NFL Thread: Thoughts on the game south of the 49th

[Carl Yagro]

Jon Ryan.

Let the QB controversy begin!

[Island Nucklehead]

Who throws 4 INT's and wins? Helluva game final 5 minutes to watch, but yikes... Bostick doesn't flub that onside kick and that game is over.

[Topper]

[Topper]

Did the Seahawks recant their MLK Day tweet because Wilson isn't black enough?

[BurningBeard]

[Topper]

Newton and Suggs were not bad lip reading.

[Topper]

BOLD PREDICTION
New England runs lots of two tight end sets with Edelman and Amendola clearing the deep and keeping the safeties occupied. That puts Gronk and Hoomanawanui against the mobile pass defending Seattle linebackers and opens big day for Blount and Vareen.

Can the read option counter? Seattle receivers don't stand up well against the New England DBs. Screens to Lynch/Willson will have to open up the read option for Lynch and Wilson.

Seattle wins because of Irving, Bennett and Avril

[Cousin Strawberry]

I have a question for those who watch the seahawks regularly...

The defense was terrible against GB...is that typical to how they've played all year?

[Cornuck]

SERIOUSLY? You pass? On 2nd and goal from the 1?

[BurningBeard]

SERIOUSLY? You pass? On 2nd and goal from the 1?

With Lynch on your team... what a weird ending.

[Topper]

DangeRunt

Goal line INTs were a wash, difference was earlier in the game. New England was stopping the run and and blanketing receivers. Seattle should have had short crossing patterns underneath attacking the line backers.......but DangeRunt can't see over the line to hit those receivers. No completions to a tight end. Zero.

Sheer volume of quality New England receivers stretched the Seattle defenders. The line backers are some of the best in pass coverage but no match deep one on one against the likes of Gronkowski. Weak is is a very weak side. Maxwell struggled early in the season but was beginning to get it. Lane and Simon in the nickel are not good and the exploitation of Simon was ugly. Sherman's arm is far worse than let on, he was missing tackles all day.

Credit the New England offensive line for the protection given Brady as he surgically sliced up the Seattle back field.

Reading this morning Caroll defending the playcall by saying the Patriots had stacked the box to prevent the run I have to ask, then why throw the ball into that stacked box?

[KeyserSoze]

Crazy finish and obviously a complete head scratcher of a play call in more ways than one.

As poor of a call as it was, Butler made an unbelievable read to get position and actually catch the ball instead of just deflect it away. He never should have had the chance, but he certainly made the most of it.

People were talking about how the Green Bay loss was one that you never quite get over as a player/coach...that one now seems pretty minor compared to this.

[Topper]

note from a friend this morning

"Jesus was too busy getting blown by Gisselle to guide Wilson's arm."

[Puck]

As a Seahawks fan, albeit one who had a bad feeling that the Patriots would pull off the win, it has been a depressing night and morning. I was left thinking after the game that there must have been more going on than we noticed or heard - sadly the TV broadcasts provide woeful depth in their coverage.

This article is good:
https://www.profootballfocus.com/blog/2 ... that-play/
...amazing that the Pats would be this prepared, but that's Belichick for you.

and this breakdown the odds a bit:
http://espn.go.com/blog/statsinfo/post/ ... from-the-1
Turns out Lynch is not quite the power guy we'd expect when it's on the 1. (For whatever that's worth)

One of the biggest keys was that the run was expected, and they most-likely didn't have enough time left to run it three times, so they decided to take one shot on 2nd down. 99% of the time that play ends up incomplete or tackled at about the 1 foot line and the Seahawks have time to run it two more times. BUT.. why not throw a fade to the corner, or a comeback to the flag? Caught for a touchdown or uncatchable by anyone.

I'm mostly with KeyserSoze on this... one hell of a remarkable play by Butler. The play of his lifetime, most likely. Let's see if the poor guy even plays long enough to collect a pension.

[Topper]

I didn't think Sapp could afford to pay for it.