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Super Bowl XLIX: Simulating the game-winning play with Madden NFL 15

Football fans have heard the hot takes all week. Why didn't coach Pete Carroll run the ball with the ball on the 1-yard line with the game on the line? Today, Shacknews turns to Madden NFL 15 and runs the exact simulation to analyze whether a hand-off to Marshawn Lynch was, in fact, the right move.

Shack Staff

February 3, 2015 5:00 PM

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Football fans that watched Super Bowl XLIX on Sunday are likely still asking themselves why Seattle Seahawks coach Pete Carroll didn't run the ball at the goal line in the waning seconds of the game. There's been analysis from across the entire sports world, with sites like ESPN, Deadspin, and Grantland all offering various stats and educated guesses on whether a running play would have gotten the Seahawks the crucial touchdown they needed.

Today, Shacknews turns to the gaming world's resource on such matters: Madden NFL. It was previously noted that the official Madden simulation was spot on in predicting the final score. Now we turn to Madden to see if a running play would, in fact, have worked to put the Seahawks ahead in the final seconds.

The Shacknews video crew set up the exact scenario from Sunday night and ran the simulation several times, attempting both passing and rushing plays. Does one work over the other? Watch the video below to find out.

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Shack Staff

Shack Staff stories are a collective effort with multiple staff members contributing. Many of our lists often involve entires from several editors, and our weekly Shack Chat is something we all contribute to as a group.