Super Bowl XLIX prediction thread

[Double Barrel]

That's true but you have to consider the makeup of the team as well. You've got a 1st round superstar RB behind an OL built "the way the Texans should have done it" with 2 1sts and 2 2nds v. an undrafted WR who in 4 years in the league hasn't totalled 400 yds.

That's classic Pete Carroll to screw up the obvious call that plays to your team's strengths.

He did the same type of over-thinking in the 2006 Rose Bowl that could have been his third national championship in a row.

 

[Playoffs]

Not hearing much about it, but that game-plan by Belichick was fantastic.

From the very first play of the game where he split Gronk out way wide to see who walked out to cover him -- LB/inside leverage -- that gave him the look he used for their second TD pass 41 plays later...

To the contain/man defense forcing Wilson and WRs to beat them, to holding Lynch to 3 plays of >5 yards rushing, to spreading the offense out and running clearing concepts, to attacking the replacement CB.

Outside of the end of half fail by Patricia when he went 4-3 prevent and SEA scored a crushing TD -- for which Belichick was in Patricia's ear about -- this was great game-planning against a better roster. BB wanted to speed up the clock and they did. Their playcalling patience on offense was commendable. This was a test of wills, and in the end Carroll blinked.

And preparation... Malcolm Brown knew what to look for because his coaches prepared him/Browner knowing SEA tendencies. Great game planning, great preparation, great execution, great play by both QBs, but at the end of the day...

Bill Belichick has 6 Super Bowl rings.

 

[Ryan]

Hail Hydra

 

[gary]

It's tough but I wouldn't be too worried about it. Good teams get back to the big game eventually and won't make the same mistake again I bet.

 

[ChampionTexan]

Yeah when I saw the replay his foot was outside the goal line while his other foot was in the end zone when he intercepted the ball. Don't know what the rule is there if he would have taken a knee.

The rule is that if you're in the endzone when you intercept the ball or your momentum carries you into the endzone, then it's a touchback and your team gets the ball at the 20. If you intercept the ball outside of the endzone, and enter the endzone under your own power/control, and are tackled or take a knee, it's a safety.

While it clearly looked like Butler could have taken a knee in the endzone without risk, my guess is he simply wasn't certain it would be a touchback and took the better safe than sorry route. For a rookie who went from barely making the team to spectacularly pulling that team's giblets out of the fire, it's pretty understandable if he in fact wasn't 100 percent sure of things just then.

 

[HOU-TEX]

It was a boneheaded call. The wife went off on a rant that left me with nothing to say. She likes football, but doesn't know much about the X's and O's part of the game. It was obvious to her at the snap of the ball.

Defensively, Butler made a great play on the ball. However, I think Browner made the play possible by jamming Kearse and keeping Butler clean

 

[banned1976]

By the same token, if the Seahawks had scored on that play NOBODY would have asked why didn't they hand it off to Lynch.

Game of inches, man, and mistakes are always second-guessed.

If they would have asked and Carroll would have gave them the same reasoning for that play call that he did last night people would have said he got away with one. He even admitted to not having the right personnel on that play for it to be successful. Steve Young was astounded by that excuse and so was I.

That play was Stagger Lee stupid and for one shining moment Pete Carroll went full on Jerry Glanville.

 

[Marcus]

That play was Stagger Lee stupid and for one shining moment Pete Carroll went full on Jerry Glanville.

Jeez . . I could have really done without something happening in the game that would have reminded me of the good ole Stagger Lee.

It's a disease, I tell ya.

 

[Playoffs]

And preparation... Malcolm Brown knew what to look for because his coaches prepared him/Browner knowing SEA tendencies. ...

They called goal line three CBs... They should be running the ball, but I'm a pass defender so I'm thinking pass.

At practice this week the scout team ran that play and I got beat on it and Bill told me I had to be on that. And memorization came through and I just jumped the route, I just did my job.

--Malcolm Butler on Mike & Mike

 

[thunderkyss]

At practice this week the scout team ran that play and I got beat on it and Bill told me I had to be on that. And memorization came through and I just jumped the route, I just did my job.

--Malcolm Butler on Mike & Mike

That was surprising to me. This guy was second team at best before the Super Bowl & Bill is getting on him about missing a play.


I understand that we should expect our coaches to do that, work with the players. But this is Belicheck & this is UDFA nobody.

It impressed the heck out of me to hear him say that.

 

[ObsiWan]

It was such a great game,

Shame it turned into a "Seattle lost it" vs. New England won at the end.

Man, that catch...

I wonder if he had enough time to make a lunge for the endzone? Nobody really touched him after he finally made the catch....

 

[Runner]

I wonder if he had enough time to make a lunge for the endzone? Nobody really touched him after he finally made the catch....

I checked that out on replay. Kearse got up and tried to go to the end zone, but Butler had gotten up too and tackled him. If Butler had assumed an incompletion and not finished the play, he could have walked in.

 

[steelbtexan]

That was surprising to me. This guy was second team at best before the Super Bowl & Bill is getting on him about missing a play.


I understand that we should expect our coaches to do that, work with the players. But this is Belicheck & this is UDFA nobody.

It impressed the heck out of me to hear him say that.

Wonder if Kubiak did that?

Seeing as how the rookies failed to develop under his leadership I have my doubts.

 

[infantrycak]

Wonder if Kubiak did that?

Seeing as how the rookies failed to develop under his leadership I have my doubts.

Really, offensive rookies/players failed to develop under Kubiak?

 

[Playoffs]

That was surprising to me. This guy was second team at best before the Super Bowl & Bill is getting on him about missing a play...

Why? He was going to be active for the game. BB coached him up.

I understand that we should expect our coaches to do that, work with the players. But this is Belicheck & this is UDFA nobody...

Obsessive attention to detail.

Ch. 4

是故勝兵先勝而後求戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。
Victorious warriors win first and then go to war, while defeated warriors go to war first and then seek to win.

是故勝兵先勝而後求戰，敗兵先戰而後求勝。
Thus it is that in war the victorious strategist only seeks battle after the victory has been won, whereas he who is destined to defeat first fights and afterwards looks for victory.

Or just, "Every battle is won or lost before it's ever fought." -- Sun Tzu, The Art of War

 

[infantrycak]

Why? He was going to be active for the game. BB coached him up.

Yeah, it shouldn't exactly be shocking that guys in new roles get extra attention.

 

[thunderkyss]

Wonder if Kubiak did that?

Seeing as how the rookies failed to develop under his leadership I have my doubts.

Off the top of my head, I'd imagine the Patriots have more FAs than drafted players on their Championship team. Can't think of many "rookies" that developed under Belichick.

But no... Kubiak ignored that side of the ball.

 

[steelbtexan]

Off the top of my head, I'd imagine the Patriots have more FAs than drafted players on their Championship team. Can't think of many "rookies" that developed under Belichick.

But no... Kubiak ignored that side of the ball.

^^^^
This

 

[Double Barrel]

Can't think of many "rookies" that developed under Belichick.

Seriously?

NEW ENGLAND

Offense

QB Tom Brady
College: Michigan
Draft status: 6th round, 2000

RB Shane Vereen
College: California
Draft status: 2nd round, 2011

WR Julian Edelman
College: Kent State
Draft status: 7th round, 2009 (college QB)

WR Brandon LaFell
College: LSU
Draft status: 3rd round, 2010 by Carolina (signed as free agent in 2014)

TE Rob Gronkowski
College: Arizona
Draft status: 2nd round, 2010

TE Michael Hoomanawanui
College: Illinois
Draft status: 5th round, 2010 by St. Louis (cut by Rams in 2012 and signed by Patriots)

LT Nate Solder
College: Colorado
Draft status: 1st round (17th overall), 2011

LG Dan Connolly
College: Southeast Missouri State
Draft status: Signed as undrafted free agent by Jacksonville in 2005 (cut by Jaguars in 2007 and signed by Patriots)

C Bryan Stork
College: Florida State
Draft status: 4th round, 2014

RG Ryan Wendell
College: Fresno State
Draft status: Signed as undrafted free agent by New England in 2008

RT Sebastian Vollmer
College: Houston
Draft status: 2nd round, 2009

Defense

LE Rob Ninkovich
College: Purdue
Draft status: 5th round, 2006 by New Orleans (cut by Saints that season and signed by Miami; cut by Miami in 2008 and re-signed by New Orleans that season; cut by Saints in 2009 and signed by Patriots)

DT Chris Jones
College: Bowling Green
Draft status: 6th round, 2013 by Houston (cut by Texans in the preseason and signed by Tampa Bay; cut by Bucs two weeks later and signed by Patriots)

DT Vince Wilfork
College: Miami
Draft status: 1st round (21st overall), 2004

DE Chandler Jones
College: Syracuse
Draft status: 1st round (21st overall), 2012

LB Jamie Collins
College: Southern Miss
Draft status: 2nd round, 2013

LB Dont'a Hightower
College: Alabama
Draft status: 1st round (25th overall), 2012

CB Kyle Arrington
College: Hofstra
Draft status: Signed as undrafted free agent by Philadelphia in 2008 (cut by Eagles that September and signed by Tampa Bay a few days later; played one game for Bucs in 2009 before being cut; signed by Patriots that season)

CB Brandon Browner
College: Oregon State
Draft status: Signed as undrafted free agent by Denver in 2005 (missed that season with an injury and was cut in July 2006; signed by CFL's Calgary Stampeders in 2006 and played with them through 2010; signed with Seattle in 2011 and was there three seasons; signed free-agent contract with New England in March 2014)

CB Darrelle Revis
College: Pitt
Draft status: 1st round (14th overall), 2007 by the New York Jets (traded to Tampa Bay in 2013; signed by New England as a free agent in 2014)

S Patrick Chung
College: Oregon
Draft status: 2nd round, 2009

S Devin McCourty
College: Rutgers
Draft status: 1st round (27th overall), 2010
Specialists

K Stephen Gostkowski
College: Memphis
Draft status: 4th round, 2006

P Ryan Allen
College: Louisiana Tech
Draft status: Signed by New England as undrafted free agent in 2013

Source: Super Bowl XLIX: Draft histories for Patriots, Seahawks starters

 

[infantrycak]

Seriously?

That list includes a ton of non-rookies and not developed by the Pats. Darelle Revis? Brandon Browner?

Anyway, all that is far afield from an example of a HC having hands on involvement with a player on his traditional side of the ball.

 

[Playoffs]

72% of all televisions in the U.S. that were "turned on" were tuned in to the Super Bowl.

 

[Norg]

it seems like tho whenever patriot drafted players that leave NE via Free agency or get cut never pan out tho LOL once they leave the nest they drown

 

[banned1976]

Greatest thing about this super bowl was the refs let the teams play the game. I don't believe there was a PI called in the entire game. The officiating, I thought, was tremendous unlike the playoff games leading up to the SB.

 

[ObsiWan]

Does anyone, besides me, think that Carroll might have lost the locker room with that strange call... by not going with Marshawn Lynch?

 

[stingray]

Imagine if the Texans were in the same situation and threw instead if giving the ball to Arian?

 

[stingray]

Does anyone, besides me, think that Carroll might have lost the locker room with that strange call... by not going with Marshawn Lynch?

They interviewed bruce irving after the game and you could tell he was pissed and even said that he just didnt understand why marshawn was not given the ball.

 

[Thorn]

72% of all televisions in the U.S. that were "turned on" were tuned in to the Super Bowl.

I was part of the other 28%.

 

[thunderkyss]

Does anyone, besides me, think that Carroll might have lost the locker room with that strange call... by not going with Marshawn Lynch?

I'm quite sure Russell Wilson had the ability to change that play based on what he saw. The defense was set up favorable to the play that was called. It was a matter of execution more than the play called.

I'm with you though... I thought they were going to pound it with Lynch, or dazzle them with the zone read. Still.... that would have been a TD had just one of several things gone Seattle's way. If Browner didn't mug Kearse in the endzone, allowing him to run his route, cut to the inside & impede Butler's path to the ball. If Wilson would have thrown the ball sooner. If Wilson hadn't led Lockett so much. If Lockett would have attacked his spot, attack the ball, or just knocked it down.

I think that team trusts Wilson to make the right decision & I doubt any of them are second guessing him.

 

[JB]

I'm quite sure Russell Wilson had the ability to change that play based on what he saw. The defense was set up favorable to the play that was called. It was a matter of execution more than the play called.

I'm with you though... I thought they were going to pound it with Lynch, or dazzle them with the zone read. Still.... that would have been a TD had just one of several things gone Seattle's way. If Browner didn't mug Kearse in the endzone, allowing him to run his route, cut to the inside & impede Butler's path to the ball. If Wilson would have thrown the ball sooner. If Wilson hadn't led Lockett so much. If Lockett would have attacked his spot, attack the ball, or just knocked it down.

I think that team trusts Wilson to make the right decision & I doubt any of them are second guessing him.

It wouldn't have been a bad call at any other time, any other game... but closing seconds of the SB you dance with what got ya there

 

[Playoffs]

Imagine if the Texans were in the same situation and threw instead if giving the ball to Arian?

I likened it to throwing it to Kenny Burrough instead of just handing it to Earl.

 

[ObsiWan]

I was part of the other 28%.

As was I.
must be an

thing

 

[Marcus]

Here's a YouTube video of Seattle fans's reactions.

 

[ObsiWan]

Here's a YouTube video of Seattle fans's reactions.

False Advertising!!

you stuck some happy Pats fans in there....

 

[TexansBlood]

They interviewed bruce irving after the game and you could tell he was pissed and even said that he just didnt understand why marshawn was not given the ball.

During the interview they should have asked if the defense felt like they lost the game giving up a 24-14 lead and 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter!

The defense lost the game if you ask me not the last call.

 

[stingray]

During the interview they should have asked if the defense felt like they lost the game giving up a 24-14 lead and 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter!

The defense lost the game if you ask me not the last call.

Big difference, for one the hawks defense lost two key players during the game. Jeremy lane and cliff avril were gone by the 3rd quarter. Its hard to replace one but even harder two. When avril who is a good pash rusher went out, the hawks were having problems getting to the qb. Bennet was the only one if sniffing brady. You cant control injuries but you can control calls to put your team in a better situation to succeed. And pete carrol bevell failed miserably at that.

 

[ObsiWan]

During the interview they should have asked if the defense felt like they lost the game giving up a 24-14 lead and 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter!

The defense lost the game if you ask me not the last call.

I agree. What, their offense gave them a 10 pt lead with 8+ minutes left and the Legion of Choke couldn't hold it.

 

[austins23]

During the interview they should have asked if the defense felt like they lost the game giving up a 24-14 lead and 14 unanswered points in the 4th quarter!

The defense lost the game if you ask me not the last call.

Agree. Brady flat out torched the self proclaimed (and media proclaimed) best secondary in the game in the 4thQ. Dude only had two incompletes and 2 TD's. The "Legion of Boom" was "Legion of Nothing" in the 4th Q.

 

[JB]

Agree. Brady flat out torched the self proclaimed (and media proclaimed) best secondary in the game in the 4thQ. Dude only had two incompletes and 2 TD's. The "Legion of Boom" was "Legion of Nothing" in the 4th Q.

who knew that Lane and 1/2 of Sherman were so crucial? I'm sure Thomas's shoulder separation didn't figure into it

 

[deucetx]

Agree. Brady flat out torched the self proclaimed (and media proclaimed) best secondary in the game in the 4thQ. Dude only had two incompletes and 2 TD's. The "Legion of Boom" was "Legion of Nothing" in the 4th Q.

That's a bit of a stretch. 70% of his passes were either behind the line of scrimmage or up to 0-9 yards. His deepest completions were mainly against a linebacker (KJ Wright) in man coverage against Gronk and the Lane's backup. They mainly utilize cover 3 or cover 1 (which of course has man). The main people torched were linebackers since outside corners usually have deep 3rd.

They just worked the underneath.

Also on the controversial play I think folks are forgetting something. Even if Lockett caught it he wouldn't have scored. He was hit immediately before the goal line. So the play wouldn't have worked in either case. Still a bad call to make at that point. If you really feel you should pass, a slant to the middle of the defense is too much risk in such a situation. Back of the endzone or fade with the height advantage for Mathews would have been smarter.

Granted just running it up the gut against a defense with one linebacker 5 yards off the line may have been even better....

 

[Playoffs]

The "Legion of Boom" was "Legion of Nothing" in the 4th Q.

who knew that Lane and 1/2 of Sherman were so crucial? I'm sure Thomas's shoulder separation didn't figure into it

More like the Legion of Bangs, Bumps, and Bruises.

Sherman getting Tommy John surgery... can't recall a non-QB football player needing that?

Edit:

Carroll admitted he “might have been misled” when he said Monday that his cornerback would need the surgery that’s best known in baseball circles, since it’s named after a former pitcher (I was a history major after pre-med).

“He’s not a pitcher, and he’s not a left-hander. Sherm might not have to have that kind of surgery,” Carroll said. “If he was a thrower he would.”

 

[ObsiWan]

More like the Legion of Bangs, Bumps, and Bruises.

Sherman getting Tommy John surgery... can't recall a non-QB football player needing that?

Edit:

So Pete Carroll makes yet another bad call

 

[Double Barrel]

That list includes a ton of non-rookies and not developed by the Pats. Darelle Revis? Brandon Browner?

Maybe I read him wrong, but I took his statement to mean that the Patriots do not develop any of the players they drafted.

I just posted the entire starting lineup for him to see how many were drafted by the Patriots vs. FA.

 

[infantrycak]

Maybe I read him wrong, but I took his statement to mean that the Patriots do not develop any of the players they drafted.

I just posted the entire starting lineup for him to see how many were drafted by the Patriots vs. FA.

I could have it wrong as well - I thought he was saying rookies come to the Texans with their natural/college talent and then don't progress.

 

[Double Barrel]

I could have it wrong as well - I thought he was saying rookies come to the Texans with their natural/college talent and then don't progress.

It's thunderkyss, man, so perhaps an interpreter is needed. He probably doesn't even know what he was talking about in hindsight, all things considered.

 

[thunderkyss]

It's thunderkyss, man, so perhaps an interpreter is needed. He probably doesn't even know what he was talking about in hindsight, all things considered.

Well... after that list of players pretty much proved my point wrong... I think it's obvious.

 

[Playoffs]

More like the Legion of Bangs, Bumps, and Bruises.

Sherman getting Tommy John surgery... can't recall a non-QB football player needing that?

Edit:

Dan Hope ‏@Dan_Hope

Legion of Boom certainly does not lack toughness. Thomas (separated shoulder/torn labrum), Sherman (torn UCL), Chancellor (torn MCL) all played injured in Super Bowl.

 

[JB]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

Prince Amukamara ‏@PrinceAmukamara 23m23 minutes ago. My cousin sent me a selfie wearing his new favorite shirt!

 

[Double Barrel]

HAHAHAHAHA!!!!!

It's got to be a Bizarro World feeling to be in some small remote African village and see t-shirts of all the losing SB teams as champions.

Somewhere out there is my Astros World Series champion shirt!....

 

[Goatcheese]

Well, nobody predicted this:

Bill...

What R U doing!?

Bill....

STAHP!

Yes, I realize this is shopped. The original is only slightly less creepy.

 

[Playoffs]

MMQB: The Super Bowl Story, According to Tom Brady
Peter King

I spoke to Brady for an hour the other day, to get his play-by-play on the last two drives. And I spoke to McDaniels alone at length in the crazy post-game scrum. This is their story. It has a Spielberg twist on the final play that just makes it better. Perfect, in fact.

The Game Plan.

McDaniels: “I didn’t get to see tape on Seattle until about 4 in the afternoon the day after our championship game. The way we do it is, we take care of all our Super Bowl logistical work first, so we can concentrate on game preparation after that without a lot of distractions. I watched a lot of them, obviously. And when you saw people have success against them, you saw teams stringing eight or 10 normal successful football plays together. Not explosive plays. But the word that kept coming to my mind, and I must have said it to our offensive players 25 times in two weeks of prep, was ‘patience.’ I told them, ‘Maybe we can come out of the game with one or two big plays. Maybe. But just trust the process. Be patient.’ The keys, to me, were being patient and never running horizontally after the catch. Just go upfield. You’re not going to create yards by trying to get around one guy, because two guys will be waiting for you. We did so many catch-and-run drills during the week of practice. Vertical, vertical, vertical. For Tom, the key was: Do not hold the ball for four seconds, or bad things are gonna happen.”

Brady: “I watched a lot of tape. A lot.”

He watched the Seahawks’ NFC Championship Game three times.

Brady: “They’d allowed the fewest big plays of any team all season, and you saw pretty early why you don’t want to go into the Super Bowl throwing up a bunch of posts, a bunch of ‘nine’ routes. [‘Go’ routes.] Richard Sherman picks off the go route every time you throw it. The plan was to exploit other parts of the field-but short parts of the field. Michael Bennett rushes from everywhere. Cliff Avril kills people. They believe in what they do. We countered that by saying, ‘Okay, here’s what we’re pretty good at: Space the field, find the soft spots, be satisfied with the four-yard gain, be happy with the four-yard gain. We were gonna be happy with a two-yard gain.”

Ball Security.

McDaniels: “The thing nobody talks about with Seattle is their ability to create disruptive plays. We worked on that literally every day, and in our six or seven practices before the game. Ball security. How to run after the catch. We told the scout team guys to punch, strip, whack at the ball, all the time. I knew every time we would have the ball in space, they’d be chopping at it. And that’s exactly what happened in the game. In fact, I have this thing I do during the first half of our games. I write down on my play sheet what I want to talk about to the team at halftime. And after seeing this five, six, seven times in the first half, I wrote down: ‘Constantly stripping at the ball.’ And we talked to them about it again at halftime.”

In 72 offensive plays in Super Bowl XLIX, New England did not fumble.

The First Drive.

Seattle led 24-14 early in the fourth quarter. After an eight-yard Bruce Irvin sack, New England had second-and-18 with 11:30 to play at the Patriots’ 24.

In the regular season, Brady was among the most deliberate quarterbacks in the league in getting rid of the ball, at 2.39 seconds per pass drop, according to Pro Football Focus. On second down he took 1.01 seconds to dump a slip-screen to Brandon LaFell on the right side. Gain of four. Third and 14.

Brady: “Would this have been a four-down situation here? I don’t know. The way it worked, Sherman had Gronkowski. Danny had a deeper incut. He was the go-to guy, but they squeezed him on defense, so I couldn’t go there. Now LaFell … He had a deep comeback. When you wait for a guy-what does he run the 40 in, and what can he run 25 yards in? Maybe 2.8 seconds, three seconds? You have to wait for him. So their rush sort of ran past me, and I moved up in the pocket. As a quarterback, you start to feel the rhythm of the pass-rush as the game goes on; your body develops a cadence. You feel what they’re doing. Russell Wilson, he doesn’t care-he can outrun them. I can’t. So I have to make the calculated decision. I had the ball quite a while there.

Me: “Well, 3.48 seconds, to be exact.”

Brady: “Probably the longest time I had all game. Julian was the last option I had on the play, and there he was, in the middle.”

Edelman caught it, bounced off Kam Chancellor, and gained 21.

New life. First down in the flat to Vereen (1.76 seconds), with an extra 15 tacked on because of a late hit by Earl Thomas.

Brady: “We knew Shane needed to play a big role in the game. The halfback would be critical against an All-Pro secondary because you’re not going to target Sherman 12 times, Chancellor 12 times. The big challenge for him was to catch it and make yards, while at least one of their guys was going for the strip. They killed the Broncos last year with that in the Super Bowl.”

Now incomplete into the end zone for LaFell, trying to take advantage of the matchup against backup corner Therald Simon. Then Vereen over the right side for two.

Third-and-eight, 8:46 to go. Four-down territory now?

Brady: “We had two guys running opposite seams, Gronk and LaFell. Both safeties had vision on that. Julian’s route was supposed to be four yards. This was identical to a play we ran [against Seattle] in 2012. I hit Wes Welker. They played that same coverage against Welker in 2012, with a lineman dropping back on him in coverage in the short middle, and I hit him. I watched a lot of tape-our game with them from two years ago three times, Dallas this year multiple times, their championship game against Green Bay three times. I’m always trying to match the perfect amount of physical preparation with the right mental preparation. And I’m 37, I’ve got to get a lot of rest. I am a person that relies on my sleep. Anyway, that is what makes my relationship with Josh so special, because I feel at this point we’ve been together so long and we know each other so well and we’re so synchronized. This game, awesome. This play was an example of that. He knew it would work. He knew Julian would be there for me, and he was. Watching that tape, I saw it from a couple of years ago-and Josh saw it too.”

Dump to Edelman. Gain of 21.

First-and-goal, Seattle 4-yard line, 8:04 left. Plenty of time.

Now, for the only time in his last 18 plays, Brady errs. Edelman runs a quick fake post on Simon, pirouettes to the left, leaving Simon in the dust, and turns to Brady-who throws a line drive too high. Too hard, and too high. But a lesson to him. And a lesson to McDaniels.

Brady: “There’s a mental part to a football throw and a physical part. The mental part is being decisive. Every throw is risk-reward. When you’ve played for 15 years, you have what I call ‘no-fear throws.’ Josh calls them that too. You’re confident, you know you’ve got it, and you just rip it. Some other throws, just before you let the ball go, you’re still not quite convinced that’s what you want to do. It comes right off your last fingertip, and you’re just not convinced. I admire Andrew Luck; he is so decisive for a guy who is so young. Aaron Rodgers, same thing. But this throw, the last thing I wanted to do was throw it to the other guy. Just as I let it go, I caught a glimpse of the DB [Simon]. He’s looking at me, I’m looking at him, as I let it go, it was a mental mistake, I got indecisive. My fault. I have had so many plays where I have made bad plays and I say, ‘I ain’t never doing that again.’ Josh has done such a good job trying to break down the mental blocks. Some of those decisions go right up to the time before the ball leaves your fingertips. On that one, it was, like, yes yes yes, NO! On my two interceptions in the game, the first one I should have called time because I just didn’t like what I saw, and then it was too late when I made the throw. Dumb throw. The second one, Bobby Wagner made a phenomenal play. He read my eyes. He got me. If I ever play those guys again, I will not lead Bobby Wagner anywhere with my eyes.”

McDaniels: “Tom learns from everything, and he doesn’t let it bother him. What happened next was Tom took advantage of Earl [Thomas] not being quite as aggressive as he could have been. And Danny Amendola played the back of the end zone perfectly. Tommy knows, in the tight red area, you always have to err away from the defender.”

Thomas and Amendola were on the end line, Thomas to Amendola’s right, and Brady threw hard to the outside of Amendola, away from Thomas. Touchdown. Seattle 24-21.

Brady: “Earl was indecisive, thank God.”

Brady wasn’t. And he wouldn’t be on the next drive either. He would have a long memory, as would McDaniels.

The Drive.

Before the drive started, McDaniels said to Brady: “I got some things I’m gonna go with. I’m gonna pull ’em from everywhere.”

In the huddle to start the series, Brady, as heard on Showtime’s “Inside the NFL” show, told his team: “We need a big championship drive! That’s what we need!”

First down at the New England 36 after a short Jon Ryan punt … 6:52 to play, Seattle 24, New England 21.

Second-and-10 at the Seattle 32, 4:05 to play. Field-goal range. But no settling now.

Brady: “So K.J. Wright walks up to Gronk. We know it’s man. Same coverage Wright had on the touchdown pass to Gronk earlier. So if you’re K.J. Wright, you’re thinking, ‘I don’t want to get beat on a TD pass again,’ and he plays him high. Gronk sells the go route, and runs the stop route. Gronk knew it. Later, he told me, ‘As soon as the ball was snapped, I knew you were throwing it to me.’ Gronk’s a tough matchup. I’ve seen it for a long time. You put two guys on him, we got three wideouts single-covered. We’ll win those, somewhere. Big fast, unbelievable hands. He’s got vacuum hands.”

Vereen on a quick snap, up the middle for seven. Seattle was tiring now. This was the 15th round of a 15-round donnybrook, and the Seahawks were on the ropes. Brady to LaFell-with no one covering him-for seven. Blount up the middle for two.

New England ball at the Seattle 3-yard line, 2:06 left.

Remember six minutes ago? New England ball at the Seattle 4-yard line?

McDaniels: “It wasn’t very complicated.”

Brady: “After the last drive, I went to the sidelines and told Josh, ‘Josh, come back to that call. Please come back to that call.’ I knew even before the call came in what it was going to be. I knew how it was going to play out. Earl in same place. Simon in same spot. Only this time, they ended up blitzing, really a max blitz, creating one-on-one with Jules. He ran a great route. It’s a tough route to cover. The cornerback has no help. Looks like a slant. How do you not respect the coverage on the slant?’’

Edelman pushed off Simon, mildly, on the slant, then pirouetted again, just like last time. Only this time the throw wasn’t 115 miles an hour, and it wasn’t high. It was thrown medium speed, and right to Edelman.

Touchdown. New England 28, Seattle 24.

Immediately, McDaniels pointed at Brady. The NFL Films cameras captured Brady pointing at McDaniels. The message from each man was simple.

McDaniels: You executed the play exactly how it should have been done.

Brady: You trusted me on the same play again-and this time I didn’t let you down!

In the span of 10 minutes, Brady took the Patriots 76 yards in eight plays (after the Irvin sack), then 64 yards in 10 plays. He completed 13 of 15 passes. He’s had some good Super Bowl quarters in his three previous wins, but none like this one. None under this pressure, against a defense this good (though wounded, without Avril down the stretch) and with so much on the line.

The End.

Brady: “I haven’t thought about that yet-two touchdowns in that short a time against them. I felt good that we got the lead. I was THE reason we lost the lead. I felt like my teammates can count on me. I felt satisfied I overcame those two interceptions. I never want to be the reason why we lose.

“They trust me with the ball. All the hopes we had coming in … When you throw it 50 times, the team is saying, ‘We trust you with the ball.’ But I have to give credit to so many other guys. The emotional energy you put into games like this, the physical energy. The game is 30 percent longer, 40 percent longer because of the long pre-game and the long halftime. First time we played in 70-degree weather in two months. Football is such a game of attrition, never more than in the Super Bowl.”

McDaniels: “It’s one of the best examples of what we talk about so much-we identify how we want to play an opponent, and then we design a game plan to do that, and it might be the exact opposite of the game plan we had the previous game. But we give it to the players. We told them in this case to stay patient and not panic, and to practice the way we planned. It was an incredible example of the harmony between the players and the staff, and to Bill’s leadership making it all work, and the players buying into it, and just believing. Believing in the plan is so important, and they believed-never more than this game.”

Brady: “I had a nice moment with my wife Tuesday morning. Monday was taken up with getting home, and I finally had a chance to sleep Monday night … We woke up Tuesday, and, now, she’s woken up twice next to me after Super Bowl losses, and [for those] I was like, ‘The game’s today, right? What I just had was a nightmare, right? That didn’t really happen, right?’ And this time, I just looked at her and it was, it was …”

Pause. Three, four seconds.

Me: “What happened? What’d you say?”

Brady: “It was just special. Just pretty special.”