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The Seattle Seahawks were unsuccessful in their bid to become the first back-to-back Super Bowl champions in a decade, squandering a 10-point lead and falling 28-24 on Sunday to the New England Patriots.
The thousands of 12th Men at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, watched heartbroken as New England cornerback Malcolm Butler intercept a Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left, securing the win for the Patriots.
The turnover occurred after one of the wildest catches in Super Bowl history, when Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse missed a deep pass from Wilson deep down the right sideline, then hauled in the bouncing ball — which still hadn’t touched the ground — while laying on his back at New England’s 5-yard line.
Two plays later, Seattle was at the 1-yard line, about to steal the game back and win its second consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophy. But Seahawks fans will undoubtedly question the decision by Seattle to throw the ball on second-and-goal rather than let Marshawn Lynch run it in.
Seattle’s offense came out flat in the first quarter, allowing New England’s offense to dominate early. But the Hawks’ lauded defense kept it close, making big plays against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s strong arm and smart decision-making.
It was just before halftime that the Seahawks turned on the jets, when Wilson orchestrated a 29-second, 80-yard drive on two long runs and two long passes to tie the game at 14 at the break. First-year receiver Chris Matthews, who hadn’t caught a pass in the NFL before Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIX, came out of nowhere to gain 55 yards on two receptions in the first half.
Seattle’s offense rolled in the third quarter, taking a 10-point lead on a Steven Hauschka field goal and a diving touchdown catch by receiver Doug Baldwin. With the offense purring and the defense running on all cylinders, it seemed the Seahawks engine was finally up to full speed.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner’s interception of Brady punctuated a dominant defensive performance in the third quarter. Defensive end Cliff Avril, however, went down with a concussion on the play and never returned to the field, and after the Seahawks had lost nickel cornerback Jeremy Lane in the first quarter, a deplete Seattle defense struggled down the stretch.
In the fourth quarter, Brady engineered an impressive comeback that earned him the game’s MVP award. New England surged from a 24-14 deficit and carved up Seattle’s lauded defense, while the Patriots’ own defense held Wilson, Lynch and the Seahawks at bay in the fourth quarter — until the final two minutes.
With the loss, Seattle is 1-2 in its three Super Bowl appearances, winning only last year’s lopsided contest against the Denver Broncos. Sunday’s loss in Super Bowl XLIX dashed the Seahawks hopes of becoming the NFL’s first back-to-back champs since the Patriots did it in 2004 and 2005, and squashed Seattle’s dreams of being considered the league’s newest dynasty.
Game photos: Super Bowl XLIX
Visit seattlepi.com for Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at 206-448-8125, nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.
Continue reading...
The thousands of 12th Men at University of Phoenix Stadium in Glendale, Arizona, watched heartbroken as New England cornerback Malcolm Butler intercept a Russell Wilson pass at the goal line with 20 seconds left, securing the win for the Patriots.
The turnover occurred after one of the wildest catches in Super Bowl history, when Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse missed a deep pass from Wilson deep down the right sideline, then hauled in the bouncing ball — which still hadn’t touched the ground — while laying on his back at New England’s 5-yard line.
Two plays later, Seattle was at the 1-yard line, about to steal the game back and win its second consecutive Vince Lombardi Trophy. But Seahawks fans will undoubtedly question the decision by Seattle to throw the ball on second-and-goal rather than let Marshawn Lynch run it in.
Seattle’s offense came out flat in the first quarter, allowing New England’s offense to dominate early. But the Hawks’ lauded defense kept it close, making big plays against Patriots quarterback Tom Brady’s strong arm and smart decision-making.
It was just before halftime that the Seahawks turned on the jets, when Wilson orchestrated a 29-second, 80-yard drive on two long runs and two long passes to tie the game at 14 at the break. First-year receiver Chris Matthews, who hadn’t caught a pass in the NFL before Sunday’s Super Bowl XLIX, came out of nowhere to gain 55 yards on two receptions in the first half.
Seattle’s offense rolled in the third quarter, taking a 10-point lead on a Steven Hauschka field goal and a diving touchdown catch by receiver Doug Baldwin. With the offense purring and the defense running on all cylinders, it seemed the Seahawks engine was finally up to full speed.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner’s interception of Brady punctuated a dominant defensive performance in the third quarter. Defensive end Cliff Avril, however, went down with a concussion on the play and never returned to the field, and after the Seahawks had lost nickel cornerback Jeremy Lane in the first quarter, a deplete Seattle defense struggled down the stretch.
In the fourth quarter, Brady engineered an impressive comeback that earned him the game’s MVP award. New England surged from a 24-14 deficit and carved up Seattle’s lauded defense, while the Patriots’ own defense held Wilson, Lynch and the Seahawks at bay in the fourth quarter — until the final two minutes.
With the loss, Seattle is 1-2 in its three Super Bowl appearances, winning only last year’s lopsided contest against the Denver Broncos. Sunday’s loss in Super Bowl XLIX dashed the Seahawks hopes of becoming the NFL’s first back-to-back champs since the Patriots did it in 2004 and 2005, and squashed Seattle’s dreams of being considered the league’s newest dynasty.
Game photos: Super Bowl XLIX
Visit seattlepi.com for Seattle Seahawks news. Contact sports editor Nick Eaton at 206-448-8125, nickeaton@seattlepi.com or @njeaton.
Continue reading...