I'll go against the grain and say it was NOT an idiotic play call, no matter what Chris Collinsworth and the other armchair quarterbacks might say. It was a great play call that went bad in the execution.
We've all seen touchdowns scored on that same play time and again... the quick slant to the slot receiver is a very high percentage play, usually good for 3-10 yards and if the safeties are playing the run, it can break the game open.
Patriots practiced that play on both sides of the ball. They've scored TD's and first downs with it multiple times. Butler recognized it and aggressively defensed it.
It was a good play call, could've easily gone the other way if any of a hundred tiny things had gone differently.
Big deal. I was busy all weekend moving house, I saw the last 5 minutes of the game with a cup of green tea and a bellyful of takeout Chinese. Life was--and is-- very, very good.
Armchair QBs aren't the only one calling it BAD.
But, since you don't care, it doesn't matter.
