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In a rematch of Super Bowl XLIX, the Seahawks this time left no question, dominating the Patriots with a stifling defense from the outset. There would be no miraculous comeback for New England in Super Bowl LX.
While Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III won the MVP, and deservedly so, it was Seattle’s “Dark Side” defense that stole the show and frustrated breakout Patriots quarterback Drake Maye.
Here are my takeaways from Super Bowl Sunday.
1. How the Dark Side did it
Mike Macdonald’s defense has garnered plenty of headlines throughout the 2025-26 season, but the suffocating unit will be the talk of the football world after a spectacular performance in Super Bowl LX. The Dark Side is a perfectly constructed defense in which the talent and tactics mesh like peanut butter and jelly.
Against the Patriots, the league’s No. 1 scoring defense put on a show that spotlighted its stifling run defense, ferocious pass rush and impenetrable coverage. With Macdonald dialing up creative blitzes (five or more rushers) and simulated pressures (four-man rush with a second-level defender featured within the pass rush plan), the Seahawks shut out the Patriots for the first three quarters and dominated the action in a way that is not reflected in the 29-13 final score.
Seahawks safety Julian Love intercepts a pass against the Patriots during the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
From Leonard Williams, Byron Murphy and Jarran Reed stuffing the run to Devon Witherspoon, DeMarcus Lawrence, Derick Hall and Boye Mafe wreaking havoc on the pocket to Josh Jobe, Riq Woolen, Julian Love, Coby Bryant and Nick Emmanwori throwing a blanket over the Patriots’ aerial attack, the Seahawks overwhelmed the Patriots with their superior talent and tactics. The simplistic plan enabled the unit to play fast and fearless, while creating the illusion of chaos to confuse second-year Patriots quarterback Drake Maye and an overmatched offensive line.
As future opponents extensively study Super Bowl LX hoping to steal some ideas from the champions, their copycat plans will go up in smoke if they do not possess the collection of athletes that dismantled the Patriots from the initial snap to the final whistle.
2. Super Bowl LX was too big for Drake Maye
The MVP runner-up enjoyed a spectacular sophomore season, but the Super Bowl LX stage was too big for the Patriots’ franchise quarterback. While there will be plenty of chances for Maye to bounce back from his dreadful performance, the Pro Bowler’s postseason struggles suggest his inexperience played a significant role in New England’s offensive struggles.
After finishing as the league’s top-ranked passer in completion percentage (72%), passer rating (113.5), and pass yards per attempt (8.9), Maye did not come close to matching those numbers in the playoffs. He amassed a 58.3% completion rate with an 82.2 passer rating and 6.9 pass yards per attempt average with six touchdowns and four interceptions.
Drake Maye took six sacks in the Super Bowl, raising his postseason total to a record 21. (Photo by Todd Rosenberg/Getty Images)
[RELATED: Super Bowl LX a Baptism By Fire For Drake Maye, Patriots]
Whereas it’s unimaginable to count on a younger quarterback who is consistently beneath siege (postseason report 21 sacks and 7 fumbles) to carry out properly beneath these situations, the second-year professional repeatedly missed throws that have been thought-about layups through the common season. The mix of relentless stress and intelligent post-snap motion prevented Maye from getting comfy inside the pocket.
With the Seahawks exposing the Patriots’ inexperienced blind aspect (rookie starters Will Campbell and Jared Wilson) and lack of explosiveness on the perimeter, Maye wilted beneath the stress and seemed nothing just like the rising celebrity who outplayed his elite counterparts (Patrick Mahomes, Josh Allen, Lamar Jackson and Joe Burrow) within the AFC.
3. Kenneth Walker closed out a dominant postseason
Regardless of the soccer world clamoring for a Sam Darnold redemption story, the Seahawks’ offensive success was sparked by Walker’s spectacular efficiency on the bottom. The fourth-year professional notched his third 100-yard recreation of the postseason, with a 27-carry, 135-yard effort that showcased his explosive playmaking potential as work workhorse runner.
Tremendous Bowl LX MVP Kenneth Walker III holds the Lombardi Trophy after the Seahawks defeated the Patriots 29-13. (Picture by Scott Strazzante/San Francisco Chronicle through Getty Photos)
Taking part in because the lead runner in an offense that pummeled the Patriots with a mixture of inside zones and “Duo” (energy play and not using a bottom puller), Walker repeatedly slow-walked to the opening earlier than executing a collection of bounce cuts and start-and-stop maneuvers that enabled him to bounce and burst across the nook. With the Patriots unable to set the sides and comprise exterior runs, the 5-foot-9, 211-pound again repeatedly scooted to the perimeter on off-tackle performs.
Moreover, Walker discovered room slithering via cracks between the tackles after slow-walking to the road of scrimmage. The ultra-patient strategy jogged my memory of Le’Veon Bell, who utilized the unorthodox model to earn three All-Professional berths with the Steelers within the 2010s.
Although Walker has not earned that distinction but, he swiped the Tremendous Bowl LV MVP award and certain earned a mega payday with an epic efficiency in opposition to the Patriots.
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