New England Patriots vs. Seattle Seahawks: Full Report Card Grades for Seattle
In a game that seemed prime for the Seattle Seahawks to take, it ends with a miraculous catch followed by disaster. The New England Patriots stole one Sunday night in a thrilling 28-24 Super Bowl championship that gives the Tom Brady and Bill Belichick regime their fourth ring.
Unfortunately, some Seattle players could not handle the defeat with class, instead breaking out into a bit of a brawl as the Patriots prepared to kneel the ball. It was a back-and-forth affair throughout the contest that included making a controversial play call that I'll touch on later on.
Seattle struggled through the first half, but it managed to make it to halftime tied at 14 points apiece. Seattle came out looking dominant in the third quarter and jumped out to a 24-14 lead, only to never score again. Overall, it appeared this game could have gone either way, but New England earned the win.
| New England Patriots | Category | Seattle Seahawks |
|---|---|---|
| 377 | Total Yards | 396 |
| 320 | Passing Yards | 234 |
| 6.3 | Yards Per Attempt | 9.8 |
| 57 | Rushing Yards | 162 |
| 2.7 | Yards per Attempt | 5.6 |
| 2 | Turnovers | 1 |
| 5-36 | Penalties | 7-70 |
| 33:46 | Possession | 26:14 |
| 8-14 | Third-Down Conversions | 3-10 |
Quarterback
1 of 10
Russell Wilson played a strong game, finding open receivers when they finally managed to break free of defenders and completing several deep throws. It was a significant improvement over his performance in the NFC Championship Game, which isn't saying much, but it was key to Seattle being able to win this game.
Wilson completed 12 of 21 passes for 247 yards, two touchdowns and a supremely costly interception. He also ran the ball three times for 39 yards, but he likely should have scrambled on several other plays throughout the game. On several dropbacks Wilson had great protection, but receivers failed to get open. The Seahawks needed Wilson to scramble more often on these plays rather than taking sacks or throwing incompletions.
The interception that, ultimately, ended Seattle's hopes of victory was a tough play that probably should not have been called. Still it's up to Wilson's discernment to throw it in that situation.
Grade: B+
Running Back
2 of 10
The Seahawks rushed for 162 yards on 29 combined carries for an average of 5.6 yards a tote, yet when it came time to win the game on 2nd-and-1, a passing play was called. Marshawn Lynch was his usual dominant self, accounting for 102 of the team's yards on the ground and a rushing score.
Lynch also made one 31-yard reception to jump-start Seattle's final drive. Robert Turbin performed well in limited action, finishing with 21 yards rushing on just two carries. Christine Michael never saw the field on the big stage.
Grade: A-
Wide Receiver and Tight End
3 of 10
No one fully knew what to expect from Seattle's suspect receiving corp, but I can say with all certainty that no one foresaw Chris Matthews having the type of performance he had in this game. This is the same receiver whom Seattle signed off the street and had only played in just 28 snaps before Super Bowl XLIX, according to Pro Football Focus.
Despite Matthews' nonexistent mark in the NFL, the young wideout tied for the lead in receiving yardage with 109 yards on four grabs. He also hauled in a key Seattle touchdown before halftime. Ricardo Lockette had three catches for 59 yards, while Jermaine Kearse also had three catches for 45 yards (including a miraculous reception late in the game).
Doug Baldwin's sole reception went for three yards and a touchdown, but he was otherwise smothered by the Patriots secondary. None of Seattle's tight ends made an impact in the receiving game. The receiving corps' inability to beat coverage helped kill several drives throughout the game.
Grade: C+
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Offensive Line
4 of 10
New England registered three sacks in the game, after failing to register even one throughout the playoffs, and made four tackles for a loss of yardage. Other than the sacks, Russell Wilson experienced almost no pressure on any other plays. At least one of New England's sacks was due to quality coverage and Wilson not getting rid of the ball.
The Seahawks' offensive line gave Wilson fantastic coverage on several dropbacks and performed well on running downs. It was, quite possibly, the unit's best performance of the season. Seattle's offensive line was called for just three penalties in the game, as well.
Grade: A
Defensive Line
5 of 10
It was tough for the Seahawks defensive line to make any kind of significant impact on the Patriots passing game. Tom Brady did an excellent job of consistently getting rid of the football quickly. Seattle defenders would sometimes beat their blockers, but Brady had thrown the ball away already, typically for completions.
Seattle registered one sack and one hit on Brady. Tony McDaniel and Michael Bennett each batted down passes at the line of scrimmage. Bennett led Seattle defensive linemen with four tackles in the game. Cliff Avril was forced from action with a concussion.
New England's ground game was nearly nonexistent, totalling just 57 yards in the game. LeGarrette Blount and Shane Vereen combined for 53 yards on 18 carries, good for less than three yards per carry.
Grade: B-
Linebackers
6 of 10
Bobby Wagner and K.J. Wright led all defenders with 12 tackles apiece, with Wagner also intercepting a pass in the game. Bruce Irvin had Seattle's lone sack and three tackles. The trio had a lot to do with the defense's success on running plays as well.
However, the linebackers struggled at times with covering tight end Rob Gronkowski. The All-Pro talent accounted for 68 yards and a touchdown on six grabs in the game. Shane Vereen also made a major impact in the game, catching 11 passes for 64 yards.
The issues with covering tight ends and making underneath throws to running backs were ones the defense struggled with early in the season.
Grade: C+
Secondary
7 of 10
Tom Brady rarely challenged Seattle deep, and when he did the result was typically an incompletion. Still Brady threw the ball 50 times, completing 37 passes for 328 yards and four touchdowns. Julian Edelman consistently gave the Seattle secondary issues, especially when covered by Byron Maxwell.
Edelman made nine catches for 109 yards and a score, while Danny Amendola chipped in five grabs for 48 yards and a touchdown of his own. Kam Chancellor did a solid job of providing support in run defense and covering Rob Gronkowski on other plays.
Chancellor led all defensive backs with 10 tackles and even made one tackle for a loss of yardage. Earl Thomas and Richard Sherman performed well, for the most part, but they failed to make a mark in the game. Nickelback Jeremy Lane intercepted a pass early in the game, but he broke his wrist on the return. The play resulted in Seattle's secondary losing a bit of key depth in three-receiver sets.
Grade: C
Special Teams
8 of 10
The special teams units were largely ineffectual for both teams. Seattle's Jon Ryan punted the ball six times for an average of 44.8 yards per punt, landing one inside New England's 20-yard line. Steven Hauschka knocked through a chip-shot 27-yard field goal to give Seattle a 10-point lead.
It could be argued that the team should have gone for a touchdown on the play, but I didn't feel it was warranted while watching the game. Bryan Walters was his typical unproductive self, not fumbling the football but hardly making a dent in the return game.
The Patriots had some solid kick and punt returns, but it was nothing that would completely sway the action in their favor. It is telling that Seattle was never able to return any kickoffs.
Grade: B+
Coaching
9 of 10
It's always easy to second-guess coaching decisions after seeing the lousy results they produce, but as I've previously covered, I feel I've been fair. The coaching staff kicked a field goal from the New England 8-yard line on 4th-and-1, and it seemed like the right call for a team that had trailed for much of the game.
However, the decision to throw the ball from the 1-yard line with 20 seconds remaining simply didn't add up. Lynch and Wilson had combined to be a potent weapon on running plays leading up to that point, and a passing play seemed like an unnecessary risk.
While an interception was a high price to pay on an only slightly errant pass, it was what it cost Seattle, along with the game. Overall, it was a well-coached game from Pete Carroll and his staff, but that one play call certainly marrs what appeared to surely be a victory.
Grade: B
Final Grades
10 of 10
| Positional Unit | Overall Grade |
| QB | B+ |
| RB | A- |
| WR/TE | C+ |
| OL | A |
| DL | B- |
| LB | C+ |
| DB | C |
| Special Teams | B+ |
| Coaching | B |
| Cumulative Grade | B |
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