Bill Belichick evasive when asked about decision-making in final minute vs. Seahawks
There were two moments in the final minute that significantly influenced the outcome of the New England Patriots’ 35-30 win over the Seattle Seahawks in Week 2.
The Patriots decided not to use their last timeout after Julian Edelman made a catch in bounds on the 13 yard-line with 36 seconds left in the game, so New England lost 23 seconds before they could run their next play. Despite letting that clock bleed, the Patriots found themselves on the 1-yard line with three seconds left, when they ran a play that had been their go-to option on the goal line through two games — but perhaps because of that, the Seahawks anticipated the play and stopped it for a loss and the win.
Coach Bill Belichick was asked why he decided not to take a timeout at the moment Edelman got the ball to the 13-yard line.
“Seattle called the timeout. I mean, what are you talking about?” Belichick asked.
The Seahawks called a timeout after the following play, a high incompletion to Edelman in the end zone. But the reporter reminded Belichick that 24 seconds (which included the 23-second run of clock and a 1-second play) of game clock which ran between Edelman’s catch and Seattle’s timeout, which came before N’Keal Harry’s 12-yard catch that got New England to the 1-yard line.
“Yeah, well. Yeah,” Belichick said before a long silence.
The coach did not elaborate past that on the timeout. He was only slightly more expansive when discussing his and offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels’ decision to give the ball to Newton on a quarterback keeper.
“It was about what you would think it would be,” Belichick said when asked about how he cam to that decision. “We had one play to score, and we tried to go with what we thought was our best play. What else is there to think about?”
The only thought that might trickle into Belichick or McDaniels’ mind is that play might be predictable — and therefore stoppable. But to that point in the season, New England had not seen the Seahawks (or the Miami Dolphins for that matter) stop the play. It seems Belichick didn’t think decision-making or execution were an issue.
“No, I said at the beginning that I think Seattle made a good play,” Belichick said. “I think I said that at the beginning of this.”
