Defensive play once again proves the edge between two familiar Super Bowl opponents.
In February 2015, Malcolm Butler intercepted a pass from Russell Wilson on his own goal line with 22 seconds remaining in Super Bowl XLIX. Butler’s New England Patriots led 28-24 over Wilson’s Seattle Seahawks. The interception sealed the win, giving New England its fourth championship with Tom Brady and Bill Belichick. The pair would win another two Super Bowls before their respective departures. The play would haunt Seattle after the decision not to hand the ball off to dominant running back Marshawn Lynch. The core of Wilson, Lynch, and a collection of defensive stars known collectively as the Legion of Boom would never reach another Super Bowl.
Eleven years later, the sides met again, this time in Super Bowl LX. Defensive play once again proved decisive as the Seahawks won comfortably 29-13 and lifted the Vince Lombardi Trophy for a second time.
For the Patriots, it was their first Super Bowl appearance since 2019, when they beat the Los Angeles Rams 13-3. That win marked their last championship in the Tom Brady era. This time, they arrived with quarterback Drake Maye, who finished second in MVP voting in just his second season. Alongside Maye, defensive star Christian Gonzalez, and veteran wide receiver Stefon Diggs, the roster was anchored. The team was coached by Mike Vrabel, himself a former Patriots champion, who led the team to a 14-win season in his first year at the helm.
The Seahawks also entered on the back of a 14-win season. Sam Darnold, once written off as a draft disappointment during his time with the New York Jets, completed a career resurgence, leading an impressive Seattle offense. The roster also featured the talents of Offensive Player of the Year Jackson Smith-Njigba, Kenneth Walker, and veteran receiver Cooper Kupp. Defensive stars such as Devon Witherspoon, Demarcus Lawrence, and Leonard Williams established the Seahawks as favourites.
In the end, the game was one-sided. New England’s defense kept Seattle out of the end zone in the first half. However, Seattle’s defense smothered New England to take a 9-0 lead into the half. Seattle’s offense looked potent early, even without a touchdown, and Walker was an early standout at running back.
The Patriots’ fortunes did not turn around in the third quarter following a show-stealing halftime performance by Bad Bunny. Maye took seven sacks, a record in the Super Bowl, as a suffocating pass rush limited his ability to find open receivers.
One of those sacks set Seattle up for the game’s first touchdown. Derrick Hall knocked the ball free from Maye’s grip, and Byron Murphy recovered it to give Seattle possession. From there, Darnold found Kupp before a 16-yard touchdown pass to AJ Barner.
Now trailing 19-0 in the fourth quarter, Maye was finally able to unlock Seattle’s defense, finding Mack Hollins for a 35-yard touchdown to quickly cut the lead back to 12. New England had the ball back shortly after, but this time, Maye threw an interception to Julian Love, who ran the ball deep into Patriots territory.
From there, Seattle added a fifth field goal (a Super Bowl record) to push the lead to 15. Soon after, Maye’s woes compounded as he was stripped on another sack, Devon Witherspoon blindsiding Maye with a cornerback blitz. This allowed linebacker Uchenna Nwosu to scoop up the ball and return it for a touchdown. Maye responded with a late touchdown pass to running back Rhamondre Stevenson. The two-point conversion attempt failed, and Seattle was able to recover the ensuing onside kick to seal the win in Super Bowl LX.
Walker was awarded Super Bowl MVP in recognition of his 135-yard performance. His play helped spur Seattle’s offense when New England’s secondary limited Darnold’s passing game. Fans and analysts were quick to single out Patriots Offensive Tackle Will Campbell for criticism, as the rookie consistently failed to block out Seahawks defenders from pressuring or tackling Maye and Stevenson in the backfield. Praise was heaped on Seahawks coach Mike Macdonald, whose defensive game-planning was instrumental in a successful first season in charge.
For Seahawks fans, the win helps soften the bruise of Butler’s interception a decade ago. Patriots fans will have to continue waiting to see the Lombardi return to Boston.
