SEATTLE (AP) ― Never doubt the resilience of the Seattle Seahawks.
Plagued by turnovers and outplayed much of Sunday by Green Bay, the Seahawks staged an improbable comeback and beat the Packers 28-22 in overtime. Russell Wilson, who struggled until the final minutes, hit Jermaine Kearse for a 35-yard touchdown 3:19 into the extra period on the only possession.
The Seahawks became the first defending champion to make the Super Bowl in 10 years, and will play New England.
How they got there was stunning.
Seattle (14-4) trailed 19-7 with about four minutes remaining and had been ineffective on offense all game.
Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse catches the game-winning touchdown pass on Sunday. (AP-Yonhap)
Wilson finally put a drive together with passes to Doug Baldwin and Marshawn Lynch ― initially ruled a touchdown but called back because he stepped out. Wilson finished with a 1-yard scoring run to cut the lead to 19-14 with 2:09 left.
Seattle recovered a bobbled onside kick at the 50, and Lynch sped and powered his way to a 24-yard TD run. Wilson’s desperate 2-point conversion pass was hauled in by Luke Willson to make it 22-19.
Tom Brady, Patriots rout Colts
FOXBOROUGH, Massachusetts (AP) ― Tom Brady threw for three touchdowns and LeGarrette Blount ran in three more on Sunday to lead the New England Patriots into the Super Bowl with a 45-7 victory over the Indianapolis Colts.
The Patriots won their eighth AFC championship ― their sixth under Brady and coach Bill Belichick. They will play the Seattle Seahawks in the Super Bowl in Glendale, Arizona, on Feb. 1.
New England (14-4) opened a 14-point lead in the first half and then broke it open in a driving rain with three third-quarter touchdowns and another to start the fourth. That made it the second-most lopsided game in AFC championship history.
Brady completed 23 of 35 passes for 226 yards. Blount ran 30 times for 148 yards.
Andrew Luck completed 12 of 33 passes for 126 yards with two interceptions.
