Notes from the Nest: Super Bowl XLIX

Feb 1, 2015, 11:26 PM Updated: Feb 2, 2015, 3:02 am

:20 left in fourth quarter

OMG just about sums this up. Are the Patriots going to win? Interception at the goal line and the ‘Hawks drive is snuffed out. Two great plays in the final minute. Wow. Just wow.

1:06 left in fourth quarter

So are the football Gods with Seattle? Sure seems like it. One of the crazier catches you’ll ever see gives the ‘Hawks the ball at the New England five.

1:50 left in fourth quarter

So…went down to field level to, you know, watch the rest of the game from the field, but was turned away. So, back in my seat.

At any rate, what a game this has turned into. Pats getting their offense the ball back was huge, and Brady leading that drive was even huger (is that a word?)

Of course, the last thing you want to do is give up a big play on the first play from scrimmage, but that’s exactly what New England did after taking the lead.

It’s 2nd and 10 Seahawks from their own 49. What. A. Game.

8:00 left in fourth quarter

Patriots have put together a very impressive drive, with Brady throwing darts all over the field. It’s 2nd and 5 from the five — a field goal would make it a one score game, but you know they need a TD here.

And they got that with a pass to Amendola. The PAT makes it 24-21, and this is going to be a good finish.

12:51 left in fourth quarter

Facing a 3rd and 6, Wilson dropped back to pass. He had a little time, but was soon swallowed up by the Patriots’ Ninkovich. The sack forces a punt, which is returned to the New England 31.

14:17 left in fourth quarter

Key when trying to make a comeback is not coming up short on 3rd and 1. However, that’s exactly what New England did, and they punt it away. ‘Hawks take over at their own 24. Score here and end it?

:55 left in third quarter

Pats find a way to get a much-needed stop when a pass barely falls incomplete.

Punt is out of bounds at the New England 14, and the ‘Hawks fans here are getting loud. Big drive? Big drive.

3:15 left in third quarter

Brady’s third-down pass to Amendola falls incomplete (should have caught it, by the way), and the punt lands in the end zone for a touchback. Though a 10-point game, you get the feeling a Seattle score here may be too much for New England to overcome.

What the Patriots really need is a turnover — losing that battle 2-0 is no way to win a game.

4:13 left in third quarter

A personal foul on the TD helped give the Pats good field position after the kickoff, but a first down pass is negated by a hold. Right now it’s 2nd and 20 from the 25.

4:54 left in third quarter

Seahawks taking control of the game, driving down the field and scoring on a Wilson to Doug Baldwin pass. The PAT makes it 24-14, and while the Patriots are not out of it, this game has certainly turned around.

8:07 left in third quarter

Patriots get a first down but Seahawks start to get pressure on Brady, and then the QB is picked off by Wagner on third down. Penalty on Seattle pushes them back, but Brady’s second pick of the day sends all the momentum to Seattle.

Last thing New England wanted to do was get these fans more involved. Too late, I guess.

11:09 left in third quarter

Kickoff goes for a touchback, so New England starts at its 20. Patriots have moved the ball well all night with the short passes — will that continue here in the second half?

11:09 left in third quarter

Seahawks move down the field but Lynch is stopped short on 3rd and 1, so they kick the field goal. Seattle with its first lead of the game, but at 17-14 it’s hardly a big win for them.

12:30 left in third quarter

Chris Matthews is just killing the Patriots. Who is he?

15:00 left in third quarter

My first (and last) Katy Perry concert has come to an end and now it’s time for football. Seahawks start with the ball on their 20.

Halftime

Tied at 14. Bring on Katy!

:02 left in second quarter

And they got it. Wilson hits Matthews for the score, and wow, what a drive. All tied up at 14, but Seattle gets the ball to start the third.

:06 left in second quarter

This got very interesting. Seahawks are down at the New England 10 by way of a completion and a facemask penalty. Not a lot of time left, do you try and punch it in? They have one timeout left, so if a quick play they can stop the clock.

Looks like they want more than three.

:24 left in second quarter

Seahawks ran a safe play, a handoff to Robert Turbin, and it worked out so well they’re going to try and get some points here. They’re up to their own 39, just spent a timeout.

:31 left in second quarter

GRONK! Brady hits the TE (a University of Arizona alum, might I add) for a 23-yard TD. Great throw, good catch, and New England is back on top 14-7.

:40 left in second quarter

Pats doing what they’ve done all game, throw underneath and let the wideouts do the work. It’s effective — New England is now at the Seattle 27.

2:00 left in second quarter

An 11-yard gain gets this drive started well for the Patriots, who continue to have success with underneath routes. Not much out of Gronk yet, though…

2:16 left in second quarter

Touchdown Seahawks! Lynch carries the ball in, and that gets the ‘Hawks fans in attendance on their feet. PAT ties things up at 7-7.

Patriots had a chance to really put some distance between them and Seattle but failed to do so. So, it’s a football game.

3:32 left in second quarter

Seahawks get a nice spot on their first completion of the game, a third-down pass from Wilson, then after a short run the QB hits Chris Matthews for a big gain and the ‘Hawks are deep in NE territory.

7:07 left in second quarter

‘Hawks get a big defensive stop, forcing a three-and-out when Brady’s third-down pass falls incomplete. Looked like he was going for Edelman, but the WR slipped and fell at the last second and the QB spiked the ball into the turf.

Punt is downed at the Seattle 30, where their offense will go to work. Can they do anything, anything at all?

8:05 left in second quarter

Wilson gets sacked on first down, Lynch picks up a handful on second and then Wilson’s deep pass on third is broken up. John Ryan gets a good punt away (he doesn’t just throw TDs, you know), but Edelman returns it to the New England 27.

‘Hawks offense so anemic so far, but that didn’t stop them from coming back to beat the Packers. Can the Patriots take advantage where Green Bay did not?

9:47 left in second quarter

And the Pats are on the board! Brady hits LaFell for the score, and it’s 7-0 New England. Picking on Tharold Simon, who replaced the injured Jeremy Lane.

Could be worse for Seattle (sound familiar?), but so far it appears they have no answer for New England’s short/quick passing game. Now, can their offense do something?

10:57 left in second quarter

Pats took a shot deep to Gronk, who couldn’t make the play. Brady hits Edelman for a big gain on third down and New England is in the red zone.

13:57 left in second quarter

Lynch gets stuffed and then Wilson, after having all day to throw (because of coverage, of course) finds nothing. Seattle punts, Patriots take over at their own 35.

The downfall to this Seahawks team is their lack of a great receiving weapon. Sorry, Doug Baldwin and Jermaine Kearse, but you’re not exactly No. 1 options.

End of first quarter

Russell Wilson using his legs to buy time and room, but loses two on the final play of the quarter as the Pats played coverage and contain.

New England “won” the first quarter, though it does not show on the scoreboard. 0-0.

1:39 left in first quarter

Patriots do a great job of taking what the defense gave them and not forcing anything until third down, where Brady throws a ball to Jeremy Lane. Not sure what Tom saw there — there was no Patriots receiver in the area.

Returned to the Seattle 14 and just like that, momentum is with Seattle. Eerily similar to the NFC Championship game where the Packers left plenty of points on the board early on.

5:57 left in first quarter

Patriots moving down the field with short plays, not giving the Seahawks rush time to get to Brady. Not a bad strategy. Blount is getting some solid yards on the ground, too. Kind of looks like the NFC Championship game where Eddie Lacy didn’t break off any monster runs early, but still managed to move the chains some.

9:20 left in first quarter

Pats defense comes up big. Seahawks run with Lynch three times, the last of which went for no gain on 3rd and 2. Early message sent?

Punt is fair caught at the New England 32.

11:34 left in first quarter

Pats get a first down on some short passes but then the drive stalls and they punt. Interesting to note, a short pass to Amendola turned into a decent gain because Richard Sherman missed a tackle. Sherman, you may recall, hurt his elbow two weeks ago against the Packers. Green Bay decided not to test him — Pats went at him. Good to know.

‘Hawks take over at their own 16.

14:57 left in first quarter

Seattle wins toss and chooses to kick. Danny Amendola takes the ball out from the end zone and gets to the 18. First play from scrimmage is a short pass to Rob Gronkowski, and while it only went for one yard, still a better start than the one Denver got off to last year.

Prior to kickoff

Wow, Idina Menzel did a nice National Anthem! Heard she hit the over?

Anyway, the day is finally here: Super Bowl XLIX. The Seahawks and Patriots will battle it out for the championship at University of Phoenix Stadium.

Stadium looks good, minus the end zones. Roof is open and it is loud (Seahawks fans are a boisterous bunch). And on that note, I worry that the ‘Hawks are going to ruin “Bittersweet Symphony” for me.

There are certainly more Seattle fans than New England fans, but I can’t give you a percentage just yet.

My prediction tonight: Seahawks 27, Patriots 23 — which means New England will probably win.