On Feb. 8, the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots faced off for Super Bowl 60 in Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA. The beginning of the game opened without much intensity and minimal scoring. In the first half, both teams went without a touchdown, field goals being the only points scored.
At halftime, the Seahawks led the Patriots 9-0, many fans including myself felt tremendous disappointment. We had all hoped for a dynamic first half with explosive plays and back and fourth scoring. However, both teams played extremely conservatively.
Many fans and I had felt shocked with how poorly the Patriots played in the first half. New England’s offense had failed to put a point on the board and had only picked up 52 yards.
On the flip side the Seahawks had put together a solid first half dominating both offensively and defensively.
Many fans were impressed with Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker’s offensive spark who rushed for 14 times with 94 yards.
However, the most unexpected performance for us fans was kicker Jason Meyers and his monster of a first half who knocked down 3 field goals and was the only scorer in the first half.
Seattle’s quarterback Sam Darnold completed 19 out of his 38 passing attempts, throwing for just under 200 yards and zero interceptions.
In the fourth quarter Darnold’s threw his first and only touchdown pass of the game to tight end AJ Barner.
In my opinion his touchdown pass had decided the fate of the game because it stretched the lead to three possessions and forced the Patriots into desperation. From that moment on, the Patriots had no other option but to play aggressively though, their chance of a realistic comeback was almost impossible because of the Seahawks’ strong defensive play.
Patriots quarterback, Drake Maye, in just his second National Football League season, put together a sensational year but struggled under heavy pressure in the Super Bowl. Maye completed 28 of 43 passes, throwing for 295 yards and two touchdowns. In spite of what seems like a good performance on paper, he had 3 turnovers and absorbed six sacks.
In my opinion the Patriots struggles on offense was more tangled than many think. Drake Maye without a doubt struggled with immense pressure and made crucial mistakes but he wasn’t the only factor as to why the game was so one sided.
Majority of the blame should be given to his offensive line who failed to protect him by allowing six sacks but this blame could also be attributed to a failure in the coaching staff to pick up blitzes sent by the Seahawks.
Seattle’s defense set the tone all night, forcing Maye to make crucial mistakes and turnovers.
The Seahawks won the turnover battle 3-0 ultimately deciding the game and outcome. Each Patriot mistake and turnover had stalled momentum or directly led to scoring drives or points, including a fourth-quarter interception returned for a touchdown.
In a game where both teams lacked offensive star power and total yards were nearly even, ball security proved to be one of the key differences.
Seahawks Kicker Jason Meyers also served as one of the main contributors of the game. Meyers converted five field goals and added two extra points, setting a record for most field goals made in a Super Bowl in NFL history.
Meyers quietly accounted for the Seahawks 17 out of 29 total points and while many think that his performance may lack flash and excitement it was incredibly significant. Meyers ensured Seattle walked away with points nearly every offensive drive which prevented the Patriots from ever gaining momentum to comeback.
In a controlled defense- heavy game, his reliability and consistency played one of the most crucial roles as to why the Seahawks came out victorious.
The star of the game without a doubt goes to Seahawks Running back Kenneth Walker III who carried the offense and led his team to victory, finishing with 135 yards on the ground with 27 attempts and 26 yards in the air which earned him Super Bowl MVP honors.
The game ended in the final score of 29-13 and a Seahawks victory marking their second super bowl win in history.
While Seahawks fans celebrated their dominant performance, social media reaction was mixed, with many fans including myself felt the game itself lacked tension and big play drama. Rather than a back-and-forth thriller many had hoped for, the game was marked by steady control, defense, and ball security.
Seattle executed cleanly and no doubt deserved the title, yet the overall experience was lackluster and felt more passive than thrilling. Super Bowl 60 will be remembered as efficient but not thrilling.
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