Super Bowl 49 lived up to the hype of potentially being one of the best Super Bowls in history. This game had it all: great defense, great offense, and memorable and controversial moments. The Patriots would go on to beat the Seahawks 28-24.
From the very beginning, you could tell that this game was going to be a close one. On the Patriots first drive, quarterback Tom Brady led them down the field into the red zone with relative ease against the Seahawks #1 ranked defense.
But they showed why they were the #1 defense all season picking off Tom Brady in the end zone to keep the score tied at 0-0.
Not to be outdone though, the Patriots defense showed that they too are elite shutting down Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson in the first quarter by holding him to 0 passing yards. At the end of the first quarter, the scored was tied 0-0.
The second quarter saw more offense than the first quarter did. The Patriots would start their scoring night as Brady found wide receiver Brandon Lafell open on a slant route in the endzone to give New England a 7-0 lead. But the Seahawks would answer right back scoring a touchdown 29 seconds later to tie the game at 7-7.
It was now time for Tom Brady to answer the call, and he did just that with precise passing and great play recognition down the field and on the 22 yard touchdown pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski with just 36 seconds left in the first half. At this point, it seems as if New England is going to take a 14-7 lead into the halftime show, but Seahawks head coach Pete Carroll and quarterback Russell Wilson had other plans as they miraculously made their way to the red zone with just 6 seconds left.
Conventional football wisdom would tell you that with 6 seconds left in the half the Seahawks would take the field goal due to the facts that if they run a play they may not even have enough time to kick a field goal and that they also get the ball to start the third quarter.
But Carroll risked it all going for the touchdown.
The third quarter belonged to Seattle. At the very beginning of the quarter, Russell Wilson once again went back to the well throwing the ball up to Chris Matthews who caught it over two Patriots defenders for a 45 yard catch that would set up an eventual 27 yard field goal by Seattle kicker Steven Hauschka to give the Seahawks their first lead of the game at 17-14.
Tom Brady had to answer a score by Seattle for the second time in this game, but unlike the first time he failed throwing his second interception to Seahawks middle linebacker Bobby Wagner.
On the ensuing drive, Seattle would march down the field and score on a touchdown pass from Russell Wilson to wide receiver Doug Baldwin to push Seattle’s lead to 24-14 with 5:00 minutes left in the third quarter. From there the defenses for both teams would really step up, forcing punt after punt for the majority of the rest of the game.
Down 24-14 in the fourth quarter of the Super Bowl is almost an impossible obstacle to overcome.
In fact, in the history of the Super Bowl, only twice has a team that has faced a 10 point deficit in the fourth quarter comeback and win the game. Add in the fact that the Patriots were going up against a defense that many people have said is one of the better defenses in the rich, long history of the NFL and that task is just about impossible.
With 10:58 left in the game, down by 10 points facing a third down and 14 yards to gain for the first down, Brady found wide receiver Julian Edelman for a 21 yard gain and a first down.
Again finding himself in a crucial third down scenario, this time with eight yards to go to get a first down, Brady found Edelman again for another 21 yard gain to put the Patriots at the four yard line.
At the four yard line, Brady would find wide receiver Danny Amendola in the back of the endzone for a touchdown to cut the Seahawks lead to 24-21 with 8:00 minutes left in the game.
Now the Patriots defense had all the pressure on them. If they forced a punt right away, they would be able to get the ball back into their star quarterback’s hands with an opportunity to take the lead in the Super Bowl.
The defense responded well to the challenge, forcing the Seahawks to punt the ball after just three plays.
With a shot to take the lead in the Super Bowl, Brady would come up clutch once again. He displayed his uncanny pre-snap awareness and his surgical passing ability as he drove 64 yards down the field to throw his fourth touchdown of the game to Julian Edelman from the three yard line and to take the lead 28-24 with just 2:02 left in the game.
Now it was Russell Wilson’s turn to comeback with the chance to be the ultimate hero in Seattle if he could lead his team down the field and score a touchdown.
He started out the drive well completing a 31 yard pass to Marshawn Lynch right before the two minute warning. After the two minute warning is when this game seemed to go into the Twilight Zone.
With 1:14 left in the game, Russell Wilson threw a deep pass to wide receiver Jermaine Kearse.
The ball deflected off of his hands, bounced off his leg, and he caught the ball before it could hit the ground at the five yard line.
Seattle would then give the ball to Lynch who gained four yards setting Seattle up with a second and goal situation with the time running down.
With 26 seconds left on the clock, Wilson hiked the ball and threw a pass that got intercepted by cornerback Malcolm Butler to seal the win for the Patriots.
This play was shrouded in controversy both during the game and in post game coverage due to the fact that they still had a timeout left as well as one of the best running backs in the NFL in their backfield, but yet still chose to throw the ball.
Head coach Pete Carroll took the majority of the blame for this as he is the one that called the play.
The win tied Tom Brady with legendary quarterbacks Terry Bradshaw and Joe Montana for the most Super Bowls in NFL history. During the game, Tom Brady passed Joe Montana for most career touchdowns in the Super Bowl with his last and game-winning touchdown.
The MVP of the Super Bowl was none other than Tom Brady who threw for 328 yards and four touchdowns as well as setting the record for most completions in a singular Super Bowl game at 37.
The Super Bowl MVP was the third of his illustrious career.
John Romando
Senior Sports Editor