RiverDog wrote:You should have been here when Anthony! was posting. He was such a Russell Wilson brown noser that he claimed that Russell had zero responsibility for that INT.
I like to think of it like Brock Huard said: If the bench sends in a skunk of a play, it's up to the quarterback to not let it stink.
I don't much agree with that myself depending on how long the QB has been doing it. Russ was in year three, was just coming off a Super Bowl win, and I think believed in Bevell and Pete absolutely. He executed he play exactly as called. Does he have zero blame? No. I think he telegraphed it a little too much.
I still put the primary blame on Bevell. He was the OC. He is paid to know his personnel. He also had unique insight into a key player on the Patriots sideline as he knew Browner well. He also knew Lockett well. You don't ask players to do something that has such a low percentage chance of working because those players have never done anything like that before. Lockett had never caught a TD in tight quarters and was known for having bad hands and questionable route running ability which is why he wasn't some high paid receiver given he was 6'1" with 4.2 speed. Lockett was basically DK Metcalf physically before DK came to Seattle. The reason he wasn't making DK Metcalf money is because he never developed much beyond being a physical freak of nature. And Kearse was never gonna pick Browner, the 6'4" 220 lb. CB who we watched block three people by himself on a punt return, beat up that Green Bay receiver, and single handedly break up a read option play against Carolina and tackle the ball carrier. If Browner wasn't overshadowed by his insanely talented teammates and Kam Chancellor specifically, people would have pointed out how much of a huge, physical freak he was playing CB. Bevell looked at Kearse and went, "You run a pick on Browner." I'm still surprised Carroll didn't say, "What? No. Do not run that play. No way Jermaine is picking Browner. I brought that kid in. He's too big and physical. Come up with something else."
I'm sure it was more of a bang, bang moment of get a pass play in, take a shot, let's start thinking about the next play we're going run with Marshawn. The rest is history.