LISTEN: Francesa Goes Off On 'Worst Big-Moment Call In The History Of Sports'
NEW YORK (WFAN) -- It was an unthinkable ending.
With the Seahawks trailing, 28-24, with 26 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday night, offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell called for a passing play on second down from New England's 1-yard line.
The result was disastrous. Malcolm Butler intercepted Russell Wilson's pass, and the Seahawks completely blew an opportunity to repeat as Super Bowl champions.
Many were left to wonder -- and are still wondering -- why Bevell and head coach Pete Carroll decided not to hand the ball off to running back Marshawn Lynch to seal the win. The decision to throw instead of run is already being derided by some as the worst play call of all time.
WFAN host Mike Francesa was among the legions of experts and fans who were both amazed and disgusted by the call.
"That wasn't one of the poorer play calls in the history of the Super Bowl," Francesa said on Monday. "And that wasn't a play that you can dissect in 10 or 20 different ways. That was the single worst big-moment call in the history of sports. That was the dumbest, most ridiculous, no excuse, no alibi, no reason to do what they did...
"It is inconceivable that they did what they did last night. I'm sorry, there's no excuse. There's no explanation. Pete's explanation was stupid. He tried to come up with one, he took the blame. Bevell's explanation made no sense. They were playing for the next down? What? ... This was a brain cramp."
It was the fourth Super Bowl title for quarterback Tom Brady, head coach Bill Belichick and the Patriots.
"If I live to be 200 I'll never see anything as dumb in my life," Francesa said. "Listen, sometimes there's just no explanation for just being dumb ... The Pats have capitulated! They are not calling timeout! ... They're figuring that Marshawn is gonna score on the next play anyway!
"...I would bet you my house they couldn't stop him twice, no less three times! I'm not even sure they'd stop him once! He almost scored from the 5 on the first down! Line up, power, block it, touchdown! He probably would go in backwards!"