Congrats to the Pats, Bevell blows it with bad call—the Monday Morning Realist
By Akiem Bailum

Every Monday morning, Section 215’s Akiem Bailum gives an in-depth and unfiltered look at all of the latest sports news in The Monday Morning Realist. You can follow Akiem on Twitter @AkiemBailum.
Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) celebrates with teammates after intercepting a pass against the Seattle Seahawks in the fourth quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-USA TODAY Sports
I admit, that it got to the point where my life is becoming so crazy where I missed the first half of the Super Bowl.
Which meant that I missed what was a 14-14 game heading into halftime. I tuned in just in time to see Katy Perry’s halftime show, but that is a column in itself.
Firstly, congratulations to the New England Patriots. This one had to feel good for them. With all of the stuff that they had to endure (and may still have to endure) as a result of the DeflateGate scandal, Bill Belichick and Tom Brady were playing with chips on their respective shoulders.
Seattle was probably one touchdown away from putting the game away for good with a 24-14 lead and all of the momentum midway through the third quarter, but even I was thinking while I was watching that game that Tom Brady is not to be counted out.
He’s now a 4-time champion for a reason and he showed why. And he got the MVP to boot.
The name Malcolm Butler is now a household name throughout the New England area. Of course, he was the one who came up with the game-winning interception with the Seahawks inside the one-yard line.
And, wasn’t he an undrafted rookie? Not a bad way to end a season if you are an undrafted rookie.
It also had to be gratifying for the Patriots given the last time they were in a Super Bowl in the Glendale/Phoenix area. Of course, that was when they were close to defeating the New York Giants, only to fall victim to the Eli Manning-David Tyree connection, leading to the eventual game winning pass from Manning to Plaxico Burress.
Earlier this season, the Patriots were blown out on national television by the Kansas City Chiefs by a final score of 41-14. Everyone and their mother were ripping on the Pats saying that they were done.
Everyone around the country began planning retirement parties for Brady as they were saying that father time was upon him as it has been upon many an NFL quarterback.
That changed in a hurry as Brady played the rest of this season like a man on a mission. From winning the AFC home field, to advancing to the Super Bowl to winning it, Brady’s still got it even in his 30s.
Ok, Realists. Now, here comes the fun part. That play call at the end of the game.
Huh? Come Again?
What was that all about, Seahawks?
For those that may not have seen it, with less than 30 seconds to go and needing a touchdown to go ahead to win the game. The Seahawks had forced second and goal from inside the one-yard line after a four yard run by Marshawn Lynch on the previous play.
Instead of pounding the rock again with Beast Mode (who only had 17 touchdowns this year to LEAD THE NFL) they decide to have Russell Wilson throw it, only to be intercepted by Malcolm Butler.
A half yard. One play call from offensive coordinator of the Seahawks Darrell Bevell. That was the difference between repeating as champions, and going back to the Emerald City with your tail tied between your legs.
Believe me, I feel for every Seahawks fan. After two plays prior to that dumb play call, Doug Baldwin came up with one of the best plays in Super Bowl history. Butler (yes, that same Malcolm Butler) had broken up a pass intended for Baldwin that he caught on the ground to put the Seahawks in position to win the game.
After the Lynch run, it should have been an easy call to feed the beast once more and let him be the hero that gives Seattle its second consecutive championship. That’s the equivalent of the Steelers being on the one-yard line to win a Super Bowl with Jerome Bettis (who recently was announced as a 2015 inductee into the Pro Football Hall of Fame) and having Ben Roethlisberger pass instead letting The Bus drive into the end zone.
Bill Cowher would have made the right call. Darrell Bevell and Pete Carroll (who did something similar while at USC to cost the Trojans a national championship against Texas a long time ago) apparently had Trojans flashbacks in that call.
Once again, congratulations to the New England Patriots on winning the Super Bowl. But, let’s be honest—Bevell giftwrapped the Lombardi Trophy for the Pats with that call. Even Seahawks players either tweeted or said in their postgame remarks that they too were disgusted with that call.
As for Lynch, who is in the midst of tense contract negotiations with Seattle—something tells me, Realists that Seahawks brass may know “why he’s here.”
They may also know why he may no longer be in the Emerald City.