Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson near the goal line with 26 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX to seal the New England Patriots’ 28-24 win over the Seattle Seahawks.
The play never would have happened if Patriots wide receiver Brandon LaFell received his wish.
LaFell revealed Wednesday on NFL Network’s “NFL AM” that he actually wanted New England to implement a different strategy after Jermaine Kearse set up Seattle at the 5-yard line with a miraculous 33-yard reception.
“Once (Jermaine Kearse) caught the ball, I was just like I hope the coaches let them score,” LaFell said. “Let them score so we can get the ball back, leaves 50, 40 seconds. They haven’t been able to stop us the whole fourth quarter.”
The Seahawks took a timeout with 1:06 remaining after Kearse’s crazy catch. Marshawn Lynch followed with a 4-yard run to put the Seahawks at the 1-yard line with under one minute remaining. Almost everyone expected Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll to again call upon Lynch on 2nd-and-goal, but Seattle instead called a pass play, which resulted in Butler’s game-winning pick.
“It was the best play call in history. On my side of the field, I liked it,” LaFell said. “The play before, man, Lynch almost scored. I’m like, ‘Ain’t no doubt in my mind he’s going to get the ball again.’ The way they handled the ball, man, I was like, ‘Yes, man.’
“In that situation, in the red zone, it’s a tight situation. … So when they decided to throw the ball, and when you throw the ball on the end line, you’ve got to throw it low. When you throw it high, it’s going to get tipped. … Nine times out of 10, it’s going to get tipped, and when it’s tipped on the goal line, that’s a team meeting. Somebody’s going to get it.”
Patriots head coach Bill Belichick obviously made the right decision in relying on his defense rather than letting the Seahawks score. However, LaFell’s philosophy speaks to the number of different variables involved in one of the greatest finishes in NFL history.
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Thumbnail photo Mark J. Rebilas/USA TODAY Sports Images
