It’s been a week since the Pats strolled through a trap door en route to their fourth Super Bowl title. I figure this should be enough time to assess the various angles and perspectives regarding the closing minutes of the game. It goes without saying that the widespread reaction to Pete Carroll’s second down play call (you know, the one where Russell Wilson was picked off in the end zone?) has been overwhelmingly negative. Some devil’s advocates have argued the Seahawks needed to call a passing play at some point during their possession, in order to stop the clock.

I tried to find some logic in the counter arguments but I’ve arrived at the conclusion (after some consideration) that Pete Carroll essentially sabotaged his resume with one play call, which is a remarkable bit of misfortune. There were 26 seconds remaining on the clock when Wilson hit Malcolm Butler with a slant pass intended for Ricardo Lockette. Marshawn Lynch had just bulled his way 5 yards to the goal line on first down. You have simply got to call the safe play here, especially with the best goal-line runner in the league. If Lynch somehow couldn’t get one yard on 2nd or 3rd down, then the possibility of throwing a SLANT TO THE CORNER OF THE END ZONE could have been considered. Forcing Wilson to throw a bang-bang slant across the middle should never have been an option at any point in that sequence.