By William Armstead –
SANTA CLARA – The Seattle Seahawks defeated the New England Patriots by a score of 29-13 in Super Bowl LX on Feb. 8. Not only was it Seattle’s defense, but also their special teams that led to their victory.
The Seahawks came into this year’s Super Bowl with a highly regarded defense, and they backed up that title. Seattle’s defense recorded six sacks, hounding New England’s offensive line.
Patriots quarterback Drake Maye was sacked and hurried often, leading to costly turnovers. Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu intercepted Maye and ran the ball all the way back for a score. Also, defensive end Derick Hall forced a fumble on Maye recovered by the Seahawks, with that turnover drive leading to a touchdown.
Kenneth Walker III recorded 135 yards on the ground on 27 carries. Kicker Jason Meyers was a key scorer for Seattle, going five for five on field goals and getting his team out to a nice lead early. Sam Darnold was able to connect with tight end AJ Barner for a touchdown pass.
As for the Patriots, they were scoreless until the fourth quarter, struggling against one of the NFL’s top defenses. Drake Maye turned the ball over three times, throwing two interceptions with a fumble lost. The Patriots as a team only had 79 total rushing yards.
Running back Rhamondre Stevenson and wide receiver Mack Hollins were the two touchdown scorers for the Patriots. Just as the Patriots were gaining back some momentum in the fourth quarter, Maye threw one of his costly picks, where if New England had scored a touchdown on that drive, the score would have been 22-19, bringing them back into the game.
The Seahawks have now won their second Super Bowl, avenging their loss to the Patriots from 2015, where they lost in heartbreaking fashion. The Patriots leave Santa Clara with a young quarterback who has now experienced what it is like to play on the biggest stage, along with many other talented young players.