WILSON WAS aggressive throwing downfield after struggling with that aspect of the pass game late in the regular season and in the playoffs. Wilson had four completions of more than 19 yards, including a 37-yard throw to Doug Baldwin in the first quarter and a 23-yard touchdown pass to Jermaine Kearse.

"For everybody who said we were mediocre, not the main dish, we came up big," Tate said. "Three of our four (receivers) scored touchdowns. Eat your words because we balled."

In the immediate aftermath, Wilson thought back to a players’ meeting before the season when he presented the question, why couldn’t this version of the Seahawks be the first in franchise history to win the Super Bowl? It was never a stated goal, but it fit with Carroll’s championship mantra.

"It’s emotional to think about all the guys, the great players that have played before us," Wilson said. "That was our thing. We wanted to say, ‘Why not us?’ We believed that. It was real for us.

"I knew that we were here for a reason."