GLENDALE, Ariz. — On the same field where a receiver named David Tyree had improbably caught a desperation throw to propel the Giants to Super Bowl victory over the New England Patriots seven years earlier, the Seattle Seahawks had a potentially historic acrobatic catch of their own to remember and treasure.
The difference in the falling reception by Jermaine Kearse, however, is that the Seahawks did not complete the drive into the end zone.
The highlight was almost immediately trumped by a highly questionable play call, an interception at the goal line and a brawl, all more unbelievable than the catch that had preceded them.
“A very, very hard lesson,” Seattle Coach Pete Carroll said, noting that his team had been on the verge of another championship. “I hate to learn the hard way, but there’s no other way to look at it right now.”
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Irvin was ejected, Brady took another knee, and the clock expired in a cloud of confetti that fell on both teams.
For those tantalizing few moments, it looked as if it would be the Seahawks who prevailed, and as if Kearse would be the hero — not unlike Tyree had been for the Giants in a come-from-behind victory over the Patriots in 2008.
“The goal is to win the game,” Kearse said. “And right now that catch doesn’t mean anything to me.”
A version of this article appears in print on February 2, 2015, on page D1 of the New York edition with the headline: A Screeching Halt. Order Reprints| Today’s Paper|Subscribe
