NFL Week 21 (Super Bowl XLIX game time thread)

[Great_Antibob]

@russian_heel

There’s another stat out there that its rare for an NFL QB or Russell Wilson (I forget what exactly I heard) to throw an interception from a the one yard line someone would need to check.

I have no idea what that would prove. I’m sure that interceptions from the opponent’s 32 yard line are also rare.

Rather than the chance of interception or failed pass attempt, the knock is that their best chance for winning the game was probably giving Lynch the ball.

@russian_heel

But maybe Pete Carroll deserves credit for doing what he thought would win the game, not what the fans think.

That’s the bizarre part.

If Lynch got the call and failed, fans would have been disappointed but probably would have accepted that was the best way to win the game.

Because it was.

[EllisDee]

@Hamlet

Again, you’re cherry picking to make a point. Brady was great during those two drives, and I’m not sure if you’ve caught it yet, but I’ve given him credit for that.

I think you’re being deliberately obtuse.

The fourth quarter comeback weighs much, much more than the 2nd quarter in terms of measuring greatness. (Or MVP-ness.) It’s not even really close.

Brady could have had a 0 passer rating in the first three quarters, and if he still put up that exact same 4th quarter comeback, he would be a worthy selection for MVP and the game as a whole would still be rock solid evidence for his greatness as a QB.

To your point that the fourth quarter is being given more weight than the rest of the game: Yes, of course it is. Because it it should. And by a pretty significant margin.

[Mince]

@Hamlet

Again, you’re cherry picking to make a point. Brady was great during those two drives, and I’m not sure if you’ve caught it yet, but I’ve given him credit for that.

But you don’t get to only look at the good a QB did, and ignore the bad. Brady was fortunate enough that the mistakes he made didn’t cost his team too badly, and that they were still in a position to win in the 4th quarter. But as I’ve said, but for some horrible play calling by Seattle, Brady’s performance wouldn’t have been recognized as anything special. It was the win, a TEAM win, that made Brady’s performance MVP worthy.

Most Valuable Player.

Take out Edelman (the only other consideration) then Brady. Which loss do you think would have been more significant?

[Gorsnak]

You can replace Edelman with most any somewhat above average WR in the league and get the same result. You can get the same result by replacing Brady with… ummm… not Rogers, apparently. Maybe Peyton from 5 years ago? Brees at his absolute best, maybe?

Whoever it is has to figure out which of those short passes is actually going to be open and unload the ball accurately inside about 2 seconds, over and over and over again.

[Oly]

After hearing the postmortems and debriefs this is what I think happened:

1. Kearse makes the fluke catch.
2. Everyone is surprised and because of the celebration and confusion the Seahawks don’t get lined up in time and have to call a time out.
3. Lynch runs it to the 1.
4. At this point there is still about 40 some seconds left, 2nd and goal from the 1.
5. Carroll knows he’s got three plays. He’s going to pass once, run once, pass or run once. That’s the big picture but he’d like a little time to sort out which plays to run.
6. Carroll is expecting Belicheck to call a time out (Carroll said this afterwards) because:
   a. They got three left.
   b. The go-ahead touch down is likely to happen.
   c. They want to save time for when they get the ball back.
7. During Belicheck’s time out, Carroll et al will sort though the plays.
8. Belicheck does not call time out, because:
   a. Further evidence of his diabolical geniousness.
   b. Deer in headlights.
   c. Mistake.
   d. Probably a.
9. Now Carroll has to either:
   a. Call time out, the last one.
   b. Get a play in, without vetting it to the extent preferable.
10. He goes back to the big picture and chooses 9b.
11. The rest is history.

As for the MVP, if the Most Valuable Player is the guy who made the most valuable play(s), the award should have gone to Butler, without question. Especially if you think of Value in terms of Most Bang For The Buck.

[Hamlet]

[QUOTE=Ellis Dee;18103752To your point that the fourth quarter is being given more weight than the rest of the game: Yes, of course it is. Because it it should. And by a pretty significant margin.[/QUOTE]
Then give it to Butler, who made the biggest play at the biggest time, and had a great game overall.

[Mince]

@Oly

As for the MVP, if the Most Valuable Player is the guy who made the most valuable play(s), the award should have gone to Butler, without question. Especially if you think of Value in terms of Most Bang For The Buck.

Brady had 37 completions and 4 touchdowns. No way Butler’s one play is more valuable than Brady’s 4-quarter effort. Circumstantially, it was more significant, but if not for Brady, the circumstance wouldn’t have existed. Butler would have intercepted the ball preventing Seattle from winning 41-10.

[WreckingCrew]

Tom Brady at least sees the value in what Butler did.

http://boston.cbslocal.com/2015/02/03/patriots-tom-brady-gives-super-bowl-mvp-truck-to-malcolm-butler/

[Askthepizzaguy]

That was the correct move since Tom doesn’t exactly need a truck.

Also, dude did earn it.

[zamboniracer]

I say if you’re dead set on passing in that situation then at least make it a play action pass with a good run fake to Beast Mode. With any luck half of the defense would’ve fallen for the fake.

[Oly]

I’m sure for most the whole thing is close to passé now, but this article has helped me move on.