One call by the Seattle Seahawks kept them from winning back-to-back Super Bowls and instead turned Malcolm Butler into a hero and Tom Brady into a legend.
The Seahawks were a yard away from what would have likely been a winning touchdown that would have given them back-to-back Super Bowl titles. Instead it was the Patriots who were celebrating after a 28-24 victory in Super Bowl XLIX.
Seattle led 24-14 with just under eight minutes to play in the game before Brady rallied the Patriots back into the lead. Brady, who was the game’s MVP and finished with four TD passes, hit Danny Amendola to make it 24-21 with 7:55 to go and then threw a three-yard TD pass to Julian Edelman with 2:02 to go to put the Patriots in front 28-24.
The Seahawks zipped down the field to end the first half, covering 80 yards in five plays and 29 seconds, so a little over two minutes was an eternity. Seattle moved down field and after a circus catch by Jermaine Kearse, Seattle had the ball at the five and looked like it was in position to at least tie the game and possibly take the lead.
Marshawn Lynch ran for four yards down to the one, setting up a second and goal from the one. From there you figure it’s Lynch three times and if you don’t get a yard you don’t deserve to win, instead Seattle passed and it was a decision that cost them the game.
Lynch ran 24 times for 102 yards and a TD but he never got a chance for yard 103 and TD number two. Seattle quarterback Russell Wilson tried to hit Ricardo Lockette on a slant off a pick play but Butler, a rookie, never gave Seattle anyone to pick. He played off Lockette and read the play from a couple yards deep in the end zone. Butler’s break on the ball was perfectly timed and he beat Lockette to the spot for one of the biggest interceptions in Super Bowl history.
“I just had a vision that I was going to make a big play and it came true,” Butler said. “I’m just blessed. I can’t explain it right now. It’s crazy.”
The pick by Butler, an undrafted rookie from West Alabama, wrapped up Super Bowl title number four for the Brady-Bill Belichick combo and improved Brady’s Super Bowl record to 4-2. He joins his boyhood idol Joe Montana and Terry Bradshaw as the only quarterbacks with four Super Bowl victories.
With the Patriots run game stymied by the Seahawks defense, Brady had to take over the offense. He completed surpassed Joe Montana’s mark of 11 Super Bowl touchdown passes and finished with 328 yards and four TD passes, overcoming two costly interceptions.
Wilson got off to a slow start but heated up to help the Seahawks take control and a 24-14 lead with a three-yard TD pass to Doug Baldwin with 4:54 left in the third quarter. Wilson was 12-of-21 for 247 yards and two TD passes but had one costly, costly interception on a play call Seattle would love to have back.
