A pass to Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski that fell incomplete sealed the Seahawks' victory late Sunday night. Gronkowski and Seattle safety Kam Chancellor collided on the play, with some — including QB Tom Brady — joining Gronk in wanting a pass interference call.
After the hard-fought game, the views from the two locker rooms were remarkably measured.
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The play came on fourth down with 14 second left in the game. It was the last meaningful play of a game that featured seemingly endless meaningful plays, as you'll see below.
Patriots coach Bill Belichick: “It was a really competitive play. I thought the game was well-officiated. They did a good job of letting the players play. I mean they called some things they had to call. I focus really on our team, what we can do. That’s what we need to do."
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll: "(A goal-line stand) is one of the great challenges that a team and a defense gets. And our guys just came through and hung in there and just fought for every inch and let us walk away with the win."
Gronkowski: "It didn't get called. It is what it is. If it's not (pass interference) to the refs then it's not PI to the refs so ... it is what is is. You can't really change it."
Brady: "I didn't see it. There's a lot of … there's always a lot of contact with that team. Sometimes you get the calls, sometimes you don't. Certainly looks like it comes down to one play, but (there) was a lot of plays in this game that we could've done a better job of."
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Chancellor: "Gronk's a great competitor, man. And with us two on the field, why not end it like that, you know what I'm saying? Give both of us a chance. Give him a chance and let me go out and cover him."
Richard Sherman: "Kam did a great job in great coverage. (Gronkowski) tried to bulldoze him, and you just can’t bulldoze him.”
