SEATTLE » People in Seattle poised to celebrate a second straight Super Bowl win by the Seahawks were instead left stunned.

"I’m sad," said Rebe Wolverton, who was part of a crowd watching Sunday’s game on large screen televisions outside a restaurant near Century Link Field.

A late interception preserved New England’s 28-24 victory.

"This hurts," said Wolverton, who was wearing a Seahawks winter cap and holding a bag of Skittles, the favorite candy of the team’s running back, Marshawn Lynch.

Moments before the turnover Seattleites were certain their team would score with a run from the 1-yard-line. The boisterous crowd in the Pioneer Square neighborhood near where the Seahawks play home games was instead left shocked.

In the city’s University District police officers kept watch on a crowd of dozens of fans, some waving "12th Man" flags.

In north Seattle, 46-year-old George Bunting was mystified that Seahawks coach Pete Carroll would make the "wrong decision" and decide to throw instead of having Lynch take the ball.

"This is a major upset. He should’ve just used the man," Bunting said, referring to Lynch.

Emily Simpson and Steven Baily were already for another celebration.

"This is heartbreaking," the 25-year-old Simpson said. "I didn’t hear any fire arms or fireworks or anything. But it’s just a game."

Baily called the Seahawks play calling "just insane."

"I was hoping they were going to just fall into the goal. That’s all that needed to happen," said Baily, 23.

AP photographer Ted Warren contributed to this report.