(Photo Aaron M. Sprecher/Getty Images)
By Jack Cranmer, Staff Writer
Super Bowl LX was held on Sunday, Feb. 8th, in Santa Clara, California, between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
The Seahawks finished 14-3 in the regular season, finishing first in the NFC West. The Seahawks continued their dominance in the postseason at home as they took care of the 49ers 41-6 and clinched a Super Bowl trip with a tight 31-27 win over the Los Angeles Rams. Coming into Super Bowl Sunday, Seattle had won 13 of their past 14 games.
The Patriots also finished the regular season at 14-3, finishing as the number two seed behind the Denver Broncos. The Patriots, under new Head Coach Mike Vrabel, made the playoffs for only the second time since the Tom Brady era. The Patriots defeated the Los Angeles Chargers in the wildcard round 16-3 and the Houston Texans 28-16 in the Divisional round to clinch a spot in the AFC Championship against the Denver Broncos. The Patriots defeated the Broncos 10-7 in a low-scoring, snowy championship game, punching their ticket to the Super Bowl.
Super Bowl LX started quickly with an early field goal by Seahawks kicker Jason Myers. Both defenses stepped up in the first half, with the Patriots’ defense only allowing the Seahawks two field goals to end the half with a 9-0 lead.
After the extended halftime, the Patriots only managed a single first down and a total gain of 34 yards. While the Seahawks were only able to add a field goal early in the third quarter, they still maintained a 12-0 lead heading into the fourth quarter. Seattle made use of a Patriots fumble and scored a 16-yard passing touchdown just 90 seconds into the fourth quarter, giving them a 19-0 lead.
With only 13 minutes left in the game, the Patriots needed to move quickly and make a massive comeback to have a chance. The Patriots answered with a 3-play 65-yard drive that culminated in a 35-yard passing touchdown to Mack Hollins. This gave the Patriots life, as they quickly forced a punt from Seattle, giving them the ball back with over 10 minutes remaining. However, Patriots QB Drake Maye overthrew a receiver and was intercepted by the Seahawks defense, giving Seattle a chance to seal the game and wind down the clock.
The Seahawks did just that as they kicked another field goal, giving them a 15-point lead. Just four plays later, with the Patriots driving, Maye was hit in the pocket, and the ball popped up to linebacker Uchenna Nwosu, who returned it for a touchdown. This sealed the game and gave the Seahawks a 29-7 lead. The Patriots added a touchdown before time expired, making it a 29-13 game. This was a win for the Seattle Seahawks and marks their first Super Bowl since 2014.
Seattle running back Kenneth Walker was named Super Bowl LX MVP for his standout performance with 135 rushing yards and 26 receiving yards.
