******* Superbowl XLIX GAMEDAY THREAD ********

This is the biggest play that isn't talked about imo. Same set of downs from the -8 yard sack taken.

4Q 3rd & 14 (10:57 remaining)

NE: Looks to attack the area behind the underneath zone defenders with three In routes to execute a variation of the Follow concept. If it's cover3, there are holes to be exploited behind the underneath zone defenders, and in front of the deep zone defenders. One of the three In routes, all run at a depth to get behind the underneath defenders, should be able to find a passing lane and get open.

SEA: Shows a cover2 shell, but one of the safeties (EThomas) will rotate down. Cover3 with the weakside CB (top of screen) having man coverage.


Brady completes his dropback, but the routes have not developed. The DTs are stunting. Highlighted orange are the underneath defenders as SEA reveals it's coverage. Chancellor is the deep middle safety


The stunting DTs are shoved aside to allow Brady a huge lane to step up into the pocket.


Brady steps up in the pocket and buys enough time for the routes to get behind the LBs. Targeting yellow, Edelman.


Gain of +21 (RAC did not count, knee was down).


Great job hanging on to the catch after a huge hit from Chancellor.


NE would go on to score a TD and cut the lead to 24-21.

Here are the 49ers executing a similar route combination (2013 divisional playoffs)





It's a long developing route combination so Kap also buys time by stepping up into the pocket to allow the routes to unfold.


Completed to the yellow route.

Originally posted by thl408:

Great job hanging on to the catch after a huge hit from Chancellor.

It was a great job by Edelman hanging on to the ball, but it was enabled by the throw. Brady put that ball EXACTLY where he wanted it. Edelman didn't have to extend and expose himself to Seattle's head-hunting DBs; he was able to lock that ball up as soon as it got there. That is one thing that separates good QBs from great ones.

Did you guys watch the ending of the telecast before the post game show when NBC starts to play its theme music along with key highlights of the game? Man, that was badass -- I hope we get to experience that with Kap and our team. Belichick in a group hug with his OC and DC while they were getting the gatorade baths at the end was also very powerful. It was a testament to how close knit a team the Patriots are and how badly the Seahawks underestimated them.

Originally posted by ninerjok:

After thinking about it some more I honestly believe Malcolm Butler could've very easily won MVP. He actually prevented 2 seahag TDs inside the 5-yd line. The first play was the absurd circus catch by Kearse in which he wasn't down by contact upon finally securing the ball and was free to get up and run. Butler after barely missing a PBU was able to jump up and force him out of bounds before Kearse could run-lunge ahead for the goal line. The second was of course him making a better defensive play on a not great but not horribly executed slant pass of an atrocious play call. While very deserving, Brady getting it was more of a lifetime achievement award. They should've been co-MVPs but I guess they probably can't do that. Anyway, Brady wants to give his MVP truck to Butler.
Tim Brown (who I'm so glad to see finally get in the HOF) made an interesting point on the radio Tuesday afternoon. He said Wilson didn't throw the ball low enough on the ill-fated pass play. Said ball placement should've been at the lower abdomen of the receiver instead of chest high but because of the midget's stature he has to throw that slant pass with a higher trajectory because (my words) his arm angle is already about 6 inches lower than someone like Kap. So basically the target point of the ball is elevated that much higher with him trying to maneuver a super short pass through all those several-inches taller offensive & defensive linemen. Makes sense to me.

Hey, there is a positive for Kap in that situation, Butler wouldn't have been able to pick his laser throw!

Here's the play before the Butler INT where Lynch almost ran it in for a TD. It was VERY close to being a TD, and this play rarely gets a mention in the highlights.

1st & Goal
NE: Base 3-4 personnel
SEA: Outside zone left using 21 personnel (2rb/1te/2wr). The LT, Okung, will combo block with the LG then move to the second level to block the LB #54 Hightower.


Okung has moved to the second level and has position on Hightower. It's hat on hat with the FB leading the way, and Lynch has a head of steam.


Same time as pic above.


The FB nails his block. Hightower delivers a shove to Okung and Okung can't sustain the block.


Hightower dives at Lynch's thighs and takes him out. Lynch falls forward to the 1 yard line.


Game saving tackle by Hightower.

I wasn't going to break this down because we've seen it a thousand times, but a fellow poster requested it, so here it is.

After the Lynch run, SEA substitutes out the FB in exchange for a WR. They go from 21 personnel to 11 personnel (1rb/1te/3wr). NE counters, not by adding a nickel CB, but by taking out a CB to add a DL. They come with 4DL, 4LB, 3DB. Pete gave an explanation that NE was in their goaline package, and that's why SEA wanted to throw against it. Because NE only had 3 DBs in the game, while SEA had 3 WRs.

If SEA was to run out of this personnel, it's 5OL +1 TE blocking 4DLs and 4LBs. It's not so much that you want to throw against that, it's that you don't want to run against it. But that's whiteboard logic.

NE: blue = DL, yellow = LB, red = DB
SEA: yellow = TE, red = WR

SEA initially lines up like this. But Baldwin and Lynch will shift. When RW sees Revis follow Baldwin across the formation, he confirms man coverage.


Lynch and Baldwin shift, then set.
SEA: To RW's left is a variation of the Spot concept. A zone busting concept that when run out of a bunch, could work against man coverage. To RW's right is a quick slant out of a stacked WR set. The stack is used to combat man coverage and provide the WR in back with a clean release off the line of scrimmage.
NE: cover1 (5 man pressure)


The ball is snapped and CB Browner lunges forward to aggressively jam the WR (Kearse).


RW will look to the man buster side. Kearse can't quickly get upfield to run a pick. Once Butler, shown looking at Lockette, sees Lockette's right leg plant like that (orange), he knows it's an inside breaking route.


This key frame shows a misstep here by Lockette as he steps too parallel to the line of scrimmage. He takes the route of the red line. He should take the route of the yellow line. The whole reason Kearse is there is to provide that yellow path. It's a hard slant and the more of a direct path Lockette can take, the more his body will play a factor in shielding the defender from the ball. Butler has started his break on the route.


Because Kearse can't move Browner upfield, Butler has a clear path to the ball.


The sloppy route by Lockette can be seen here. It's just one step, but when the whole route consists of only 6 steps, they all need to be sharp. The throw itself needed better placement where only the WR has a chance - even if it forces the WR to make a difficult catch.

From thl's breakdown, I noticed Wilson rarely throws per a postsnap read. Almost all of his throws are critical timing quick throws or some sort of screen/pick circle route. thl's last post on page 138 is an obvious play design where Wilson was planning to throw to Kearse 5 days before the game. Same with a bunch of Lynch circle routes.

Wilson does have touch but the Pats played him how all teams should which is to load for the run and play creative man/zone/pattern match defense with the 4 DB's. Wilson made a lot of mistakes this game in that he heavily relied on the read option/designed "pick" plays when he had other parts of the field wide open.

This is what Colin was trying to master this past year and that's why he was forcing the pocket. Wilson's time will be up once Lynch is.

After Butler intercepted, he should have ran towards the hawks line by lynch grabbing his nutz. His own, not lynchs!

Originally posted by Joecool:

From thl's breakdown, I noticed Wilson rarely throws per a postsnap read. Almost all of his throws are critical timing quick throws or some sort of screen/pick circle route. thl's last post on page 138 is an obvious play design where Wilson was planning to throw to Kearse 5 days before the game. Same with a bunch of Lynch circle routes.

Wilson does have touch but the Pats played him how all teams should which is to load for the run and play creative man/zone/pattern match defense with the 4 DB's. Wilson made a lot of mistakes this game in that he heavily relied on the read option/designed "pick" plays when he had other parts of the field wide open.

This is what Colin was trying to master this past year and that's why he was forcing the pocket. Wilson's time will be up once Lynch is.

So basically what you're saying is Wilson is even more of a 1-read QB than Kap and can't read a defense postsnap worth s**t? ;)

Originally posted by thl408:
This is the biggest play that isn't talked about imo. Same set of downs from the -8 yard sack taken.

4Q 3rd & 14 (10:57 remaining)

NE: Looks to attack the area behind the underneath zone defenders with three In routes to execute a variation of the Follow concept. If it's cover3, there are holes to be exploited behind the underneath zone defenders, and in front of the deep zone defenders. One of the three In routes, all run at a depth to get behind the underneath defenders, should be able to find a passing lane and get open.

SEA: Shows a cover2 shell, but one of the safeties (EThomas) will rotate down. Cover3 with the weakside CB (top of screen) having man coverage.


Brady completes his dropback, but the routes have not developed. The DTs are stunting. Highlighted orange are the underneath defenders as SEA reveals it's coverage. Chancellor is the deep middle safety


The stunting DTs are shoved aside to allow Brady a huge lane to step up into the pocket.


Brady steps up in the pocket and buys enough time for the routes to get behind the LBs. Targeting yellow, Edelman.


Gain of +21 (RAC did not count, knee was down).


Great job hanging on to the catch after a huge hit from Chancellor.


NE would go on to score a TD and cut the lead to 24-21.

That sure looked to me like chancellor left his feet and speared Edelman with helmet to helmet contact. That was us...15 yard penalty, automatic 1st down. Polly an ejection too. Jk. Lol

Originally posted by Morgan49:
That sure looked to me like chancellor left his feet and speared Edelman with helmet to helmet contact. That was us...15 yard penalty, automatic 1st down. Polly an ejection too. Jk. Lol

Chancellor ABSOLUTELY speared Edelman at about a foot and a half; pure helmet-to-helmet contact.

Originally posted by Morgan49:
That sure looked to me like chancellor left his feet and speared Edelman with helmet to helmet contact. That was us...15 yard penalty, automatic 1st down. Polly an ejection too. Jk. Lol

If Edelman writhed around on the ground like a lil female dog, he would have gotten the call. Kinda like this

Originally posted by thl408:
If Edelman writhed around on the ground like a lil female dog, he would have gotten the call. Kinda like this

How about Seattle once again hitting the plant leg of a punter and getting away with only a 5-yard penalty?

Originally posted by theduke85:

Originally posted by thl408:
If Edelman writhed around on the ground like a lil female dog, he would have gotten the call. Kinda like this

How about Seattle once again hitting the plant leg of a punter and getting away with only a 5-yard penalty?

Yeah, they really need to get that rule going where there are refs watching the game in a booth on a TV screen and can signal down to the field refs to alert them. That was just a blatant miss/awful call.