Is Coach Carroll Really to Blame?

Pep talk at the beginning of Falconz practice. 

by MICHAEL RAMOS

With the game on the line, why in the hell didn't Marshawn Lynch get the ball less than three feet from the end zone? Giving "Beastmode" the ball was a no-brainer.

That's the common theme on Facebook, Twitter and everywhere else after the Seahawks lost to the Patriots. Instead of giving the ball to Seattle's bruising running back Lynch (who ran fairly well against New England), Seattle chose to pass the ball instead. But the subsequent pass by Russell Wilson was intercepted, costing the Seahawks the Super Bowl.

Now everyone wants to know why the play was called, some are even screaming for the Seahawks' Offensive Coordinator, Darrell Bevell, to be fired.

I gave up second guessing other coaches after I became a defensive coordinator. Once I started managing down and distance, substitution patterns, players' and coaches' tendencies, I realized that much more goes on than the average fan will ever see.

It's easy for everyone on the outside to say Lynch should've been handed the ball, and there's strong possibility it would've been successful. Personally, I have no problem with putting the ball into the hands of Russell Wilson. He's got a reputation for being great with the ball. But when plans fail, and fail miserably, people want answers, blood, or a combination of both. But in the midst of the angry mobs, Seattle coach Pete Carroll took center stage and claimed the decision was his. A classy move by a guy who's thinking long term.

Coach Carroll understands more than most that blame is irrelevant, because a bad decision can't be undone. That's why as soon as the backlash started, he got out in front of it. He told the world the fateful decision belonged to him, and him alone. He's doing what great coaches do, and that's taking a bullet for your team when they need it most.

Maybe he called the play, maybe he didn't, that point's irrelevant. Coach Carroll is doing what coaches are supposed to do, he's protecting his OC and his players. He knows the coach is kicking himself. Piling on won't help. By telling everyone, "This one's on me", he's picking up his guys, dusting them off, and getting them ready for another run next year. There's a good chance his decision to take the fall will pay off, Vegas has the Seahawks as the favorites to win next year's Super Bowl.

Rick, Falconz Head Coach, is a great coach to work with. He gives me autonomy to run the defense and personnel. I call plays based off of film study, game situation, but most importantly from the feedback of my assistant coaches. If I get bad information from them, and call a play that costs us the game, that's my fault. Everyone will know it, even Rick.

But he'd take the blame for me nonetheless.