The Superbowl is referred to as the greatest show on earth, and if there was ever a time to ask yourself why, just take a moment to sit down and watch Superbowl XLIX. University of Phoenix Stadium played to the unique spectacle on Sunday evening as the AFC Champions, New England Patriots face up against the NFC Champions and defending Superbowl Champions, Seattle Seahawks. It was billed as one of the great match-ups in the sport’s history with incredibly talented teams going head to head, and it certainly did not disappoint. On top of that, the world famous half-time show saw Katy Perry take to the stage with some help from Lenny Kravitz, Missy Elliott and some spectacular choreography.
The teams came into the game with Seattle boasting one of the great defences the league has seen in recent history, an ability to stop offences in a passing-league that favours offence.
Up against them was a New England team with Tom Brady, one of the all-time great quarterbacks looking to further his legacy with a fourth Superbowl victory. Furthermore, the Patriots were looking to avenge two Superbowl losses, both of which came against the New York Giants, in 2007 and 2011. Fate would have it that the location, University of Phoenix Stadium, was the venue for Superbowl XLII, where the Patriots lost that dramatic 2007 championship to the Giants, having gone unbeaten in the season. Their match against the Seahawks was their chance to avenge those defeats, and speaking prior to the game Brady made his feeling clear stating that “there is no game I want to win more than this one”.
And what a game it proved to be, in a match-up that was full of superstars, from Tom Brady to Russell Wilson, from Marshawn Lynch to Rob Gronkowski, from Richard Sherman to Darrelle Revis, the Superbowl gave us some unlikely stories. As the Seahawks put a number of impressive drives together, their main target became Chris Matthews, an undrafted free-agent who made his first ever career reception and first ever touchdown in the Superbowl.
A man who was signed by the Cleveland Browns before being cut and taking a job at Foot Locker when he received the call to try-out for the Seahawks; the most unlikely of stories. Just when it seemed the Matthews’ big plays would help carry the Seahawks to back-to-back Superbowl titles, the pendulum swung once again.
Tom Brady produced two of his signature drives in the fourth quarter to recover from a 10 point deficit and gift his team a 28-24 lead.
It was then that the ghost of David Tyree seemed to re-appear at University of Phoenix Stadium. Back at the 2007 season Superbowl when the Patriots were a game away from an undefeated season, Tyree made one of the most famous catches in history as he caught the ball on his helmet in the drive that would eventually secure the winning touchdown for the Giants. This time around it was Jermaine Kearse who caught a deep throw by Russell Wilson in the most incredible fashion, the ball bobbling off every one of his body parts before somehow falling back into his arms as he landed on his back. As Brady looked up at the replay on the giant screen, his face seemed to say, “not again”.
Incredibly, as if the football gods owed him one, on the one-yard-line, the Seahawks decided not to run the ball with Marshawn Lynch, arguably the best back in the NFL, instead they threw and there, another magical Superbowl story was born.
Malcolm Butler, an undrafted rookie came up with the game-winning interception. The play will be discussed over and over again, but one can’t help but feel that somebody was looking down at Brady ensuring it didn’t happen again. It was a game for the ages, one of the greatest Superbowl’s in recent history and one that helped Brady make history as he tied Joe Montana for Superbowl victories with four.
