Pete Carroll defends questionable decisions in loss to Atlanta Falcons
SEATTLE — Seahawks coach Pete Carroll defended his decision to call a fake field goal at the end of the first half of his team’s 34-31 loss to the Atlanta Falcons on Monday night, saying it was a chance “to make a big play.”
Seattle, trailing 24-17 with seven seconds left in the second quarter, lined up for a 34-yard attempt, but holder Jon Ryan made a quick shovel pass to tight end Luke Willson in hopes Willson could either score a touchdown, or pick up a first down and get out of bounds.
Neither happened, as Falcons defensive tackle Grady Jarrett tackled Willson 4 yards behind the line of scrimmage.
“It would have been a really good call if we would have made it,” Carroll said. “It was a terrific opportunity, right where we wanted it. The defensive tackle made a better play. He wasn’t supposed to be there.”
But that wasn’t Carroll’s only baffling decision.
He also threw his challenge flag to review a pass to Doug Baldwin that was ruled incomplete. Baldwin argued for the challenge and was backed up by the CenturyLink Field crowd, but replays clearly showed the tip of the ball hitting the turf.
The Seahawks lost a timeout when the on-field ruling of an incomplete pass was confirmed.
“Doug and I have been through this for years, and he’d been right a bunch of times,” Carroll said. “The ball may have touched the ground, but he knew he had secured it. That’s what he said, and I believe him. I trust him.”