The Seahawks ran one of the weirdest plays of the year in Sunday’s loss to the 49ers, a play on which running back DeeJay Dallas took the snap and promptly threw an interception. Seahawks coach Pete Carroll’s explanation of the play won’t do much to satisfy Seahawks fans.
Carroll said he could see before the play that the 49ers’ defense lined up properly against the Seahawks’ strange alignment with quarterback Geno Smith at wide receiver and having four running backs on the field. Carroll said that he should have called timeout to call off the trick play, but he didn’t, and Dallas proceeded to make a terrible decision and practically gift the ball to the 49ers.
“He threw the ball right to their guy. I wish I had called timeout. I should have,” Carroll said. “It was a really cool play to call and give a shot to, but it asked a lot. In that situation, I wish I would have got us out of it.”
Carroll said he blames himself for allowing the Seahawks to snap the ball even though the 49ers appeared ready for it.
“I had a chance, I was right there looking at it, and I just needed to get it done and I didn’t,” he said.
Still, Carroll defended the play itself, saying that there have been teams that ran it successfully.
“It’s been around. It’s not a new play,” Carroll said.
It may not be a new play, but it’s probably safe to say it will never again appear in Carroll’s game plan.