Bill Belichick explains not calling timeout at end of Super Bowl
New England Patriots head coach Bill Belichick said he changed his mind about whether to call a timeout in the closing seconds of Super Bowl XLIX.
After New England scored with 2:02 left in the game to take a 28-24 lead, the Seattle Seahawks drove 79 yards to the one-yard-line after a 33-yard reception by Jermaine Kearse and a four-yard run by Marshawn Lynch.
"We put our goal-line defense in probably around the same time they were sending in their multiple receiver group, and that's kind of what we wanted to be in there, to make sure they didn't run the ball in," Belichick said on WEEI.com.
On the next play, Russell Wilson threw a slant pass intended for wide receiver Ricardo Lockette that was intercepted by Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler to seal the game.
KING: Who should take blame for Seahawks' final play?
Belichick said that he thought the Seahawks would run the ball against New England's defense -- which was drawn up to stop the run -- but that the Patriots quickly adjusted when they saw Seattle lined up with three wide receivers. The Patriots sent Butler in for linebacker Akeem Ayers just before Seattle snapped the ball.
"We saw that matchup and we certainly gave some consideration to taking a timeout there and leaving some time on the clock. I don't know if that would have been a bad thing to do. It might have been a good thing to do," Belichick said. "But it just seemed like -- in the flow of the game- that we were OK with where we were."
Belichick also said that Seattle's final play call shouldn't be criticized.
"That football team is very good, very well-coached, and Pete does a great job," he said.
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