New England Patriots Take Home the Super Bowl after Seattle Chokes

Super Bowl XLIX logo
Credit: NFL

Super Bowl XLIX logo Credit: NFL

John Lisankie, Staff Writer

For the fourth time in fourteen years, Tom Brady and Bill Belichick have stood together at the top of professional football, a nearly unstoppable force in the time that they have been together on the New England Patriots, quarterback and coach.

They defeated the Seattle Seahawks on February 1st, 2015, by a score of 28-24 in one of the most competitive championship games the world has seen in quite a while. Seattle had been looking to becoming the first team since the Patriots to win consecutive Super Bowls.

For the entirety of the game, the two teams were evenly matched, so much so that the number of viewers that tuned in to watch the game was the highest ever, beating last year’s game. This year’s matchup drew in 114.4 million viewers—2.9 million more viewers than the previous record holding Super Bowl match.

Scoreless after the first quarter, both offenses came out onto the field ready to win in the second quarter. Tom Brady and the Patriots were the first to score in the second quarter when Brady threw an 11-yard-touchdown pass to Brandon LaFell.

With two minutes left in the second half, the Seahawks’ star running back, Marshawn Lynch ran into the endzone with a three yard run. Steve Hauschka kicked the extra point to tying up the game up at seven apiece.

With 31 seconds remaining in the half, at the completion of an eight play, eighty yard drive, New England was in the endzone again, Tom Brady having found his star tight end Rob Gronkowski for the twenty-two yard touchdown pass.

In this game, Tom Brady also broke Joe Montana’s record for most Super Bowl touchdowns, with Brady having 13 at the end of the game.

Following the Patriots’ quick surge down the field, it looked like they would be leading the game at halftime when Katy Perry would take the field. However, the Seahawks were not going down without a fight.

From ESPN, “A dormant offense turned dangerous in a span of 29 seconds, covering 80 yards in five plays, including a late gamble. Lockette caught a 23-yard pass and Arrington was flagged for a facemask, putting Seattle at the 10 with :06 remaining. Carroll went for it and the new Seahawks star, Matthews, grabbed Wilson’s pass in the left corner of the end zone.”

At long last the half was over, and it was time for Katy Perry to take the field and perform along with special guests Lenny Kravitz and Missy Elliott.

Per Sports Illustrated, her setlist included “Roar,” “Dark Horse,” “I Kissed a Girl” featuring Lenny Kravitz, “Teenage Dream,” “California Gurls,” “Get Ur Freak On” by Missy Elliott, “Work It” by Missy Elliott, “Lose Control” by Missy Elliott, and “Firework.”

Following her memorable performance, it was once again time for the Seahawks and Patriots to regain control of the field. With 11 minutes remaining in the third quarter, Hauschka kicked a 22 yard field goal to take a three point lead. Eight minutes later, with three minutes remaining in the quarter, Russell Wilson threw a three yard touchdown pass to Doug Baldwin following an interception thrown by Brady six plays earlier.

However, down by ten at the beginning of the fourth quarter, the Patriots took control. Danny Amendola quickly caught a five yard touchdown pass from Tom Brady.

From JSOnline, “Edelman came across the middle to make a catch for 21 on third and 14. A 10-yard flat pass to Vereen ended with a 15-yard penalty on Earl Thomas for a late hit out of bounds. On third and 8, Brady stepped up and hit Edelman, who broke free inside for 20. After missing a wide-open Edelman on first and goal, Brady found Amendola in the back of the end zone for the TD with SS Kam Chancellor in coverage.”

Following a dramatic New England touchdown five minutes later, the Seahawks had the ball with two minutes remaining and were able to get it down to the one yard line. However, with their star running back, Marshawn Lynch on the field, Pete Carroll, the Seahawks coach, chose to throw the ball instead. On the one yard line. It was intercepted by the Patriots’ Malcolm Butler, and Carroll’s play call will long be referred to as one of the worst calls in sports history.


Tom Brady won his fourth Super Bowl and third Super Bowl MVP, getting his name in the record books as the greatest quarterback in NFL history.