Who should take the heat?



Super Bowl 2012- Marsmet543- flickr

In Super Bowl XLVI, there were many instances where the New England Patriots could have put the game away. The most crucial and controversial play in the Super Bowl was in the fourth quarter. Tom Brady, the quarterback for the Patriots, threw the ball behind a running Wes Welker. This resulted in Welker trying to make a difficult pass but in the end he dropped the pass. Welker, who caught 122 passes for 1,569 yards and nine touchdowns during the regular season, probably missed the most important catch of the season.

During the fourth quarter, the Patriots were leading 17- 15 with about four minutes remaining in the game. The Patriots were on their second down with 11 yards to go when Wes Welker ultimately dropped the ball. This incomplete pass then led to the New York Giants getting the ball with four minutes to get a touchdown. The blame may be all on Welker but Brady should be blamed just as much. (Click here to see the slow motion video of the play.) At the time of the play Brady had at least three more seconds to settle himself before making the throw which could have resulted in a more accurate pass. Also when the pass was finally made, Welker tried to spin in order to catch the ball but seems to misjudge the ball's speed and reach for it early which resulted in him losing control and dropping the ball.

This play could have made all the difference in whether the Giants won, but the blame should not all be entirely on Welker. Both Brady and Welker had faults on that play and should take the heat equally. If Brady took a bit more time to make the pass then Welker might catch the ball and if Welker tracks the ball correctly then maybe he could have made the play that lead in the Patriots to win the Super Bowl.