FOXBOROUGH, Mass. – This time, Seattle won it at the goal line.
It certainly won’t make up for the Super Bowl loss two seasons back, but the Seahawks’ goal-line stand lifted them to a 31-24 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night.
Tom Brady couldn’t connect with Rob Gronkowski on a fade pattern on fourth down as New England (7-2) failed four times from inside the 2 in the dying moments.
It was reminiscent of how the Seahawks (6-2-1) lost the 2015 Super Bowl when Malcolm Butler intercepted at the goal line to win the NFL title for the Pats.
Doug Baldwin caught three touchdown passes, including a 15-yarder for the final margin. Strangely, Seattle went for 2 points and failed on the conversion, leaving the Pats a chance to tie with a touchdown and an extra point kick.
LeGarrette Blount, who earlier rushed for three touchdowns, couldn’t get into the end zone from close range, nor could Brady on a pair of sneaks.
PICK-FREE NO MORE
Brady’s interception in the second quarter derailed the Pats’ chance to tie the 1960 Cleveland Browns for an NFL-record nine games without an interception. DeShawn Shead made the pick.
DON’T DEFER
Someday perhaps teams will learn not to defer when winning the opening coin toss against New England. The Pats drove relentlessly for 75 yards and their opening touchdown after the Seahawks did precisely that.
New England has scored touchdowns on five of its opening nine drives this season, three of those with Brady at quarterback.
Oh yeah, Seattle went three-and-out with the second-half kickoff.
UP NEXT:
Seattle: The Seahawks host the Eagles.
New England: The pats also play on the West Coast next Sunday, at San Francisco.
