When the Seahawks play at New England on Sunday, it will be the first meeting between the two teams since the Patriots pulled out a dramatic victory in Super Bowl XLIX. And while that game will inevitably come up this week during the television broadcast of the game and in the form of questions from the media, it's not something either team is giving much thought to, not with both sides having to prepare for a first-place opponent.
"Not at all," receiver Doug Baldwin said when asked if the Super Bowl from two seasons ago was on players' minds. "We're just focused on this year, 2016. We'll take what they've done this year on film, then obviously the coordinators history and then try to utilize that to our benefit."
Seahawks coach Pete Carroll said that game is relevant this week only because it's another piece of information they can study: "We go all the way back, we played them a few years ago, too. We're studying all of that."
Patriots coach Bill Belichick was similarly uninterested in reliving a game that will forever link the two franchises, but that has little to no bearing on the outcome of Sunday's game.
"I think this game will be decided by the preparation this week and the performance of the players this week, not what happened in 2012 or 2014 or some other time," Belichick told Seattle-area reporters on a conference call.
"I don't think any of that really matters this week. The Seahawks have been in a lot of close games. We've been in a lot of close games. We know it will be tough Sunday night against Seattle, and that's what we're preparing for, so we'll just see how it all plays out."
The Seahawks aren't trying to pretend that Super Bowl XLIX didn't happen; it affected everyone involved, but they also know they can't waste time looking back this week. Whatever the team had to get past took place last year as the Seahawks overcame a slow start and, as Baldwin put it, "did a lot of soul searching. We had some opportunities for us to be divisive in the locker room and go separate ways, but we have to deal with issues head-on in the locker room, because you can't get away from them. We had our rough patches getting through that, but eventually we got through it, and it led to the success we had in the later part of the season… The locker room itself is very healthy at this point."
"We talked about it, we had an extensive conversation, and what came out of it was that we weren't going to be divisive, we were going to do it together. You win together and you lose together, and in those moments, the critics, the fans, everybody can say what they want to say, but at the end of the day, there's only the select group of people in this locker room who have to get it done, and we're going to find a way to do that together."
Offensive coordinator Darrell Bevell did concede that the Super Bowl loss was "a terrible memory," but like everyone else involved, he's looking forward, not back: "It's a new season, it's two years ago. It's something that's always there, something I've grown from, something I've learned from, but that isn't going away, it's always going to be there… But it's gone, it's in our past. We've learned from it and moved on."
Fans of the two franchises likely won't be able to avoid thinking back to Super Bowl XLIX when the Seahawks and Patriots take the field Sunday night, especially not if they're reminded of it over and over again on TV during the game, but for the players, Sunday's game is just a great matchup between two of the league's best teams.
"We don't really think about it," cornerback Richard Sherman said. "Another game, regular season game, trying to win. Super Bowl was a couple years ago, so they got new guys, we got a lot of new guys, we're just trying to win a ball game."
Team photographer shares exclusive moments from the Seattle Seahawks' Week 9 Monday Night Football matchup against the Buffalo Bills at CenturyLink Field.
Tight ends Luke Willson and Marcus Lucas shake hands during early warmups prior to the Monday Night Football game against the visiting Buffalo Bills.
Linebacker Brock Coyle runs onto the field for his early warmups.
Pete Carroll greet men and women from the U.S. military during pregame as the the NFL and Seahawks honored them during their "Salute to Service".
This young 12 already wants to be a coach like the Seahawks' Pete Carroll.
In the Seahawks locker room, cornerback Richard Sherman stretches before donning the rest of his uniform.
Offensive linemen Germain Ifedi, Mark Glowinski and J'Marcus Russell chat in the locker room prior to the game.
Head coach Pete Carroll greets safety Kelcie McCray during pregame stretching.
During the team stretch portion of pregame, cornerback Richard Sherman gets a hug from defensive assistant Rocky Seto and behind them defensive coordinator Kris Richard gives a hug to safety Tyvis Powell.
Kicker Steven Hauschka stretches before the game.
The Seahawks defensive backs huddle together during pregame.
Injured safety Kam Chancellor was nonetheless fired up prior to kickoff, here pumped with teammate Cliff Avril.
Safety Kam Chancellor fires up the team as they circle around him moments before taking the field for kickoff.
As part of the N.F.L.'s "Salute to Service" month, a member of the military leads the Seahawks out of the tunnel.
Offensive tackle Garry Gilliam waits for his name to be called during pregame introductions.
Seahawks receiver Jermaine Kearse is introduced on Monday Night.
Defensive end Cliff Avril joined injured military veterans for the playing of the national anthem, and locked arms with them in unity.
Head coach Pete Carroll hugs receiver Doug Baldwin just before kickoff.
Return specialist Tyler Lockett showed speed as he returned the opening kickoff.
Seattle receiver Doug Baldwin hauled in a 50-yard deep pass from Russell Wilson to set up the Seahawks first touchdown.
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman tracks down Buffalo running back LeSean McCoy during the first half.
This 12 had a mixture of old school (old logo on his hat) and new school (feather logo on his face) as he watched the Seahawks battle the Bills.
Tyler Lockett races upfield with a 17-yard gain in the first quarter.
Seattle's Jimmy Graham is helped to his feet by teammate Doug Baldwin after Graham crashed into the end zone with his first touchdown of the game.
Seattle's Frank Clark celebrates after sacking Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the second quarter.
Seattle's Christine Michael races into the end zone with a three-yard touchdown in the second quarter, giving the Seahawks a 21-17 lead.
Jimmy Graham not only scored twice, but hurdled Buffalo's Corey Graham on this catch-and-run.
Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman goes all out to tackle Buffalo's LeSean McCoy.
Seattle tight end Jimmy Graham needed only his right hand to snag both of his touchdown catches, this one on an 18-yard completion from Russell Wilson.
Seahawks defensive tackle Damontre Moore celebrates after stuffing Buffalo's LeSean McCoy for a two-yard loss on third down.
Seattle special teamers Kevin Pierre-Louis and Neiko Thorpe make the play on a punt return by the Bills.
Seattle's Bobby Wagner sacks Buffalo quarterback Tyrod Taylor in the fourth quarter.
Seahawks defensive end Cliff Avril sacks Bills quarterback Tyrod Taylor on the final drive of the game, helping to preserve a hard-fought, 31-25 victory.
Seahawks linebacker K.J. Wright wearily celebrates after the final whistle.
Seahawks mascot "Blitz" celebrates with receiver Doug Baldwin after the win.
In the victorious Seahawks locker room Damontre Moore hugs receiver Doug Baldwin.
Cornerback Richard Sherman and receiver Doug Baldwin shake hands in the locker room after the win over Buffalo on Monday Night Football.
