Loose Talk: The Editors’ Take
Dynasties are truly special—just ask the 1960s Boston Celtics, the 1980s San Francisco 49ers or the 1990s Chicago Bulls. Many things have to go right for them to occur. Teams have to keep their essential components together throughout their run and hope for their players’ health. This usually involves keeping their head coach and leaders in town for the long haul.
After an interesting halftime performance by Katy Perry featuring a lion (or was it a tiger?) and rhythmically challenged sharks, the Seahawks played their best quarter.
You can add another team to the list above: the 2000 and 2010s New England Patriots. With their three championships from earlier in the century (2001, 2003 and 2004) and most recently, their 28-24 victory over the Seattle Seahawks Sunday, they have a convincing argument to make for being the next dynasty.
The game was a classic. With the top seeds from the AFC and NFC, it lived up to its expectations. Vegas had the final line at kickoff being Patriots (-1). In other words, New England was one point favorites, which means next to nothing in a game scored in threes and sevens. The game itself delivered, turning out to be one that will not be forgotten anytime soon in New England, Seattle or the world.
After a scoreless first quarter, which prompted the NBC announcer to describe it as head coaches Pete Carroll and Bill Belichick “feeling each other out,” the scoring exploded in the second. The Patriots quarterback Tom Brady drew the first blood with a slant to wide receiver Brandon LaFell. The Seahawks came back just before the two-minute warning with a Marshawn Lynch driven score. Tied at 7-7 and with less than a minute left in the half, Brady found an advantage with tight end Rob Gronkowski lined up against linebacker K.J. Wright. Brady exploited this mismatch with a high-arcing spiral to Gronkowski in the end zone for a touchdown to put the Patriots up 14-7.
The Seahawks got the ball back with 31 seconds left and proceeded to march down to the 11 yard-line with six seconds remaining on the clock. Then came perhaps the gutsiest call of the evening. Instead of taking the sure points with a field goal, Seattle coach Pete Carroll opted to risk the points and go for a touchdown. He called for back shoulder throw to rookie receiver Chris Matthews, who had his first NFL reception earlier that game. With New England playing soft coverage instead of press coverage, it was an easy throw and catch for quarterback Russell Wilson and Matthews. That play tied up the game, now 14-14 going into halftime.
After an interesting halftime performance by Katy Perry featuring a lion (or was it a tiger?) and rhythmically challenged sharks, the Seahawks played their best quarter. They got their first lead of the game following a Steven Hauschka field goal. Another Wilson touchdown pass, this time to Doug Baldwin, increased Seattle’s lead to ten going into the fourth. No team in Super Bowl history had erased a double-digit deficit and won—an 0-29 all-time precedence for the Patriots to overcome. The Seahawks win probability was even 96.5 percent at one point. All hope of a fourth ring for Brady and Belichick seemed to be gone.
But one can never give up on arguably the greatest quarterback-head coach duo of all time. On their second possession of the quarter, the Patriots stormed down the field and scored thanks to a Danny Amendola touchdown grab. It was now a three point game; New England was back in it.
After Seattle had a three and out on their next possession, a questionably concussed Julian Edelman scored to give the Pats a 28-24 lead with 2:02 left in the game. With more than enough time for a miraculous game-winning drive, one could only help but wonder if Seattle would capitalize on the opportunity.
Needing a touchdown to take the lead, Wilson hit two receivers for 42 yards in the first four plays of the drive. This set Seattle up with a first and ten from the New England 38 yard line. Then Wilson threw a deep bomb to Jeremy Kearse. Kearse and New England cornerback Malcolm Butler both lept for the ball, and it was deflected into the air. Then Kearse did the unbelievable, hauling in a bobbling catch while on his back to give the Seahawks a first down on the Pats’ five yard line. Haunting memories of David Tyree and Mario Manningham from Super Bowls past ran through the minds of Patriots fans all over the nation as screams could be heard across New England.
Surely, the Seahawks would score with Marshawn “Beast Mode” Lynch in the backfield. It seemed nearly certain when he rushed to the one yard line on first down. Then Carroll made a decision that will be questioned by Seattle faithful for years. He concocted a quick slant from Wilson to Ricardo Lockette. This pass was intercepted by Malcolm Butler after a beautiful read on his part, thus practically sealing the victory for the Patriots. Shouts of joy rang across New England even when the Seahawks instigated a fight on the next play. The dynasty was cemented and will continue to live on so long as Brady and Belichick stay in Foxboro.