In defense of Carroll:
The above tweet posits that, with only 26 seconds left and only one timeout, the Seahawks had to throw on at least on of the remaining 3 downs, both to stop the clock and to keep the Pats' defense honest (props for getting all that done in 140 characters).
Extrapolating from that, it was therefore appropriate to call a pass on the 2nd down play: if they had run and not made it, then they'd have to burn their last timeout and pretty much be forced the throw in 3rd down, whereas an incomplete pass stops the clock giving them the option to run or pass on 3rd down (with the timeout still at their disposal so they for sure get to run another play on 4th down).
Of course, that's some serious Monday-morning overthinking, when it's quite likely that Lynch bulldozes his way into the endzone in one or two plays anyway and, if he doesn't, isn't that the best way to fail? But, if you want to know if there was any reason to do what they did, there it is. Meanwhile, Carroll has taken full responsibility, even though the OC calls the plays and Wilson has full autonomy at the line. Maybe we'll find out someday who made the fateful call.
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One last point - made by Mrs Limey in real time last night - the NE rookie Butler actually saved the go-ahead TD
twice at the end of the game! On Kearse's juggled catch, the incoming defender chose to hurdle Kearse, leaving him to make the catch and not be downed by contact. Butler had his wits about him and realised that it was a live ball and so make sure to down Kearse - who was in the process of getting up to jog three steps unopposed into the endzone.
It was hard to pick an MVP last night, but I think a strong argument can be made for Butler who saved their collective asses twice in the space of about 30 seconds during the final minute of play. Of course, the TV guys chose to talk about Butler's redemption for getting beaten when covering Kearse, instead of realising that he had (1) done his job on coverage; and (b) then gone "above and beyond" to save the game...before then making the game-winning play!
