The Wolfpacker: An Independent Magazine Covering NC State Sports
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/470359
82 ■ THE WOLFPACKER ■ PACK PROS Pack Of Seahawks Fall Short In Super Bowl XLIX BY RYAN TICE Q uarterback Russell Wilson once again rebounded from a horrid start in a play- off game for a spectacular finish in the Super Bowl. He did not complete a single pass and was sacked twice in the first 24 minutes of the game, but completed 12 of his final 19 attempts through the air for 247 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. This time, however, Wilson's comeback was not quite strong enough, and the inter- ception was a game-ender. The pick came in the end zone with just 20 seconds left in regulation and allowed the New England Patriots to clinch a 28-24 victory. There was no shortage of criticism about calling a passing play from the 1-yard line. Seattle had one timeout left with arguably the NFL's most powerful rusher, Marshawn Lynch, in the backfield, but Wilson refused to second-guess the ill-fated throw. "It's one of those things that you trust what they called," he said, according to Seahawks.com. "I had no doubt in the play call. I still don't to this day. I just wish we made the play." It was still a noteworthy performance for the third-year quarterback, who cur- rently ranks fifth in NFL history in playoff passer rating with a mark of 97.8. Wilson nearly led his fourth playoff game-winning drive, which would have moved him into a tie for fifth with Miami's Dan Marino and Pittsburgh's Terry Bradshaw on the all-time list, but he fell just short to perhaps the most accomplished signal-caller in league history, Tom Brady. Wilson had led the Seahawks to one of the most improbable comebacks in their previous outing, the NFC Championship Game against Green Bay. Four early Wil- son interceptions put Seattle in a hole, and his team trailed by 12, but a pair of touch- downs in a 44-second span late in the final quarter gave Seattle new life. Although the Packers tied the game with a 48-yard field goal at the end of regulation, Wilson led a game-clinching drive to open overtime and gave his squad its second straight Super Bowl berth. Wilson finished the postseason 41-of- 72 passing (56.9 percent) for 724 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. He posted a passer rating of 90.3 and also rushed for 86 yards and a score. He trailed only Brady's 11 scores in playoff touch- down responsibility this season. Of course, the loss has just fueled Wil- son for next year, when he will try to pilot his squad to a third straight Super Bowl. No team in the salary-cap era, which dates back to 1994, has ever been able to do so. The Buffalo Bills, who appeared in four straight championship contests from 1991-94, were the last franchise to make three in a row. "I have been away from the game for al- most three weeks, trying to escape football and clear my mind," Wilson wrote in mid- February on ThePlayersTribune.com. "But I've never felt hungrier to get in the weight room and the film room, and keep pushing until we get to Super Bowl 50." The quarterback wasn't the only former NCSU star to have a memorable postsea- son. Starting right guard J.R. Sweezy was the only offensive lineman who opened every contest up front for the Seahawks' powerful run game and was singled out by the announcers on the NBC broadcast for some great blocks in the big game. He helped pave the way for an NFL-best 2,762 yards and 20 touchdowns on the ground during the regular season. The Hawks' 5.3 yards per carry average was also the best in the league — by more than 0.5 yards per attempt. Kicker Steven Hauschka became the Pack's all-time leading scorer in Super Bowl history, passing former 49ers kicker Mike Cofer with 17 points scored in the big game. He made a 27-yard field goal and converted on a trio of extra points on Super Sunday, which gave the Pro Bowl alternate the ninth most points scored (15) in this year's playoffs. Rob Crisp Shines At NFL Combine Former NC State offensive tackle Rob Crisp made himself some money at the NFL Combine by performing very well in the on-field tests Feb. 20 in Indianapolis. After he officially measured in at 6-7 and 301 pounds earlier in the week, he knocked out 26 repetitions at 225 pounds on the bench press. That may have been the most important aspect for Crisp, whose strength was his most questioned trait by scouts heading into the event. The big man tied for 13th among the 53 offensive linemen who were invited, while his arm length of 34.5 inches is considered plenty long enough for an NFL left tackle. Unofficially, he tied for the eighth-longest arms among invited front- line protectors. Crisp continued to help himself on Fri- day, when the big men underwent on-field Russell Wilson finished the postseason 41-of-72 passing (56.9 percent) for 724 yards with six touchdowns and five interceptions. PHOTO COURTESY SEATTLE SEAHAWKS