The sneaky-big rivalry between the Patriots and Seahawks

It may seem that the New England Patriots and Seattle Seahawks have established a bit of a high-stakes rivalry, despite playing in different conferences and on opposite ends of the country. In fact, many of their games have been defined by tight regular-season contests and, of course, arguably the greatest Super Bowl ever played.

Besides that epic big game finish to cap the 2014 season, their history features a dominant 1977 Patriots debut and some intense matchups in the 2010s, when both franchises were established powerhouses in the NFL. Take a look at some of these big rivalry occasions throughout the history of these teams.

This sneaky-big rivalry began with a significant statement from the Patriots. In their first-ever meeting with Seattle on Oct. 9, 1977, New England shut out the new expansion team, the Seahawks, 31-0. It was a brutal way for Seattle to begin their life in the NFL.

However, decades later, in 2004, the teams met again during the Patriots' dynasty era. New England was coming off its second Super Bowl win. The Pats hosted the 'Hawks on Oct. 17, 2004. Quarterback Tom Brady and coach Bill Belichick showed off their efficient ways of winning with ease, beating the Seahawks 30-20. The victory kept the Patriots moving forward to a 14-2 season and a second straight Super Bowl title. They once again showed that they were one step ahead of the Seahawks and their goals.

In 2012, the Patriots' dominance over the Seahawks shifted a bit. Seattle head coach Pete Carroll was a former Patriots coach, and he built a fierce, defensive-minded team in Seattle. Now, on Oct. 14, 2012, a seminal game took place between the two clubs.

The Seahawks ended up getting a 24-23 comeback win, thanks mainly to rookie quarterback Russell Wilson, who showed off his Brady-like clutch play with a go-ahead 46-yard touchdown pass to Sidney Rice with just 1:27 left in the game. The Legion of Boom defense had also arrived, threatening the elite Patriots' dominant ways in the coming years.

The most standout moment in this high-stakes rivalry happened on Feb. 1, 2015, in Glendale, Arizona. It was the Seahawks' vaunted defense up against Brady and the Patriots' prolific offense. Seattle was looking to launch their own dynasty that night, having won the previous season's Super Bowl, while New England was looking to bolster their own established run. The Hawks were leading 24-14 in the fourth quarter and were close to back-to-back titles.

However, Brady entered comeback mode, driving the Pats to 14 unanswered points. New England took a late 28-24 lead, but the game still came down to the final minute—and resulted in one of the NFL's most unforgettable moments. The Seahawks were on the Patriots' 1-yard line, and instead of giving the ball to star running back Marshawn Lynch, Seattle decided to pass. In steps Patriots undrafted rookie cornerback Malcolm Butler, who read the play perfectly, undercutting the receiver and picking Wilson off right at the goal line. It was a miraculous play for the Patriots, and the game changed the trajectory of both franchises.

This 2016 rematch offered a fantastic sequel to the Super Bowl's dramatic finish. On Nov. 13, 2016, the Seahawks faced off against the Patriots in Foxborough. The match was labeled as a "rematch." This time, the game wasn't a defensive grind but a high-scoring thriller. The Hawks led 31-24 with about four minutes left.

Once again, Brady was ready to go into hero mode and led the Patriots on an intense drive up the field. Just like the Super Bowl, the game was coming down to the final minute. However, with the Patriots threatening at the goal line this time, the tables were turned. Brady tried to complete a fourth-down fade pass to tight end Rob Gronkowski, but the throw fell incomplete, and Seattle hung on to win 31-24. Of course, they would have liked to win the Super Bowl instead of this revenge game, but it was still a satisfying victory, and it showed that both teams remained very elite and hard-fought competitors.

Regular, yearly matchups never defined the Patriots-Seahawks rivalry, but the high-quality, high-stakes games they have played have. The matchups have been all about quarterback play, with Brady vs. Wilson, and about great coaching from Belichick and Carroll. The Seahawks have the upper hand in the all-time head-to-head record, going 11-9-0. The New England Patriots took charge in the late '70s to late '80s against Seattle, but since then, the Hawks have stepped up and taken care of business.

However, the New England Patriots will always have the bragging rights from the goal-line Super Bowl win. From 2010 to the present, the games have maintained a strong competitive balance. Even though Super Bowl XLIX remains the most significant moment in the history of these two clubs coming together, the overall history is a testament to two organizations that have defined the NFL's modern era.