The Seattle Seahawks defense bludgeoned the Patriots’ offense and Drake Maye en route to a 29-13 win in Super Bowl LX. The score did not reflect how dominant the Seahawks were all game long.
The loss was particularly disappointing because it was the first time all season the Patriots were dominated on the field and on the scoreboard. Kenneth Walker took home the Super Bowl MVP honors with an outstanding performance. He carried 27 times for 135 yards, frequently getting big chunks of yardage after contact. He added 26 yards on two receptions.
But the difference in the game was Seattle’s defense, which forced punts on the Patriots’ first eight possessions with the exception of a kneel-down at the end of the half. The Seattle pressure was constantly getting to Drake Maye, and it affected his game.
Maye was under duress all game long, and it finally cost them on the Patriots’ ninth possession, when he fumbled, and Seattle recovered at the Patriots’ 37-yard line. Five plays later, Sam Darnold hit A.J. Barner for a 16-yard touchdown to make the score 19-0.
Maye then led the Patriots on a three-play 65-yard scoring drive where he hit back-to-back deep passes to Mack Hollins for 20 and then 35 yards for the Patriots’ first score.
There was a faint glimmer of hope after the Patriots forced a three-and-out and took over at their own 4-yard line. Maye moved the Patriots 40 yards, but then threw a terrible interception right to Seattle safety Julian Love, and it ended any hope of a miraculous comeback.
The Patriots’ next possession ended in disaster when a blitz by Devon Witherspoon hit Maye as he was releasing the ball. It was caught by Uchenna Nwosu and was ruled an interception. He returned it 45 yards for a touchdown, making it 29-7.
Maye padded his stats in garbage time with some yardage, including a late second touchdown pass to Rhamondre Stevenson. He finished 27-43 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions for a passer rating of 79.1. It wasn’t nearly good enough.
Even when Maye did have time, he was off-target and missed receivers.
Maye was not helped by his offensive line, which was dominated by Seattle’s front seven. Maye was sacked six times and hit 11 more times. The Patriots couldn’t establish any running game at all, and never truly got in a rhythm.
Will Campbell had a rough game, allowing a sack and multiple pressures. He was consistently a tad late getting off the snap, and it cost him. Jared Wilson also struggled, allowing a sack. Maye was the team’s leading rusher with 37 yards.
This played out like the Super Bowl a year ago, when the Eagles’ defensive line dominated Kansas City’s offensive line and hammered the Chiefs. This had a similar feel to it.
The Patriots’ defense was mostly good, allowing just one touchdown drive (37 yards). Considering the offense was not doing anything, holding Seattle to field goals kept them in the game.
They did, however, have issues setting the edge, while Walker was finding success on second efforts, bouncing the play outside and gaining big chunks of yardage.
Craig Woodson and Christian Gonzalez were outstanding for the defense. Woodson led the team with 10 tackles, including 3 TFLs and 2 passes defensed. Gonzalez saved a couple of touchdowns on outstanding plays, knocking down three passes.
The Patriots’ defense applied plenty of pressure on Sam Darnold, but time and again, he escaped and got his passes off. They were only able to record one sack, by Milton Williams, which was disappointing. Darnold finished 19-38 for 202 yards with a touchdown and a passer rating of 74.7.
-Hollins led all receivers with 78 yards on four receptions.
-Stefon Diggs had a disappointing Super Bowl with 37 yards on three catches.
-Rhamondre Stevenson was shut down by Seattle’s front seven, gaining just 23 yards on seven carries. TreVeyon Henderson added 19 yards on six carries.
-Gonzalez was instrumental in holding Jaxson Smith-Njigba to just 27 yards on four catches. Cooper Kupp led the Seahawks with 10 catches for 61 yards.
After the game, Mike Vrabel spoke to the media and was asked about his message for the team.
“I’m proud of everything that they did. I’m disappointed just like they are. I reminded them that we’re 307 days into what hopefully is a long, successful relationship and program, and it’s okay to be disappointed.
“We have to be disappointed and upset together. Like I always do, I tell them I’m appreciative of them, I’m thankful, I’m grateful that I get to coach them. Part of our identity is not being a frontrunner.
“Again, just like every year, somebody’s going to lose this game, and we have to remember what it feels like and make sure that it’s not repeated.”
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A former US Army Special Forces NCO and Officer, Steve has been following the Patriots since their days at Fenway Park. Steve has worked in the film industry and wrote as an Military Editor at SpecialOperations.com, 1945.com as a reporter for the Millbury Daily Voice, Millbury-Sutton Chronicle, and the Grafton News. He's also a member of the Pro Football Writers of America (PFWA)
I think Chris Collinsworth may have been right when he said it looked like the Patriots “conceded” in the 2QTR. Those words sound bizarre, but it seemed the pats were OK with the scoreboard being low scoring. McDaniels once called 23 straight runs vs MIA on the final game of the season (and lost), and fans questioned that for years. However, that 23 runs was about keeping a tattered Brady (Bruised ribs/shoulder etc) enabled to even play in the playoffs. The pats disclosed little on injuries. There was some info on that topic that most didn’t hear. Sunday, the Pats… Read more »
I think it is correct to dissect what went wrong, and there was plenty that did. As for the “blame game”? That’s just radio/tv fodder. I think Seattle was just the better team, they weren’t unbeatable, but certain things had to happen for the Patriots to upset them. They didn’t happen. As you pointed out, they came close but no cigar on several occasions defensively. It happens. Offensively, everyone is piling on Campbell right now, which I believe is knee-jerk reaction. I wonder how healthy HE was, not so much Maye, he didn’t look the same after his injury return.… Read more »