Super Bowl XLIX recap
By David Song, February 5 2015 —
Titans clashed at the Super Bowl XLIX. Both the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots were the No. 1 seeds in their respective conferences, finishing the regular season with 12 wins and four losses each. Both teams fielded rosters with tremendous talent, from a powerful halfback nicknamed “Beast Mode” to a cagey cornerback known as “Revis Island.”
On Feb. 1, these athletes met in Glendale, Arizona, for a showdown every bit as exciting as advertised. More than 70,000 fans were in attendance as both squads charged onto the field at the University of Phoenix Stadium.
Defence ruled the first quarter, as both teams were forced to punt the football after unsuccessful opening drives. quarterback Tom Brady led his troops all the way to Seattle’s 10-yard line, but his throw on third down was intercepted by Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane.
The game remained scoreless until the second quarter when Brady capped off a long drive with an 11-yard touchdown pass to receiver Brandon LaFell.
Wilson responded with a 44-yard completion to the lanky Chris Matthews, which was followed by a three-yard touchdown run from Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch. By the end of the second quarter, both sides had scored an additional touchdown, first by the Patriots’ hulking tight-end Rob Gronkowski and then another clutch play by Matthews to make it 14–14.
Seattle opened up a 10-point lead early in the second half with a 27-yard field goal. They followed this up with a 50-yard touchdown drive after Brady’s pass was intercepted by linebacker Bobby Wagner. The score was 24–14 going into the fourth quarter, putting New England behind the eight ball against Seattle’s vaunted “legion of boom” defence.
The Patriots weren’t intimidated, putting up seven points with just over 12 minutes remaining in the game. Ten minutes later, Julian Edelman caught Brady’s pass in the end zone, creating a four-point lead for New England.
There was still time, however, for the Seahawks to come back with one big drive. During the final two minutes, wide receiver Jermaine Kearse made a spectacular catch inside the 10-yard line, giving the Seahawks the opportunity they needed.
One yard from the end zone, Seattle called what has become one of the most infamous plays in Super Bowl history. Instead of handing the ball to Lynch, known for his ability to score in short-yardage circumstances, Wilson threw a quick pass to Ricardo Lockette. Rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted the ball, giving New England possession with 20 seconds left on the clock.
Seattle’s fate was sealed. Their defence lashed out, instigating a pointless brawl that ended with linebacker Bruce Irvin being ejected. Inevitably, the clock ticked down, and the New England Patriots stood as victors of a Super Bowl to remember. Final score: 28–24.