Seahawks get revenge on Patriots with goal-line stand
FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – They had played 244 snaps in the past three weeks, the most of any squad in that span. It brought them a tie, a loss, and a victory.
In their way, however, stood something different.
This was Tom Brady and the New England Patriots. The same group that celebrated on the turf in Arizona just two seasons ago in Super Bowl XLIX – a coronation the Seattle Seahawks felt should’ve been theirs. But they let that one slip through their fingers.
Yet, when they needed them most, this defense – no doubt gassed – won the game. It repelled a late Patriots rally, 31-24, in a Sunday night thriller.
This is the story of the goal-line stand that made that possible.
First-and-goal, 2-yard line, 43 seconds remaining
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Patriots coach Bill Belichick admitted that after tight end Rob Gronkowski’s 26-yard reception to set New England (7-2) up just feet away from a tie, “managing the clock” was one of the reasons why he opted for time to tick away.
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman said a few words in the defensive huddle: “We’ve been in this situation. We’ve been battle tested. We’re going to fight until the last second.”
So Brady strolled up to the line of scrimmage, drained the play clock until there were three seconds remaining, and snapped the ball. He secured it with both hands and burrowed his way toward the end zone. But all he met was a wall of grunting men who shoved back.
Linebacker Bobby Wagner, who stood three yards deep in the end zone when the ball was snapped, lunged forward and crashed into Brady: 1-yard gain.
“Believe,” Wagner told USA TODAY Sports when asked what his message was to his teammates after he helped stuff Brady’s sneak attempt. “ ‘We live for this moment. Bow up.’ We knew that everybody in the country was watching this. And we knew that we had the ability to stop them. We knew we were going to do it. It was just a matter of how.”
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Second-and-goal, 1-yard line, 37 seconds remaining
The Seahawks (6-2-1) burned their final timeout.
General manager John Schneider stood on the Seattle sideline hovering behind Seahawks coach Pete Carroll, who was making sure his players were lined up correctly.
“I didn’t really give them a big speech,” Carroll told USA TODAY Sports in the locker room after the game. “I just always preach the same traits of character to these guys: Grit, dependability, consistency. I knew they had everything they needed.”
Belichick, meanwhile, walked over to offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels, conferred, and relayed final instructions into the huddle.
Brady snapped the ball, turned to his left, and handed the ball off to running back LeGarrette Blount, who leapt in the air to try to break the plane.
Chancellor darted from the right side of the play, lunged, and wrapped his arms around Blount’s ankles to weigh him down. Wagner finished the play off.
No gain.
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Third-and-goal, 1-yard line, 19 seconds remaining
Belichick used New England’s first timeout.
The call, again, would be a Brady sneak.
This time, however, the snap from center David Andrews shot straight through Brady’s arms and popped loose on the field.
“That was just my fault on the ball handling,” Brady told reporters after the game. “I was going left and David thought I was going straight. It was just my mistake.”
Brady quickly recovered the ball and Belichick, once again, burned another timeout.
Loss of 1 yard.
On the ensuing play, officials penalized Seattle for having too many players on the field.
That meant the game – once again – would be decided 1 yard away from the end zone.
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Fourth-and-goal, 1-yard line, 14 seconds remaining
Call it fate. Call it a coincidence. Call it whatever you want to, but the Seahawks concluded their week of practice in preparation for the Patriots with that same exact play that would unfold: a one-on-one fade to the corner of the end zone to a tight end.
Except, instead of Gronkowski being the intended target at the team’s facility in Renton, Wash., it was practice squad tight end Marcus Lucas – a third-year pro who just happens to be two inches shorter than Gronk and 47 pounds lighter.
“I actually got my hand on the ball on that one,” Chancellor said, recalling the practice. “But he didn’t push me.”
After Brady snapped the ball and tossed it to the pylon, Gronkowski shot both of his arms forward and initiated contact with Chancellor, shoving him backwards. As Chancellor fell, he tried to latch onto Gronkowski’s arms, sending both players to the ground.
Turnover on downs.
Four plays inside the 2-yard line and the Patriots did not score.
“It’s what we do, we stay positive,” Chancellor told USA TODAY Sports. “Any call we get, we say we’re going to execute it. We tell everybody to keep their head in it. The guys in the front are going to get a great push. Guys on the back end float to the ball. And the guys in coverage, keep your eye on your man. That’s what we do.”
Follow Lorenzo Reyes on Twitter @LorenzoGReyes.
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