Seattle’s championship night followed a familiar script for a team built on defense, patience and control. In a 29–13 victory over the New England Patriots, the Seahawks’ NFL-best defense overwhelmed New England from the opening series, setting the tone for a Super Bowl win defined by pressure, discipline and inevitability.
From the start, Seattle defensive coordinator Mike Macdonald unleashed a relentless and varied attack that kept Patriots quarterback Drake Maye off balance all night. Defensive backs blitzed, coverages rotated after the snap and blocking assignments unraveled almost immediately. Early pressure from the secondary produced confusion up front and led to a sack by cornerback Devon Witherspoon, a sign of what was to come. As the game unfolded, Seattle’s defensive front took over completely, collapsing the pocket and closing off throwing lanes before routes could develop.
The Seahawks finished with six sacks and two interceptions, coming from all levels of the defense. Derick Hall and Byron Murphy II each recorded two sacks, Witherspoon added another and rookie Rylie Mills joined the party as well. For more than three quarters, Seattle’s coverage unit smothered New England’s receivers, forcing Maye to move off his first read and hold the ball. Too often, there was simply nowhere to throw. The night fittingly ended when Uchenna Nwosu jumped a late pass under pressure from Witherspoon and returned it for a pick-six, stretching the lead and igniting celebrations back in Seattle.
Maye, brilliant for much of the season, never found his footing. Seattle’s post-snap disguises rattled the young quarterback, who appeared hesitant and rushed in ways rarely seen during his breakout campaign. Pressure arrived from every angle, leading to hurried decisions and inaccurate throws. Maye finished 27-of-43 for 295 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions, but nearly all of that production came after the Patriots were already trailing by multiple scores. He managed just 48 passing yards in the first half as New England punted on all five non-kneel possessions and totaled only four first downs before the break.
The Patriots’ running game offered little relief, producing just 42 yards on 13 carries. With the game still within reach early in the second half, New England’s offense stalled again, opening the third quarter with three straight three-and-outs. The lone first down during that stretch came via penalty. Maye made a handful of plays late, but the damage was long done in a performance that fell well short of the MVP runner-up’s usual standard.
On the other side, Seattle leaned heavily on Kenneth Walker III when the passing game struggled to gain traction. Quarterback Sam Darnold endured an uneven night, missing several throws that could have widened the margin early, but Walker consistently punished a Patriots defense that had stifled opposing running backs throughout the postseason. Walker finished with 135 rushing yards on a season-high 27 carries, ripping off runs of 30 and 29 yards in the second quarter and repeatedly finding daylight on outside concepts. His patience and vision stood out, allowing blocks to develop before exploding through creases. With Seattle needing stability, Walker provided it, delivering his best performance on the sport’s biggest stage.
New England’s defense deserves credit for keeping the game competitive longer than the offense allowed. Cornerback Christian Gonzalez broke up two potential touchdown passes, and the Patriots pressured Darnold on more than 40 percent of his dropbacks. Despite recording only one sack, the constant heat forced errant throws and stalled drives. New England held Seattle to one touchdown in four red-zone trips and limited the Seahawks to four conversions on 16 third downs. Ultimately, though, a Maye fumble that set up a short field and the late interception return for a touchdown proved too much to overcome.
Special teams quietly tilted the game in Seattle’s favor as well. Kicker Jason Myers accounted for all of the Seahawks’ scoring through three quarters, drilling four field goals before adding a fifth in the fourth quarter to set a Super Bowl record. Punter Michael Dickson repeatedly flipped field position, pinning three punts inside the Patriots’ 7-yard line and forcing New England to navigate long fields against a swarming defense.
By the final whistle, the outcome felt inevitable. Seattle won 29–13 by controlling all three phases, suffocating a high-powered Patriots offense and leaning on a punishing ground game. In a Super Bowl defined by pressure and precision, the Seahawks left no doubt about who belonged on top.
