7 replies to this topic

[Khabibul35]

In this forum as well on ESPN & CBS headlines, people are talking about the biggest plays of the superbowl and yet no one mentions the safety as a top 5 play affecting the outcome. While I agree that the Manningham catch was huge and all, I don't think it had as much of an impact on the outcome as that safety. That safey had a huge domino effect from the begging of the game all the way through the end of the game!

1) The patriots had 9 drives in the game, and the safety essentially reduced it to 8. Considering the offense scored seventeen points, the differential in points wasn't just 2 - it was 4 points (since they averaged about 2 points per drive).
2) Giants hold the ball until the 3 minute mark in the 1st quarter. Considering the pats defensive woes, having them on the field for that long makes for a huge difference. It tires them out, and shortens the game for the pats offense, which is how we win games.
3) If we're up by 4 instead of 2, we have a chance to stop the giants from scoring a touchdown on the final drive. Some people think it's a given that they score a TD, but the Pats play decent redzone defense so I think there's a chance we hold them there.
4) Even if the Giants score a TD, the lead is 3 points and the patriots only need to score a FG. Rather than throwing a hail mary, they need to get to about the 30 yard-line. Shortening the field by 30 yards is huge when you have less than a minute left, and you have to think the pats have a much better shot of getting it done.

Considering all this, I think it's the biggest play of the game and deserves further analysis. Who's responsible? Is it on Belichick for calling a playaction pass that puts Brady in the end-zone? Is it on the receivers for failing to get open? Is it on the O-line for letting them get to Brady? Is it on the refs for blowing the call (some people say it's possible a reciever broke the route incorrectly)? Is it on Brady for failing to get out of the pocket and/or not throwing it closer to a receiver?

Of all these, I say it's on Brady with an assist going to Belichick. First of all, the play call is bad because instead of a 3-step drop and a throw from the 3 or 2 yardline, you start the play behind the goaline. As far as Brady, three seconds into the play he rolls right and is only about 2 feet from getting out of the pocket but steps back into pressure. One second later, a defensive lineman is barrelling down toward him. Brady should have known better and rolled out of the pocket when he had the chance. I think this mental lapse cost the Pats the game and it's none other than Brady & Belichick at fault for it.

Edited by Khabibul35, 07 February 2012 - 11:12 PM.

[JohnnyTheBone]

The safety was a fuckup of monumental proportions, and you did and excellent job of summarizing why. That game could have gone either way, and if it were a prizefight that went to the scorecards, the decision likely would have gone to New England. The Patrots played tough, hit hard, forced fumbles, but didn't get the bounces. In a game of inches, Manningham made a play and Welker/Branch/Hernandez did not. The Pats still could have won, but the safety loomed like a thundercloud over their heads the entire time. It was a complete fuckshow that cost them dearly.

[NortheasternPJ]

Of all these, I say it's on Brady with an assist going to Belichick. First of all, the play call is bad because instead of a 3-step drop and a throw from the 3 or 2 yardline, you start the play behind the goaline. As far as Brady, three seconds into the play he rolls right and is only about 2 feet from getting out of the pocket but steps back into pressure. One second later, a defensive lineman is barrelling down toward him. Brady should have known better and rolled out of the pocket when he had the chance. I think this mental lapse cost the Pats the game and it's none other than Brady & Belichick at fault for

I'd put it even more on Brady. He has the ability to change the play call and he does it all the time if he doesn't like what he sees. It looked like a complete mental lapse on Brady's part.

[PaulinMyrBch]

I don't place that high of importance on a play that happens so early in the game. You've got the entire game to play out knowing full well that you are down 2-0.

Having said that, I think all plays in that zone should have a bailout element to them. That one probably did, but wasn't executed properly. IMO, he should have kept drifting out of the tackle box so he had a close sideline to ground, or made sure he airmailed it in the vicinity of a receiver.

Initially I thought Brady may have felt his original drift to the right hash area got him out and then back in the box, but looking on replay I can't imagine he thought that. Just wasn't far enough away before he stepped back up. Throwing it away in his mind had to be a safe throw, far away from a potential interception. I think that was his driving thought, protecting the ball, not avoiding grounding.

We got plenty of defensive stops in that game. Up 8 with the ball in the third quarter. Analyze that drive, that was the game.

[trekfan55]

The safety, along with the sunsequent "12 men on the field" are two key swings in the game.

One important thing about a safety is that the other team gets the ball back, so not only was NE penalized 2 points, they had to give the ball to the Giants, who then drove up the field and then the 12 men happened. Add that all together and it's a 9 point swing that makes all the difference in a game this close.

Edited by trekfan55, 08 February 2012 - 10:47 AM.

[TeddysBonefish]

4) Even if the Giants score a TD, the lead is 3 points and the patriots only need to score a FG. Rather than throwing a hail mary, they need to get to about the 30 yard-line. Shortening the field by 30 yards is huge when you have less than a minute left, and you have to think the pats have a much better shot of getting it done.

This where playing with too many hypotheticals can get you in trouble. If they GIants were trying to score a touchdown and the Pats were trying to stop them, the drive may have taken far more time off the clock.

[TheoShmeo]

I think the safety is being minimized because the Pats ended the first half with the lead and began the second half with the ball.

Said differently, while it was an ugly and mind numbing play, I disagree that it was critical given what came after it in that first half and how early in the game it occurred.

I also think that the Brady-Welker incompletion was so monumental and game changing that really all plays before it pale in comparison.

[Super Nomario]

The safety was an inexcusably stupid play on its own merits, and handed the Giants two points. That being said, the Pats were already on the 6 yard line. If they go three-and-out there, the Giants are getting the ball back around midfield. So the safety might have actually helped from a field position standpoint. Not that it mattered, since they gave up the 78-yard TD drive anyway.