Monday 9 January 2017 19:07, UK
As the Seattle Seahawks approached the goal line, back to back Super Bowl victories were within their grasp.
With just 26 seconds left to go in the game, and Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson facing a second and goal, a yard from the end zone, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell called a play that deviated from their season long game plan.
Don't hand the ball off to Marshawn Lynch. Throw the ball.
After the snap, Wilson had time in the pocket. Surveying the crowded field in front of him, the third year quarterback shifted his body to the right and threw a short slant pass towards undrafted wide receiver Ricardo Lockette..
The Seahawks had received a lifeline just moments before, Jermaine Kearse made a spectacular 33-yard play by juggling the ball and keeping it off the ground, despite the tip from cornerback Malcolm Butler.
An archetypal hammering run from Lynch took Seattle a further four yards, to set up three possible attempts for a one yard steal. They had a timeout, and over 40 seconds on the clock following Lynch's run. Seattle held every advantage.
Around the ground, there was silent but unanimous agreement that Wilson would give the ball back to their lead running back and allow him to bulldoze the team to Super Bowl glory. With over 1,300 yards and 13 touchdowns for the season, and 104 yards that night, the decision seemed an obvious one.
But maybe that was Pete Carroll's thinking in accepting Bevell's call? If everyone knows about the not-so-secret 'Beast Mode', touchdown rushing leader of the last two seasons, who would expect a throwing play in this situation?
Without deliberation or timeout, the Seahawks executed their master-plan, targeting Lockette against Butler. However it just so happened that the undrafted rookie corner, who never played higher than division II football in college, had been caught out on a short, red zone attack in training, and was determined not to let it happen again.
Seeing Wilson's shoulder turn away from Lynch, Butler launched himself in front of Lockette to steal the pass and dive out of the end zone, grounding the ball and handing possession to New England.
With Brady under centre and 20 seconds to go, the Seahawks' Michael Bennett jumped offside, taking the Patriots out of their own end zone to win the game 28-24.
The question remains: why not run the ball?
Even if it was what everyone was expecting, the Seahawks had enough time to get stopped and then try something else. The plan to double bluff the New England offence seems one that was over-thought, when a far more effective plan of attack would have been to use the far more effective weapon in their armoury.
The feeling at that moment before Wilson snapped the ball was one of inevitability, that the Seahawks were going to defend their championship and become the first team to do so since the Patriots in 2005. It looked as though the New England bench was already resigned to the fact, particularly after Kearse's catch.
The play call will go down as one of the most questionable in Super Bowl history, and the two sides meet again on Sunday night, for the first time since that infamous ending.
It may be coming at a good time for Seattle and Wilson, who showed a marked improvement in the Seahawks' week nine victory over the Buffalo Bills. However the Patriots, at 7-1 and in the ascendancy, are injury-free and will be determined to achieve a winning outcome once more.
You can watch the Seahawks @ Patriots, as part of a live triple header on Sunday November 13, from 5:30pm on Sky Sports 2.
