Most people can agree that the Seattle Seahawks would be the 2015 Super Bowl champion had they simply handed the ball to Marshawn Lynch at the goal line. But if offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell had a time machine that would allow him to go back and run the play again, he wouldn’t change a thing.
In an interview with Peter King of The MMQB this week, Bevell said he does not regret throwing the ball on second and goal and credited Patriots cornerback Malcolm Butler for making a terrific play.
“That play we called will always be there to drive me. I wouldn’t change it. I think it was the right thing,” Bevell said. “Yes, it was a great play. Yeah, it was. Malcolm just, it was a great break, no hesitations, great play.”
King polled three quarterbacks and two head coaches — all who remained anonymous — about the play, and most of them didn’t have a problem with the Seahawks trying to pass it. But a slant over the middle of the field?
“I think to answer your question, in terms of totally moving on, that night is rough, the next morning is rough, getting on the plane is rough, but as soon as I got here and I was able to watch it for myself on the tape and see our copy and look at it that way and do the analyzing of it, once that was over I was able to put it behind me,” Bevell added. “I’m okay. I really am.”
Russell Wilson deserves at least some of the blame for throwing the ball into tight coverage. Seattle also probably should have called a safer pass play, like a fade to the corner of the end zone. But, above all else, Butler simply made a once-in-a-lifetime, career-defining play.
If you remember, Bevell tried to place some blame on the receiver shortly after the Super Bowl. That was pretty absurd. The way someone hacked his Wikipedia page after the loss was also over the top.
Bevell can stand by his decision all he wants, but if the Seahawks are ever in that situation again they’re not going to throw the ball. He’s lying if he says he would call the exact same play again with a chance to do it all over.
