The New England Patriots won Super Bowl XLIX when Malcolm Butler picked off Russell Wilson at the goal line with 20 seconds left in the game. Seattle coughed up a 10 point lead with 10 minutes left in the game, but still drove down the field to get to the goal line after the two-minute warning. And then the Seahawks called a pass play at the half-yard line.

Malcolm Butler made the play of the game to save the Patriots season. (Courtesy of SB Nation)

Running back Marshawn Lynch carried the ball from the five yard line to the half yard line to give the Seahawks a second and goal; it looked like Seattle was going to complete the comeback. But then the Seahawks ran a pick-play to Ricardo Lockette that was picked off by Butler, after he bumped Lockette out of the way. Passing the ball in that situation is inexcusable when you have Lynch and Wilson in the backfield — two extremely dangerous runners. It cost the Seahawks their second straight Super Bowl.

Seattle ended up in the red zone when Jermaine Kearse made a circus catch at the seven yard line. Butler tipped the pass away and somehow Kearse got his hands the ball then managed to pull the pass into his chest.

New England took the lead after Tom Brady drove the Patriots down the field for the (what turned out to be) the game winning touchdown. Brady found Julian Edelman wide open in the end zone after the Seahawks’ defensive coverage broke down while trying to generate pressure on Brady. The touchdown capped a 10 play, 64 yard drive that took 4:15 off of the game clock.  Edelman’s touchdown also capped a 10 point comeback that gave the Patriots the win.

Seattle’s defense struggled in the fourth quarter to stop New England’s offense throughout the fourth quarter. As the Patriots scored 14 unanswered points in the fourth quarter, including two touchdown passes from Brady — who had struggled against the Legion of Boom for the majority game. The Seahawks struggled to get to Brady throughout the remaining quarter, as the 37-year old quarterback was able to get rid of the ball in a hurry to drive his offense down the field.

The collapse came after the Seahawks outright dominated the Patriots for 25 minutes during the second and third quarter. Seattle had scored 17-unanswered points during that period to take a 24-14 lead heading into the final quarter, unfortunately they couldn’t hold on.

It was a fantastic football game that the Seahawks came out on the wrong side of it.

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