2015 NFL Playoff Pool

[Peter_Spaeth]

Patriots 13 PSI, Seahawks 12 PSI.

[BicycleSpokes]

Seahawks 23-20 (total 43)


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[Cliff Bowman]

Seattle, 56 total points

[gregr2]

Seattle - 27-17 (44 total points).

[RGold]

Seattle 38 New England 24

I could swear I posted this late last night but it disappeared. If it shows up, and the score is different, it's because I can't remember what it was.

[Joe_G.]

No chance for me but I'll pick NE to try and climb to mid-pack.

[wheitman]

Seahawks 24, New England 17

[Runscott]

Seattle 31
New England 24

[vintagetoppsguy]

Pats 34
Seahawks 20

[Jason]

Ill go NE 24-23

[pgellis]

NE - 44 pts.

[freakhappy]

Worst play call in a Super Bowl...ever?

Congrats on the victory, Ian!

[vintagetoppsguy]

Originally Posted by freakhappy

Worst play call in a Super Bowl...ever?

Congrats on the victory, Ian!

IMO, the call with 6 seconds left in the first half was pretty stupid too. Sure it worked, but it was still stupid. They should have kicked a field goal. I'm sure the Hawks fans will disagree with me, but I know they would have said it was stupid as well had it not worked out.

[jcmtiger]

Originally Posted by freakhappy

Worst play call in a Super Bowl...ever?

Congrats on the victory, Ian!

I think so.

Joe

[freakhappy]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

IMO, the call with 6 seconds left in the first half was pretty stupid too. Sure it worked, but it was still stupid. They should have kicked a field goal. I'm sure the Hawks fans will disagree with me, but I know they would have said it was stupid as well had it not worked out.

You're right David, very risky and not smart imo. Lucky for them it worked out. This is the Super Bowl and points are a premium...plus you get the ball first in the second half.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Congrats to Ian!

I'm just glad I didn't finish last. I haven't tallied the points, but I think that honor belongs to Scott

[HappyJack41]

Marshawn Lynch getting 10 mil per year and you can't run the ball 3 straight times at the 1 yard line to score??? When has that dude ever been stopped from moving forward for 1 yard three straight times?? Lol. Absolute worst play call in SB history and it's not even close. IF they just run the damn ball, Seattle is celebrating a back to back trophy right now.

[GoldenAge50s]

Hard to believe ANY Super Bowl will ever match the plays that took place in the last minute--absolutely incredible swing of emotions. I saw David Tyree all over again, an unreal loss & then ---JUSTICE!

[Runscott]

I am really sick at my stomach. Bad calls at the end of each half, but not running at the end was a travesty - almost the only way to lose that game

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by vintagetoppsguy

Congrats to Ian!

I'm just glad I didn't finish last. I haven't tallied the points, but I think that honor belongs to Scott

Thanks y'all.. I'm not even sure I know what winning means? but I'd like to thank David, the board, the members of the academy, my wife, my cards... and Andrew Luck for upsetting the Broncos. I couldn't have done it without you.

To the game, WOW, what a classic! I agree with previous comments about that play call. Marshawn was getting just getting warm at game's end. I guess (?) I get their thinking, take a quick shot through the air when everyone expects a run, then pound it on 3rd down.. and anyone's guess on 4th if needed. I'd probably have switched the order and run on 2nd, especially after Marshawn had a nice gainer on 1st down and looked unstoppable from the 1... then maybe given Wilson a run pass option on 3rd.

That said, you gotta give that kid #21 credit. Unless he jumps that route like he does, that little slant/pick combo is a gimme TD. I'm guessing his jump was largely the result of strong scouting/film study, but also hugely just a great, ballsy, aggressive individual play, by an undrafted unknown.

Congrats to the Pats.. and to fellow Woodside HS alum Julian Edelman, who just got to experience the moment all players dream of.

[itjclarke]

... adding, at the end of the game, I think Belichek made nearly as bad an error by not calling TO after Marshawn's 1st down run. If he does so, he almost assures his O will get the ball back with nearly a minute. He had nothing to lose (they'd have easily been able to run off a minute had they held, Seattle only had 1 TO) and everything to gain. As it played out, had Seattle scored, they lost 20-30 seconds. Thanks to little #21, it was all moot.

[HappyJack41]

Originally Posted by itjclarke

... adding, at the end of the game, I think Belichek made nearly as bad an error by not calling TO after Marshawn's 1st down run. If he does so, he almost assures his O will get the ball back with nearly a minute. He had nothing to lose (they'd have easily been able to run off a minute had they held, Seattle only had 1 TO) and everything to gain. As it played out, had Seattle scored, they lost 20-30 seconds. Thanks to little #21, it was all moot.

Exactly, VERY strange back to back bad coaching decisions! I was thinking the whole time, "how is Belichick NOT calling a timeout here??" A TD would have made it a 3 point Seattle lead and almost a minute for Brady to get in FG range. As I was digesting that crazy non timeout call, I see Wilson drop back to throw the ball.....*facepalm*

It just boggles my mind how (with still plenty of time to kill on the clock) a passing play is called over the MIDDLE where everybody is bunched up! Insanely awful playcall at the 1 yard line by Bevell and Carrol that will no doubt haunt them forever. No doubt about it, Tommy Terrific's 4th SB was gift wrapped tonight by Bevell and Carrol lol.

[itjclarke]

Glad I'm not only one who was clueless as to why NE didn't call TO in that situation.

I just watched the 2nd half again, back home and without lots of talking people... I'm even more amazed now by the Seattle play call. I'm not as opposed to their passing, but why in the hell would they not do a hard sell on a run/play fake??? Line up under center (not shotgun), do a hard fake, allow your TE to sell block and release into the flat... or allow Wilson to roll or bootleg with a run pass option. I agree with others, they should have run, but if you're gonna throw, then take full advantage of the fact everyone expects run.

I also am curious to know if Wilson may have made some sort of check at the line. They have trips to the right, but he moves both Baldwin (Revis playing man follows) and Lynch to his left just prior to the nap.. in his mind, I'm sure he sees this create a nice void for that quick slant/pick.... but Butler just made an amazing jump on it. Seeing his play again, it's amazing how quickly he commits to jumping it, and how much ground he covers. Bad play call, however full props to Butler.

[HappyJack41]

No doubt Butler gets props for making a nice play on the ball.....but everybody that watched it knows, he should NEVER have even been given the chance lol. You have Beast Mode at the 1 yard line with clock to kill and another timeout in case anything goes bad. 2 or 3 shots to pound it in the end zone with a tired Patriots team getting blown off the ball.....hell even a Wilson keeper would have been a better play call than a pass in the middle with every defender bunched up.

All game long Lynch was carrying Patriot defenders for extra yards, the odds of him NOT getting into the end zone from the 1 was slim to nil at best. They didn't even take advantage of Belichick's miscue on the non TO. The clock runs down, they pound it in for the lead and leave Brady 15-20 seconds to try to get in FG range against the LOB with only 1 TO left.......would have never happened.

[itjclarke]

Yeah, my point is not that they shouldn't have run... but if they are going to throw, sell the run!! Why they wouldn't run a hard play fake, try to pull up one or more of the secondary guys... then either let Wilson roll, or boot... or just hide the ball and let someone sneak to the flat of corner is beyond me. Everyone would bite on a fake in that situation.

None of this should take away from Butler's play, or the fact Brady and the Pats overcame a 10 pt 4th quarter deficit. This comeback is unprecedented in SB history... the Skins and Saints overcame 10 point first half deficits, but not 4th quarter, and not against defenses anywhere nearly as viscous at the Hawks'. Before this game, I was also really interested to see how little Julian Edelman would play against these DBs. He stepped up, and to see him shake off that hit from Chancellor was pretty savage.. I frankly think he may have been semi concussed on that hit. That guy is just a ball player.

[johnmh71]

I can't believe that I picked all the games correct except one and called the exact outcome of the Super Bowl. And still lost. I'm not sure if I can do any better than that. Congratulations to Ian.

And to all the Seattle fans on here, I got to see Pete Carroll coach in New England for 3 years. The last play call wasn't a surprise.

[barrysloate]

Originally Posted by johnmh71

New England 28-24

John really deserves a consolation prize for picking the exact score. That's amazing!

[wolf441]

As a Pats fan, I still really can't believe we won. After that Kearse catch, on the heels of the last two Super Bowls (Tyree and Manningham), all I was thinking was, here we go again. I was screaming for the Pats to call timeout and thought they should have let Lynch score a TD on first down. Shows what I know!!

Rest assured, Pats fans' balls are fully inflated this morning!!

[Pat R]

Link didn't work but Lynch ran the ball from 1 yard out Five times this year and only scored once.

[johnmh71]

Originally Posted by wolf441

As a Pats fan, I still really can't believe we won. After that Kearse catch, on the heels of the last two Super Bowls (Tyree and Manningham), all I was thinking was, here we go again. I was screaming for the Pats to call timeout and thought they should have let Lynch score a TD on first down. Shows what I know!!

Rest assured, Pats fans' balls are fully inflated this morning!!

The difference was that this year they had guys that were ready and able to make plays on defense. And Belichick knew it, hence no timeout. The last play really showed that.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by johnmh71

The difference was that this year they had guys that were ready and able to make plays on defense. And Belichick knew it, hence no timeout. The last play really showed that.

He definitely should have called a timeout to save clock for the offense. Hindsight is great, and people can now spin it all they want, but the odds had to be 80 percent or higher that Seattle with its timeouts scores with Lynch on the ground, or by a short pass for that matter.

[johnmh71]

And done what with the ball? Hail Mary? Against Seattle's secondary? The game was at the one yard line. Kudos to the Pats D for making a play.

[Runscott]

Amazing that Belichek did not call the time-out. Has anyone heard him say why he did not?

Listening to Pete Carroll's explanation of the play call, and some of the guys on ESPN, I'm feeling a little less sick to my stomach. I guess the odds of that interception being made are probably about the same as someone stripping Russell or Marshawn of the football, or of them getting backed up and having to pass on the final play.

Who knows. Fortunately, my only decision was whether to order a Stout or a Brown ale.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by johnmh71

And done what with the ball? Hail Mary? Against Seattle's secondary? The game was at the one yard line. Kudos to the Pats D for making a play.

Huh? Suppose he takes the timeout. On the first play, Seattle scores a touchdown and they are up by three. They then kick off, and NE has a minute or so to get into field goal range. Odds are against them, but far from impossible, and no Hail Mary. Of course you try to stop them, but no reason I see to let time run off the clock unnecessarily.

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Runscott

Amazing that Belichek did not call the time-out. Has anyone heard him say why he did not?

Listening to Pete Carroll's explanation of the play call, and some of the guys on ESPN, I'm feeling a little less sick to my stomach. I guess the odds of that interception being made are probably about the same as someone stripping Russell or Marshawn of the football, or of them getting backed up and having to pass on the final play.

Who knows. Fortunately, my only decision was whether to order a Stout or a Brown ale.

Not sure about that. According to Butler, he anticipated the play because he had seen them run it in film, and also because Wilson looked in his direction right before the snap.

[Pat R]

I think Belichicks no time out call may have been brilliant, if he calls time out it gives Carroll time to think about it and he probably would have went with
a run play.

[Runscott]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Not sure about that. According to Butler, he anticipated the play because he had seen them run it in film, and also because Wilson looked in his direction right before the snap.

C'mon Peter - let me rationalize.

I need a Dallas vs Seattle NFC Championship game next year. I'm going to work real hard this year to build up my karma through positive interactions on this forum....

...who am I kidding?

[Peter_Spaeth]

Originally Posted by Pat R

I think Belichicks no time out call may have been brilliant, if he calls time out it gives Carroll time to think about it and he probably would have went with
a run play.

What the hell was there to think about? You have the ball at the one yard line, two time outs and the best running back in football. I see no brilliance and I do not buy the story I read that somehow he "tricked" Seattle into passing. Seattle f-ed up, badly. Period.

As for the non-time out, the rationalizations to me are 20-20 in the rear view mirror. It worked out for him, so no questions were asked. As great a coach as he is, I see it as a lapse.

[vintagetoppsguy]

Final Standings:

itjclarke – 22
johnmh71 – 21
GoldenAge50s – 20
Big Ben – 20
barrysloate – 19
wolf441 – 19
bobbyw8469 – 17
tombocombo – 17
Peter_Spaeth – 16
talkinbaseball – 16
BicycleSpokes – 16
Cliff Bowman – 16
freakhappy – 16
ins02 – 16
tiger8mush – 15
tlwise12 – 15
Joe_G – 13
Jason – 13
t206fix – 13
frankbmd – 12
bn2cardz – 12
jcmtiger – 11
veloce – 11
wheitman – 10
pgellis – 10
Eric72 – 10
vintagetoppsguy – 9
Rgold – 9
gregr2 – 7
Runscott - 6

[itjclarke]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

What the hell was there to think about? You have the ball at the one yard line, two time outs and the best running back in football. I see no brilliance and I do not buy the story I read that somehow he "tricked" Seattle into passing. Seattle f-ed up, badly. Period.

As for the non-time out, the rationalizations to me are 20-20 in the rear view mirror. It worked out for him, so no questions were asked. As great a coach as he is, I see it as a lapse.

100% agree. It worked out well for them not calling a TO, but not due to some sort of coaching brilliance. It would have been unquestionably the right coaching decision to call TO on D. If your D steps up and holds them, Seattle only has 1 TO left, so you can definitely run out the clock... If Seattle scores, you'll have 50 seconds to a minute to get into FG. Not sure why it seems so improbable for the Pats to get into FG in 50 or seconds ( "hail mary"?), when we'd seen Seattle go 80 yards in 29 seconds.. And also seen Brady lead the Pats to TDs on his previous to drives against the Hawks' great secondary.

[johnmh71]

Originally Posted by Peter_Spaeth

Huh? Suppose he takes the timeout. On the first play, Seattle scores a touchdown and they are up by three. They then kick off, and NE has a minute or so to get into field goal range. Odds are against them, but far from impossible, and no Hail Mary. Of course you try to stop them, but no reason I see to let time run off the clock unnecessarily.

By the time they got the ball back, there would have been more like 45 seconds and the ball probably would have been at their 20. Did you see the first Super Bowl against the Giants? They supposedly had time for a final drive in that game and ended up heaving the ball at the end. I'm glad Belichick played it the way he did.