Sunday Rundown: Brady, Belichick solidify their place atop list of all-time greats

Sunday Rundown recaps the most important developments from the day's action and examines their significance moving forward.

David Tyree.

Mario Manningham.

Jermaine Kearse.

The New England Patriots stared at a third Super Bowl miracle conjured by their opponents and didn't blink.

Malcolm Butler's interception - his first as a pro - not only sealed the win for the Patriots, it exorcised the lingering demons from his team's two upset losses to the New York Giants and cemented the legacies of the quarterback and coach.

Butler's pick altered history, transforming the Tom Brady/Bill Belichick narrative from one of early success followed by repeated failure into one of the prizefighter who got knocked down, got knocked down again but outlasted his opponent to deliver the knockout blow in the final round.

Brady and Belichick's place among their peers is settled. Their chase is complete. Four rings and 15 years of sustained success leave the pair as the greatest ever at their respective positions. The debate is over.

Making the call

Fifteen years after the Patriots fired Pete Carroll, he delivered the franchise a Super Bowl title with the worst play call in Super Bowl history.

At least, that's the opinion expressed by the overwhelming majority, including current and former players from around the league, in the moments after Russell Wilson turned the ball over with the Seahawks a yard away from a game-winning touchdown. It's an opinion shared by some in the Seahawks' locker room.

Carroll tried to take the blame after the game. So did offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell. To his credit, Marshawn Lynch said he wasn't upset he didn't get the chance to carry the ball, pointing out football's a team sport.

It's certainly fair to question the decision to throw the ball with the game's best running back in the backfield, but it may not be the egregious error it's made out to be. 

Lynch's efficiency from the 1-yard line is suspect. In five carries from a yard out this season, he produced a touchdown, two runs for no gain and two runs for a loss. It's certainly hard to imagine him getting stuffed with the Super Bowl on the line, but those who live and die by the numbers know to separate game situation from the decision-making process.

It's also unfair to the Patriots to attribute the play's failure to its design. The Seahawks got the look they wanted and got their receiver open. Butler simply made a tremendous play. 

It's up to the Seahawks to decide where this play fits in their story. The Tennessee Titans were stopped one yard short of a Super Bowl title, similarly, and they have scarcely returned to the playoffs.

The Seahawks have plenty of time - too much time - to digest this result and decide where to go from here.

From Foot Locker to the Super Bowl

Chris Matthews made his first NFL catch on the game's biggest stage. Then he made another, and another, and before long the unknown Seahawks wideout was pushing for MVP honors.

Matthews' path to the Super Bowl is as unique as it is the perfect illustration of the Seahawks' penchant for finding overlooked overachievers and putting them in a position to thrive.

Matthews joined the Cleveland Browns as an undrafted free agent in 2011 but failed to crack the roster. He then traveled north, earning Most Outstanding Rookie honors with the CFL's Winnipeg Blue Bombers in 2012.

Matthews parlayed his CFL success into a tryout with the Seahawks, the NFL's masters at finding treasure where others see only trash, but almost didn't show up because he was worried about ditching work, at Foot Locker, early. It's a good thing his boss let him leave.

Even after earning a roster spot, Matthews surely never expected to make much of an impact. He sat seventh on the depth chart in the pre-season and was cut twice during the season despite a high rate of attrition among the Seahawks' wideouts.

Two weeks ago, Matthews introduced himself to the NFL by snagging an onside kick to preserve the Seahawks' Super Bowl hopes.

We won't forget his name now.

Stray Thoughts

• Bruce Irvin trying (and succeeding) to goad the Patriots into a fight with seconds on the clock and the game's outcome decided was as classless an action as we've ever seen in the Super Bowl.
• Madden 15 accurately predicted the Super Bowl's winner and final score. You decide what that means.
• Matthews aside, the Seahawks' wide receivers were non-factors. The team must find a way to upgrade the position this offseason - probably without spending much money against rapidly shrinking salary cap space.
• Josh McDaniels called a masterful game. As expected, the Patriots carved up the Seahawks with short, underneath passes. The Seahawks' vaunted secondary just didn't make enough big plays.

Stat of the Week