(Image via NPR)
Sports Editor: Aidan Danforth
Email: adanforth@umassd.edu
It feels so strange to say it, but this chaotic season which also had an unpredictable regular season and a wide open playoff picture, has finally come to an end. The 2025-2026 season concluded with a Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots.
Heading into the game, people felt it could go one of three ways. Either it was going to be a massacre in favor of Seattle, a close game where Seattle still comes up on top, or the Patriots would win a close game and have a new empire.
To no one’s surprise, the Seattle Seahawks dominated the New England Patriots 29-16, securing their second ever Super Bowl victory and forever changing the legacy of quarterback Sam Darnold.
Drake Maye and the Offensive Line
People were quick to point fingers at Maye for this performance, and yes, he did play horrible. Most of the throws he made were inaccurate and kept staying in the pocket for too long. He just looked clueless throughout the whole game and really showed his lack of playoff experience.
But it’s not just Maye. His receivers also played horrible. They were missing catches left and right. One of the most important parts of football is the quarterback having good chemistry with its wide receivers. If you watched this abysmal offense, you wouldn’t think these players have ever played a down together.
However, what it really came down to was the offensive line. Maye couldn’t make his usual escape the pocket runs and clutch throws due to the O-line giving him no time to make said plays. Will Campbell and Jared Wilson let too much pressure reach Maye, allowing him to be sacked six times!
In addition, Maye threw two interceptions and lost one fumble, showing that their struggles came from a combination of inexperienced quarterback play, a weak receiving core, and a young O-line facing one of the best defensive lines in the league.
Seahawks Practically Played Perfect
It is not an understatement to say that the Seahawks had a perfect postseason. They absolutely dismantled an injured 49ers team in a 41-6 victory. Then they proceeded to go toe-to-toe with MVP Matthew Stafford and the Rams in a narrow 31-27 win.
Seattle won both games and the Super Bowl because their team was practically flawless. Their offense always clicked. Sam Darnold played well enough to help them win, the running game was strong with only Kenneth Walker, the offensive line did its job, and the receivers stepped up in big moments to make those plays.
The defense earned itself a nickname, the dark side, with its dominant pass rush that stopped each opposing quarterback. Their secondary featured veterans and rookies that forced turnovers and prevented competitions like the one that would’ve given the Rams a chance deep in the 4th quarter.
Something else that no one really mentioned was the special teams. Jason Myers made field goal after field goal, scoring the most points combined in both regular and post season. Michael Dickson punted balls to ensure the defense had good field position. As a whole, they forced turners, made big tackles, and once again, forced a turnover in the championship that punched their ticket to the big game.
What was Seattle’s weakness? Turnovers. How many did they have in the postseason? Zero. No interceptions, no fumbles. The one thing holding Seattle back in the regular season was nonexistent, leading to a nearly flawless run.
Defense Wins Championships
Even if the Patriots found a way to get something going on offense, Seattle’s defense still would have manhandled them. All season the Seahawks have won mainly because of their dominant defense. It didn’t matter how bad Darnold played or if Jaxon Smith-Njigba wasn’t making 80 yard touchdown catches, their defense was just too good.
Huge shutout to Head Coach Mike McDonald. In one offseason, he and his front office transformed his once mediocre playoff team by strengthening the defense with veteran additions like Demarcus Lawrence and continually drafting rookies like Nick Emmawori and Byron Murphy.
They also took a gamble on Sam Darnold, a quarterback fresh off his first impressive season in the pros after years of being labeled a bust. 11 years ago, Seattle was one yard away from winning back to back Super Bowls. If they ran it, they would’ve won, a decision that has haunted them for years.
Now, they have redeemed themselves by bringing the Lombardi back to Seattle and also besting the team responsible for the heartbreak. A true full circle moment in the NFL.