New England Patriots: Amazing Win Defied Super History

It’s basically three days after the fact and many are still talking about it.

And that includes Katy Perry and the halftime show.

As many felt going into the game, Super Bowl XLIX between the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks had a chance to be one of the best games in the 49-year history of the series.

It proved to be a classic. It had a little bit of everything, a lot of drama and a pinch of controversy. What more could you want?

More from NFL Spin Zone

• Dallas Cowboys made the trade everyone else should have made
• Pittsburgh Steelers rookie sleeper everyone should be talking about
• Anthony Richardson putting jaw-dropping talent on display immediately
• Denver Broncos’ stud wide receiver might be out for a while
• Washington Commanders: Three takeaways from win over Ravens

The Patriots’ thrilling 28-24 victory has made for a lot of second-guessing when it comes to the Seahawks and head coach Pete Carroll. Many people are continue to focus on Seattle’s decision not to give the football to running back Marshawn Lynch in the closing seconds from point-blank range of the New England end zone and trailing by only four points.

But that’s not the half of it. When you go back and look at Super Bowl history, it’s amazing that Tom Brady and company managed to win the game at all.

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; Seattle Seahawks cornerback Jeremy Lane (20) runs back an interception against New England Patriots guard Dan Connolly (63) during the first quarter in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

Consider these factoids:

• There had never been a Super Bowl prior to XLIX in which a team totaled fewer rushing attempts, amassed less yards and lost the turnover battle and still managed to come out victorious. In the first 48 Super Bowls, the team with the most rushing attempts won 87.0 percent of those games (40-6 record). The club with the most rushing yards in the game had won 79.2 percent of those Super Bowls (38-10 record). And only three times previously had a winning team committed more turnovers than the loser and still managed to come out on top. There had been a total of 39 Super Bowls in which one team had more turnovers than the other prior to Game XLIX. Seattle out-rushed New England in yards (162-57) and attempts (29-21) and totaled two takeaways to the Patriots’ one. Yet Russell Wilson and the defending Super Bowl champions fell short on the scoreboard.
• Is it possible that the Patriots with their Brady and pass-catchers such as running back Shane Vereen, wideouts Julian Edelman and Brandon LaFell and rugged tight end Rob Gronkowski wore out Seattle’s “Legion of Boom” by keeping them on the field? Injuries were certainly a factor entering the game and during it when it came to standouts such as Richard Sherman, Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor and reserve cornerback Jeremy Lane, who broke his arm after intercepting Brady in the first quarter (Note: Bob Condotta of The Seattle Times has the latest on the slew of injuries).
• Prior to Super Bowl XLIX, there had been only four occasions in which a quarterback had attempted at least 50 passes on Super Sunday. Buffalo’s Jim Kelly (XXVI and XXVIII), Miami’s Dan Marino (XIX) and Philadelphia’s Donovan McNabb (XXXIX) all threw the ball at least 50 times in their respective appearances and wound up losing. Brady connected on 37 of his 50 attempts for 328 yards and four scores (2 interceptions) and wound up leading his team to a win. The four-time champion was sacked just once in the contest.
• Entering this game, the top-ranked defense in pro football in fewest yards allowed owned a 9-3 record in the Super Bowl. Meanwhile, the team that allowed the fewest points in the league that season and reached the Super Bowl owned a 14-5 record in that game. The Seahawks brought both to Super Bowl XLIX (as they had in Super Bowl XLVIII) and still came up 28-24 losers.

Feb 1, 2015; Glendale, AZ, USA; New England Patriots strong safety Malcolm Butler (21) makes a interceptions during the fourth quarter against the Seattle Seahawks in Super Bowl XLIX at University of Phoenix Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Richard Mackson-USA TODAY Sports

So the odds were long indeed. But perhaps something else should have told us that New England was going to win the game. The previous eight Super Bowl champions dating back to the 2006 Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts had brought no more than a two-game winning streak in the postseason. The Seahawks had won their last six regular-season games while the Pats lost at home in Week 17 to the Buffalo Bills.

That latter fact defies logic but so does the game of football sometimes. And perhaps if you still think that the circumstances of New England’s Super Bowl XLIX win was somewhat of a mystery, there’s always the old standby.

The (Malcolm) Butler did it.