Super Bowl 2015: Final Stats, Highlights for Top Stars for Patriots vs. Seahawks

Super Bowl XLIX featured big plays from lesser-known names such as Chris Matthews and Malcolm Butler. In the end, though, it was a familiar name—Tom Brady—who stole the show in the New England Patriots' 28-24 triumph over the Seattle Seahawks.

The path to the finish with Pete Carroll's wild, strange coaching decisions and timely execution by Brady, his top receivers and one unheralded defensive back put the Patriots back on top of the globe; Bleacher Report noted the win:

The top performers, a mix of old and new, established a balance that birthed one of the most memorable title games in memory.

A list of the most significant names, complemented by a sampling of their highlights, rests below.

2015 Super Bowl Top Performers 

Patriots	Stat Line		Seahawks	Stat Line
Tom Brady, QB	37-50, 328 pass. yds., 4 TD, 2 INT		Russell Wilson, QB	12-21, 247 yds., 2 TD, 1 INT
LeGarrette Blount, RB	14 rush., 40 yds.		Marshawn Lynch, RB	24 rush., 102 yds., 1 TD
Rob Gronkowski, TE	6 rec., 68 yds., 1 TD		Chris Matthews, WR	4 rec., 109 yds., 1 TD
Julian Edelman, WR	9 rec., 109 yds., 1 TD		Ricardo Lockette, WR	3 rec., 59 yds.
Danny Amendola, WR	5 rec., 48 yds., 1 TD		Jermaine Kearse, WR	3 rec., 45 yds.
Shane Vereen, RB	4 rush, 13 yds., 11 rec., 64 yds.		Bobby Wagner, LB	12 tckl., 1 INT
Jamie Collins, LB	8 tckl.		K.J. Wright, LB	12 tckl.

Tom Brady, QB, New England Patriots 

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

For a brief moment, Tom Brady appeared to be in trouble.

Sure, an opening pick to Jeremy Lane hurt, but the future Hall of Famer regrouped and took care of business for the rest of the first half.

In fact, the interception was one of just seven misfires for Brady in the first half to go along with 177 yards and two touchdowns. Brady first hit Brandon LaFell for a seemingly casual touchdown:

The second went to tight end Rob Gronkowski after Brady lulled the Seahawks to sleep with short passes before going over the top, as the NFL's official Twitter account highlighted:

Brady was content all night to throw short passes and let his receivers do the work after the catch. Against Richard Sherman and the Seahawks, that is certainly a viable strategy.

Then again, don't tell that to New England fans who sat through a scoreless third quarter highlighted by a Brady interception. 

As a player befitting of the MVP does, though, he turned it on when it mattered most—the final frame.

After a strange misfire intended for Julian Edelman, Brady found Danny Amendola in single coverage and took advantage to begin the comeback; the NFL's official Twitter account shared highlights:

Brady then wasted little time righting his wrong by throwing a score to Edelman on a jaw-dropping drive best explained by ESPN Stats & Info:

This put Brady at a 37-of-50 mark for 328 yards and four scores to two interceptions, good for the MVP award, as Pro Football on ESPN places into historical perspective:

The conversations to come surrounding Brady's legacy will be quite interesting. Far from perfect, he showed up in his usual form with everything on the line against an elite defense. 

Not much else to say about one of the greatest to ever do it.

Marshawn Lynch, RB, Seattle Seahawks

Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

Beast Mode saw few opportunities in the first half. 

Best Mode still made a major impact.

Marshawn Lynch received 12 carries, not even half of Brady's attempts, yet ran for 45 yards and a predictable score once the Seattle offense was in range.

For New England, there was no stopping it, as the NFL's official Twitter account pointed out:

Lynch eventually faded from the spotlight through a somewhat strange bit of coaching strategy.

Bleacher Report's Matt Miller best explains what fans will hear for years to come when it comes to Carroll's decision to ignore his lead back within scoring range in the waning moments:

For his part, Lynch offered an explanation for his limited usage late, per NFL.com's Aditi Kinkhabwala:

Despite the debacle, Lynch still finished as one of the game's top performers with 24 rushes for 247 yards and a score.

The numbers are a testament to Lynch's ability.

So are the "what could have been" thoughts.

Chris Matthews, WR, Seattle Seahawks

Matt York/Associated Press

Look, Chris Matthews is noteworthy, thanks to the surprise element of his performance.

Flash back to the second quarter. With Wilson bumbling his way through the proceedings and no other receiver creating enough space to make a difference, it was Matthews—a 2011 undrafted free agent—who kept the defending champions in the game.

Matthews changed the complexion entirely with a 44-yard reception—the first catch of his pro career.

That led to the aforementioned Lynch touchdown, but his second feat was even more impressive.

With six seconds left on the clock before halftime, it was Matthews both Carroll and Wilson elected to rely on, which worked:

Guess what? He did it again right out of the halftime tunnel to help set up a field goal; the NFL's official Twitter account highlighted Matthews' ability to make amazing catches:

Matthews didn't win the game for his team. Had the Seahawks won, though, odds are the MVP award would have gone his way. No wideout was more important Sunday, and it's debatable that no player overall had a bigger impact.

Were it not for Matthews, Sunday's thriller may have been an afterthought.

Stats courtesy of ESPN. Advanced metrics via Pro Football Focus.