December 16, 2012 - 6:50 PM
TORONTO - Pete Carroll extended an olive branch to Chan Gailey on Sunday night.
The Seattle head coach apologized to his Buffalo counterpart for going ahead with a fake punt call long after the Seahawks had clinched a 50-17 win over the Bills at Rogers Centre.
Seattle lined up to punt on a fourth-and-three situation at the Buffalo 43-yard line in the fourth quarter. But instead of snapping the ball to punter Jon Ryan, a native of Regina, the Seahawks did a direct snap to upback Chris Maragos, who then handed the ball off to Michael Robinson.
Robinson rumbled 29 yards to the Buffalo 14, setting up a field goal that put Seattle ahead 50-17.
Carroll said he didn't apologize to Gailey when the two shook hands after the game but certainly did so when speaking with reporters afterwards.
"I feel bad about this," he said. "That was part of our gameplan.
"It was something I could have called up and I didn't. It was an automatic for us and I didn't do it. We're trying to make first downs so I let it go. It's unfortunate that it comes across that we're doing something wrong there. That's my fault totally for not stopping it from happening.''
When asked about the fake, Gailey offered no comment.
Added quarterback Ryan Fitzpatrick: "You guys can draw your own opinions from that. I just do not know if that is really my style.''
Bills receiver Stevie Johnson said he had no problem with the fake punt.
"They made the decision to do it and it worked, so you can't get mad at it," he said. "If we were to do it, I'd be happy, I'd be clapping my hands for our team.
"So I don't have anything against it."
News from © The Canadian Press, 2012