That play was a staple, it was a double move. The pump fake was to sell the initial move. Had Ben not been hit, the ball at the very worst is incomplete. Wallace was passed the safety and even with the CB, and there aren't many CB's that are going to be able to keep up with Wallace on that route. Had it connected, it would have been a 90+ yard TD.
Yeah....no. The pump fake is what set up the free safety for the pick. The safety could move laterally and pick or (at worst for them) break up the ball. I don't know about a double move as the Steelers were in Ace personnel( 2-2-1) with 3 pass catchers running vertical routes and Heath running a deep out. Wallace was running the deep fade, if he did a double move it would do nothing as far as safety play and would be idiotic as it would just slow him down. If you are in Ace the strong safety will usually come down (and he did he was # 26) to help with the tight ends. So you had Spaeth, Heath, Ward, Wallace, Mendenhall(hence 2-2-1).
The free safety is not going to move over to the middle of the field...he is going to cheat to the side of the guy most likely to beat his man and who will probably be running a fade or a go from that formation....who would that be on that Steelers team? Yeah, Wallace.
So, Ben for whatever reason, and I credit this to nervousness more than anything else as he was experienced enough to know better at this point in his career, brain farts. While he is not the sharpest knife in the drawer I just can't believe he thought it would be a good idea to never take his eyes off Wallace.... PUMP FAKE....LOL....to that side off the field then throw it there. If his arm was never hit it wouldn't matter as the free safety saw this coming from a mile away. He was in position for the pick or to jack up Wallace and break it up. He stops moving laterally and comes in shallow seeing the ball is in lollipop mode. Ben helped MOVE him over there....the throw should have then gone to Hines in the middle. I think he just spaced out and got confused. The rest is history.
Sorry dude, you are just wrong. This pass/pick is part of Steeler fan mythology that I wrote about in another post:
1. Neil O'Donnell cost us SB 30 (Cory Holliday's fault)
2. Bill Cowher didn't want Ben in 2004.
3. This one...The pick six in SB 45 was not Ben's fault.
Wallace at the bottom, Hines in the slot, Spaeth next to hines and Heath up top. Strong safety(#26) down to help on slot side.
This is milliseconds after the pump fake...Ben never looks away from Wallace.
This is milliseconds after Ben's arm is hit. Free safety stops moving laterally and comes in shallow for the ball. He more than likely has the pick either way.....and that's because the opponent watches film too.
