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The Seahawks won Super Bowl LX in convincing fashion Sunday night, beating the Patriots 29-13 behind an all-time great defensive performance.
What were the plays that defined the game? Here are the four biggest ones:
1. The first turnover
The Seahawks harassed Patriots quarterback Drake Maye all game with their defensive front and blitzers — he was sacked six times — but it wasn’t until the end of the third quarter that Seattle broke through for a takeaway.
Defensive end Derick Hall strip sacked Maye and the fumble was recovered by fellow lineman Leonard Williams, setting up the game’s first touchdown drive. It gave Seattle a 19-0 lead early in the fourth quarter.
2. The completion that woke up Patriots’ offense (temporarily)
Maye was having a miserable day through 47 minutes of game time.
When he wasn’t under heavy duress in the pocket, he misfired on the (few) opportunities available to him downfield. He was clearly rattled, and his offensive line was severely outmatched. But with 12:56 left in the fourth quarter, with New England facing a second-and-4 from its own 41, the MVP runner-up completed a pass to wide receiver Mack Hollins in a razor tight window — a sliver of space in the Seahawks’ zone coverage in the middle of the field.
It marked the Patriots’ longest play of the game to that point, setting up their lone touchdown on the very next play — a 35-yarder from Maye to Hollins down the left side of the field.
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3. The takeaway that took the life out of New England
Of their first drive after that landing, the Patriots appeared to lastly have an offensive rhythm, regardless of being backed up within the shadow of their very own finish zone. They moved the sticks twice, on monitor to eat into what was a 19-7 deficit early within the fourth quarter. However it all went unsuitable close to midfield, when a poorly-placed deep move from Maye was intercepted by security Julian Love.
That decide ended the transient second that the Patriots’ offense had offensive momentum. Seahawks linebacker Uchenna Nwosu had a pick-six off Maye on New England’s very subsequent possession, Seattle’s third and ultimate takeaway.
4. Unimaginable PBU from Gonzalez
Early within the second quarter, Sam Darnold was searching for speedster Rashid Shaheed deep, however Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez flew in for one of many extra spectacular move breakups you’ll see.
The Professional Bowler trailed Shaheed by a few step however timed his leap fantastically and had his arm outstretched to bat the ball away earlier than it may attain Shaheed’s fingers.
It was a large play within the first half, as a completion there would’ve arrange the Seahawks simply exterior the purple zone.
Seattle nonetheless wound up getting factors out of that drive, as Jason Myers drilled a 39-yard area aim to present the Seahawks a 6-0 lead. However Gonzalez’s play represented the unimaginable effort we noticed from him (and different members of the Patriots’ protection) to maintain Seattle within the recreation. Gonzalez had two different move deflections, together with one which prevented a Jaxon Smith-Njigba landing.
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