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After two decades of dominance, the New England Patriots have fallen on hard times. The Patriots have finished with a losing record in four of the last five seasons and missed the playoffs three straight years. But the franchise could be on the upswing after hiring former linebacker Mike Vrabel as head coach. And, even though the team went 4-13 this season, the Patriots are in the news in the lead-up to the Super Bowl.
As the Kansas City Chiefs attempt to make football history by three-peating as Super Bowl champs, the league’s previous dynastic team is in the spotlight thanks to Vice TV’s Brady vs Belichick: The Verdict, which explores whether Bill or Tom deserves the most credit for the Patriots’ six championships.
In episode two of BvB, Russell Wilson’s infamous goal line interception in Super Bowl 49 gets a deep dive. Former New England safety Devin McCourty speaks with former Patriots’ backup QB Scott Zolak about the play.
According to Zolak, Bill Belichick flat out told him, “We set that up,” based on previous defensive stops.
“I heard Bill talk about earlier in the fourth quarter, they had a third-and-one inside I think the 12-yard line or something. They run it and we stuff Marshawn Lynch,” McCourty says.
“They had a two-yard loss on the same sort of formation with Marshawn Lynch in the game, same personnel,” Zolak responds. “[Belichick] goes, ‘We did that early in the game, so we knew that we’re gonna get them to check to that pass.’ So it’s kind of staying two steps ahead,” Zolak added.
Everyone remembers the play. It’s seared into football fans’ brains. The shocking pass. The interception. Brady literally jumping for joy on the sideline. Richard Sherman’s face. It was not a play that needed an all-22 breakdown to assess. It was immediately apparent that the Seahawks had made one of the worst decisions in football history.
But was it all a con? Did Belichick goad Carroll into making a terrible call? Well, the Patriots did stop Lynch on third-and-short runs twice in the game. And, as McCourty alluded to, New England stuffed Lynch on a third-and-one deep in Patriots’ territory, holding the Seahawks to a field goal.
However, Lynch converted on three short yardage runs in the game, including scoring a touchdown on third-and-two from the Patriots’ three-yard-line. And just like the infamous interception, that play was run out of the shotgun.
Also, Wilson hit Doug Baldwin for a touchdown on second-and-goal from the Patriots’ three-yard-line late in the third quarter. So, was that part of Belichick’s master plan too? Give up a passing touchdown near the goal line in order to set up another goal line passing situation that you’ll intercept when the game is on the line?
The Seahawks’ decision to throw the ball at the one-yard-line with Marshawn Lynch in the backfield is objectively a terrible call. And it’s become one of...
