Thoughts on the super bowl and the future of our secondary.

Since the sting of Super Bowl 49 has begun to ease up I find myself better able to reflect on what I witnessed this year during Seattle's playoff run.

I was privileged enough to attend my first home Seahawks game when they played the Carolina Panthers in the divisional round of the NFC playoffs.

Although it was a great win and a fantastic ending with the Kam Chancellor pick, I felt myself feeling uneasy that we weren't able to put the game away sooner.

Coming away from that win the glaring weakness appeared to be the secondary and it's inability to force a field goal to put the game out of reach early in the fourth quarter. Specifically Tharold Simon.

The unusual irritation following analysis of that game tells me that Simon wasn't there yet, he had not come into his own as a starting CB in the NFL. It also tells me that I have become spoiled with an amazing GM and coach that has assembled a secondary that has been built mostly from the depths of the draft.

When it was apparent Lane had suffered a serious injury in the super bowl, I knew we were in trouble.

Seattle wasn't able to stop Brady in the super bowl outside of the early interception in the red zone. No forced field goals, all touchdowns. A couple of those resulted in Tharold Simon being juked out of his cleats. If even one of those touchdowns had been a forced field goal it would have meant a tie game at best with Seattle going down the field and likely kicking the game winning field goal instead of throwing the game ending interception.

All this being said, it has become oh so apparent how important Byron Maxwell and Jeremy Lane are to this team moving forward.

Credit to Tom Brady, as he got it done and ultimately propelled the Patriots to the super bowl, no arguments from me on that. He was the MVP, that was the right decision.

However, a completely healthy Seahawks team wins that super bowl, and you will never change my mind on that.

NFSeahawks628":3ril8by3 said:

Since the sting of Super Bowl 49 has begun to ease up I find myself better able to reflect...

When it was apparent Lane had suffered a serious injury in the super bowl, I knew we were in trouble.

Click to expand...

Me, too. If you mean by "in trouble" that it got a lot tougher, I agree. I didn't think they were toast, but everyone knew the DB's were already dealing with injuries. Little did we know how severe to both Safeties.

Each player has their strengths and (yes) weaknesses. This team REALLY needed the strengths Lane would have brought throughout the game. I think we're all being a little too rough on Simon. He played pretty well on the outside. It's just that NE has the two scat receivers and they look to exploit teams like that. So, again, yes... losing Lane was huge.

The NFL has "Turning Point". Losing Lane was one. Obviously, the last Seahawks offensive play was another. After the post about Browner admitting to grabbing Kearses' shoulder, I took a look. I know things don't get called in those type situations (why, I don't know. Seems sort of unfair if there are 2 teams battling.)

But, like you said - I'm in a position to better reflect. I'm not going to do much more reflecting because it's not going to change anything. I'm not bitter and I'm not generally upset about officiating nor am I blaming officiating for losing this game. But, a couple of key "no-calls" definitely impacted the game. Yes, there were no-calls that impacted the Patriots as well. For example, that first punt probably should have been roughing not running into the kicker.

Browner could have (and perhaps should have) been called for something. Holding, illegal contact, whatever. What he did isn't allowed in the 5 yard rule. http://www.nfl.com/rulebook/useofhands "A defensive player may not contact an opponent above the shoulders with the palm of his hand except to ward him off on the line." "ward" means "push" (not pull or hold). Watch for yourself. (Cue 4:37 to 4:42) http://www.nfl.com/videos/nfl-films-sou ... ds-in-doom Can't say it's ticky-tacky. It's a rule for a reason. That's called all season in games. The officials were just "letting them play" - which is yet another reason YOU DON'T THROW THE BALL from INSIDE THE ONE YARD LINE in the Super Bowl with time, downs, beastmode, etc. Goodness. smh

Everyone says Kearse was jammed and I know the ball was intended for Lockette. But, after watching that play, Kearse was in the same area the ball was being thrown. So, whether our guys executed or not (they didn't), there was illegal contact and could have easily been a penalty. Perhaps the officials think that the contact happened AFTER the pass was intercepted. But, watch the tape. No way. That's why Browner is comfortable admitting it with the game over.

The other "Turning Point" was the 3rd and 14 with about 10 minutes left. Yeah, Lane might have helped there, too (if it even gets to that point with Lane in the game.) Watch the Patriots Center on that play "hook" his arm over Michael Bennett's shoulder in order to clear alley for Brady to step up and deliver that pass. Should have been 3rd and 24. I don't know how an official misses that, other than the score being 24-14 and "letting them play" to make the game more exciting. But, Bennett was absolutely owning them and it took THAT for the Patriots to convert the down and distance. They went on to score on that drive to make it 24-21.

Again, there were definitely "no-calls" on the Hawks as well. So, I'm not griping. (Besides, to gripe is to complain about something trivial. Impact plays in the Super Bowl are not trivial.) Just saying it would have been nice to be on the favorable side of those plays and - upon further review - I can see some things that didn't go our way. That's football, I guess.

Congrats to the Patriots. But, yeah... you're correct NFSea. It got a lot tougher without Lane. He's a good player in that slot.

The whole "letting them play" refs don't want to "decide the game" argument is really crap.

By "letting them play" and not calling fouls when committed, (either in football or basketball) the officials are helping decide the game.

The rules are there to allow for fair play. Swallowing your whistle or burying your flag does not allow for fair play and is factoring in deciding the game.

(I don't think this will work. Trying to post a video from Photobucket. Asking someone for help, so posting it here for them to see what I did.)

TeamoftheCentury":k8hnryc6 said:

(I don't think this will work. Trying to post a video from Photobucket. Asking someone for help, so posting it here for them to see what I did.)

Click to expand...

Works great and a much better look than what I had found:

(Third one down)

http://patspropaganda.com/post/10990091 ... l-win-over

Man, how did they miss THAT?

Great job!

SeahawksBMX":3ptq970m said:

TeamoftheCentury":3ptq970m said:

(I don't think this will work. Trying to post a video from Photobucket. Asking someone for help, so posting it here for them to see what I did.)

Click to expand...

Works great and a much better look than what I had found:

(Third one down)

http://patspropaganda.com/post/10990091 ... l-win-over

Man, how did they miss THAT?

Great job!

Click to expand...

I have no explanation for how they could miss that. Should have been in full and obvious view for the Umpire. It's in the center of the field and Brady moves right by them. If I didn't trust the NFL , I might just wonder if they chose to ignore it with the score and time ticking away to keep the game interesting for all the neutral fans.

If that's not blatant holding, I'd like someone to explain to me how it's not. If I'm wrong and have a misunderstanding with my interpretation of the rules, I might feel better about it because that was huge defining moment for momentum.