch (as the rules stand)
5. Ravens a bit aggrieved about the ineligible receiver a turning point in that match
6. Lions - not getting the PI call - terrible decision, and may well have been enough for them to beat the Cowboys

great season.brilliant superbowl but aftertiming I know, a 'naked bootleg' was made for Russell to the right corner. if it wasn't on, throw the ball away ,still 19 seconds left with a time out left......have naked bootlegs been taken out of the playbooks,cant remember the last one i've seen ????

Some interesting points:

The Seahawks offensive line were ranked 2nd in power situations this year, New England's defense in power situations ranked LAST.
22 of Marshawn Lynch's 24 carries went for at least 1 yard.
Ricardo Lockette, the Seahwaks WR that was beat to the ball for the game-winning INT has 18 CAREER receptions!
Luke Wilson, remember him? Was he even thrown to all game????? despite being covered 1 on 1 by Patrick Chung on occasions.

Carroll has always liked to play against the odds and do the unconventional, sometimes this pays off, sometimes it doesn't.   However, he usually makes these calls when they have to, they needed points against GB to get back into the game, so faked the field goal.  That is the time to make these plays.

At this point in the game, there was no point in gambling, playing the percentage calls would have won him the game 9 times out of 10.  However he tries to defend the call, re: clock management, everyone knows it is the worst decision in SB history and cost his team back to back rings.