The place All 32 NFL Groups Stood When Seahawks and Patriots Final Met in Tremendous Bowl

[ad_1] Loads was totally different in sports activities the final time that the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks met within the Tremendous Bowl on Feb. 1, 2015.

The San Francisco Giants had simply received their third World Sequence in 5 years (2010, 2012 and 2014); Ohio State defeated 2014 Heisman Trophy winner Marcus Mariota and the Oregon Geese within the first-ever Faculty Soccer Playoff Nationwide Championship the month prior; projected lottery picks Jahlil Okafor and Justise Winslow had been main Duke on what turned a Nationwide Championship season; the Golden State Warriors had been ascending into an NBA powerhouse beneath first-year head coach Steve Kerr and went on to win the franchise's first championship in 40 years.

However, sticking with the NFL, this is what was taking place with all 32 groups when Patriots rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler intercepted Seahawks quarterback Russell Wilson on the purpose line to in the end seal the Patriots' fourth Tremendous Bowl triumph in franchise historical past:

AFC East New York Jets

The Jets fired Rex Ryan after six seasons within the wake of a 4-12 marketing campaign. Keep in mind Michael Vick within the Hess look? He began three video games and appeared in 10 video games altogether for the Jets in 2014.

Miami Dolphins

The 2014 season was the coming-out occasion for working again Lamar Miller, who rushed for a career-high 1,099 yards and eight touchdowns on 5.1 yards per carry. He additionally tallied 275 receiving yards.

Buffalo Payments

Whereas they missed the playoffs for a fifteenth consecutive season, 2014 marked the primary time since 2004 that the Payments completed with a successful document (9-7). A obvious brilliant spot for Buffalo was its go rush, because the Payments led the NFL with 54.0 sacks. Mario Williams and Marcell Dareus every earned All-Professional honors, whereas the 2 defensive linemen and Jerry Hughes all totaled double-digit sacks.

New England Patriots

The Patriots had been in search of their first Tremendous Bowl victory in a decade and doing so in opposition to the backdrop of controversy. Whereas New England received their AFC Championship Recreation matchup in opposition to the Colts with ease, 45-7, the latter reported to the NFL that the sport balls the Patriots had been utilizing had been underinflated, which led to "Deflategate."

AFC North Cleveland Browns

The 2014 season was a chaotic one which noticed the Browns within the hunt for a playoff spot. Granted, they got here up brief. What was a part of that chaos? Rookie quarterback Johnny Manziel, the 2012 Heisman Trophy Award winner, made two begins for Cleveland.

Pittsburgh Steelers

The Steelers' offense was a well-oiled machine. Ben Roethlisberger led the NFL with 4,952 passing yards; Le'Veon Bell rushed for 1,361 yards and eight touchdowns, whereas additionally totaling 83 receptions for 854 yards; Antonio Brown led the NFL in receptions (129) and receiving yards (1,698), whereas reaching the tip zone 13 instances.

Baltimore Ravens

Two-time All-Professional and five-time Professional Bowler Steve Smith Jr. had his debut season with the Ravens, with the veteran broad receiver racking up 79 receptions for 1,065 yards and 6 touchdowns.

Steve Smith had a formidable first season with the Ravens. (Picture by Jared Wickerham/Getty Photos)

Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals had been constantly a good group beneath head coach Marvin Lewis. With that mentioned, the 2014 season was extra of the identical for Cincinnati within the playoffs, because the Bengals misplaced within the wild-card spherical for a fourth consecutive 12 months and fell to 0-6 within the postseason beneath Lewis.

AFC South Indianapolis Colts

Andrew Luck led the NFL with 40 passing touchdowns and led the Colts to the AFC Championship Recreation, which included beating Peyton Manning and the Broncos on the street within the divisional spherical.

Houston Texans

Defensive lineman J.J. Watt was imposing his will on the NFL, totaling 20.5 sacks and successful Defensive Participant of the 12 months honors in 2014 for the second time in three seasons and incomes All-Professional honors for a 3rd consecutive season.

J.J. Watt had one of the dominant defensive seasons of all-time in 2014. (Picture by Scott Halleran/Getty Photos)

Jacksonville Jaguars

Former UCF quarterback Blake Bortles wrapped up his first season within the NFL, who chosen him with the No. 3 choose within the 2014 NFL Draft; the Jaguars completed 3-13 in what was their second season beneath head coach Gus Bradley.

Tennessee Titans

The Titans went 2-14 in a season that noticed three quarterbacks begin at the very least 5 video games: Zach Mettenberger, Charlie Whitehurst and Jake Locker. Three months later, they drafted Mariota with the No. 2 choose within the 2015 NFL Draft.

AFC West Kansas Metropolis Chiefs

In what was the group's second season beneath Andy Reid, the Chiefs missed the playoffs. They might go on to make the playoffs in every of the following 10 seasons.

Oakland Raiders

Oakland fired head coach Dennis Allen after an 0-4 begin, with Tony Sparano taking on on an interim foundation. Rookie quarterback Derek Carr began all 16 video games for the Raiders, totaling 3,270 passing yards, 21 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and a 76.6 passer ranking, whereas finishing 58.1% of his passes.

Denver Broncos

Broncos broad receivers Demaryius Thomas and Emmanuel Sanders mixed for 212 receptions for 3,023 yards and 20 touchdowns in 2014, with every logging triple-digit receptions.

Emmanuel Sanders and Demaryius Thomas shaped one of many NFL's prime broad receiver duos in 2014. (Picture by Justin Edmonds/Getty Photos)

San Diego Chargers

Security Eric Weddle earned his second-career All-Professional honor, totaling one interception, two pressured fumbles, eight passes defended and 114 mixed tackles.

NFC East New York Giants

Odell Beckham Jr. had a historic rookie season with the Giants, racking up 91 receptions for 1,305 yards and 12 touchdowns in 12 regular-season video games. In fact, Beckham reeled in a three-fingered landing catch in a Week 12, prime-time matchup.

Dallas Cowboys

Dallas misplaced to the Inexperienced Bay Packers within the NFC divisional spherical. The lasting picture? Cowboys broad receiver Dez Bryant appeared to have a fourth-down reception on the Packers' 1-yard line, however the play was overturned to an incompletion, because it was dominated that Bryant did not keep management of the ball during the bottom.

Did Dez Bryant make the catch in opposition to the Packers within the 2014 divisional spherical? (Picture by David E. Klutho /Sports activities Illustrated through Getty Photos)

Washington

Washington wrapped up its first season beneath head coach Jay Gruden, which was a 4-12 marketing campaign that noticed three quarterbacks make at the very least 4 begins: Robert Griffin III (seven), Kirk Cousins (5) and Colt McCoy (4).

Philadelphia Eagles

Huge receiver Jeremy Maclin logged 85 receptions for a career-high 1,318 receiving yards and 10 touchdowns. In the meantime, linebacker Connor Barwin had arguably the perfect season of his NFL profession in 2014 with the Eagles, totaling a career-high in sacks (14.5), pressured fumbles (two) and mixed tackles (64); Barwin earned a Professional Bowl nod.

NFC North Inexperienced Bay Packers

The 2014 season noticed quarterback Aaron Rodgers win NFL MVP honors, nevertheless it resulted in heartbreak for the Packers, as they blew a 12-point fourth-quarter result in the Seahawks within the NFC Championship and went on to lose in additional time.

Aaron Rodgers received his second MVP in 2014. (Picture by Chris Graythen/Getty Photos)

Detroit Lions

Sticking with the playoff theme, the Lions led the Cowboys within the fourth quarter of their wild-card spherical matchup when a flag was thrown on Cowboys linebacker Anthony Hitchens on a third-and-1 with 8:18 remaining within the fourth quarter that will've given Detroit a primary down in opponent territory. Nonetheless, the officers picked up the flag, Detroit punted and Dallas took the lead for good on the following possession.

Minnesota Vikings

The 2014 season was the primary NFL marketing campaign for quarterback Teddy Bridgewater, who made 12 begins. Throughout the 13 mixed video games that he appeared in, Bridgewater totaled 2,919 passing yards, 14 passing touchdowns, 12 interceptions and an 85.2 passer ranking, whereas finishing 64.4% of his passes. He additionally rushed for 209 yards and one landing.

Chicago Bears

The Bears fired head coach Marc Trestman after two seasons and a 5-11 document in 2014; they went a mixed 13-19 from 2013-14.

NFC South Carolina Panthers

The Panthers received the NFC South with a shedding document (7-8-1), however they then defeated the Cardinals within the Wild Card Spherical. Within the common season, Panthers broad receiver Kelvin Benjamin and tight finish Greg Olsen every totaled 1,008 receiving yards, whereas linebacker Lou Kuechly led the NFL with 153 mixed tackles.

Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta, which had missed the playoffs and posted shedding data in back-to-back seasons from 2013-14, was on the verge of hiring Dan Quinn, the defensive coordinator of the Seahawks, as its new head coach after firing seven-year head coach Mike Smith.

New Orleans Saints

The Saints missed the playoffs in 2014 in what could be the primary of three seasons the place they missed the postseason (2014-16). Within the 2014 common season, Saints quarterback Drew Brees led the NFL with 4,952 passing yards, whereas it might find yourself being tight finish and then-three-time Professional Bowler Jimmy Graham's final season in New Orleans.

Drew Brees had the most effective seasons of his profession in 2014, however the Saints did not make the playoffs. (Picture by Gregory Shamus/Getty Photos)

Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Huge receiver Mike Evans totaled 68 receptions for 1,051 yards and 12 touchdowns in his 2014 rookie marketing campaign with the Buccaneers. The importance? Evans would go on to complete 1,000-plus receiving yards in every of the primary 11 seasons of his NFL profession.

NFC West Seattle Seahawks

Seahawks working again Marshawn Lynch led the NFL in speeding yards for a second consecutive season in 2014 (13). Lynch additionally delivered the "I am right here so I will not get fined" line to questions that he was requested at Tremendous Bowl week. Seattle entered Tremendous Bowl XLIX because the defending Tremendous Bowl champions.

Marshawn Lynch had a powerful season in 2014. (Picture by Evan Habeeb/Getty Photos)

San Francisco 49ers

The 2014 NFL season was Jim Harbaugh's final as the pinnacle coach of the 49ers, with him occurring to be the pinnacle coach at his alma mater Michigan. Over Harbaugh's 4 seasons within the Bay Space (2011-14), the 49ers went a mixed 44-19-1 within the common season and 5-3 within the postseason, highlighted by reaching Tremendous Bowl XLVII.

Arizona Cardinals

The Cardinals had been of their second season beneath head coach Bruce Arians, successful double-digit video games in each seasons and making the playoffs in 2014.

St. Louis Rams

Defensive finish Robert Quinn led the NFL with 5 pressured fumbles in 2014, whereas additionally logging 10.5 sacks, six passes defended and 46 mixed tackles.