After watching the post-game commentary after the Big Game, it appears that many commentators may have been suffering from Hindsight Bias.
Numerous “experts” claimed that the decision by the Seattle Seahawks to throw the ball on the 1-yard line was the “Worst Call in S.B. History.”
However, when trying to score from the 1-yard line, in the NFL there is a higher success rate when passing the ball! (At least for this 2014 season).
With a better throw (aimed at the receiver’s back-shoulder), or a more aggressive receiver (aggressively went for the ball), the Seahawks would have won the game on the slant pattern.
Was it the correct call? From a statistical standpoint, perhaps. Of course, one needs to factor in Marshawn Lynch “Beast Mode” capabilities…
We’ll never know the answer, but things are sometimes more complex than advertised.
About the Author: Jack Vogel, PhD
—
Important Disclosures
For informational and educational purposes only and should not be construed as specific investment, accounting, legal, or tax advice. Certain information is deemed to be reliable, but its accuracy and completeness cannot be guaranteed. Third party information may become outdated or otherwise superseded without notice. Neither the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) nor any other federal or state agency has approved, determined the accuracy, or confirmed the adequacy of this article.
The views and opinions expressed herein are those of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of Alpha Architect, its affiliates or its employees. Our full disclosures are available here. Definitions of common statistics used in our analysis are available here (towards the bottom).
Join thousands of other readers and subscribe to our blog.