Seattle erased the pain of its 2015 Super Bowl collapse against New England by controlling every phase of Sunday’s championship game, building an insurmountable lead through defense and special teams before pulling away for a 29-13 victory at Levi’s Stadium.
The Seahawks secured their second franchise title by executing the defensive blueprint that carried them through a 14-3 regular season. New England never found offensive rhythm, repeatedly forced into punts and turnovers by a Seattle defense that smothered Drake Maye’s passing game and shut down running lanes. Jason Myers methodically added points, drilling three first-half field goals that staked Seattle to a 9-0 halftime advantage without the offense reaching the end zone.
Seattle’s first touchdown didn’t arrive until early in the fourth quarter, when Sam Darnold found A.J. Barner on a 16-yard strike that extended the lead to 19-0. The Patriots finally answered through Maye, who connected with Mack Hollins on a 35-yard score that briefly suggested a comeback might materialize. That notion lasted only minutes.
Myers pushed the margin back to 15 points with his fifth field goal of the night, then linebacker Uchenna Nwosu ended any remaining drama by scooping up a Maye fumble and racing 45 yards for the clinching touchdown. The score capped a defensive masterclass that held New England to 13 points and generated the turnovers that decided the outcome.
Cooper Kupp and Kenneth Walker III provided enough offensive production to complement the defense, moving the chains and consuming clock when Seattle needed to protect its lead. The Patriots, who rebuilt around Maye and fought back to the Super Bowl after years of post-dynasty struggles, couldn’t solve Seattle’s defensive schemes or generate the explosive plays that defined their playoff run.
Seattle celebrates its second championship Wednesday morning with a parade through downtown. The victory closes a circle that opened with the crushing final-play interception that cost the Seahawks a second consecutive title in 2015. Eleven years later, facing the same opponent on the same stage, Seattle left no doubt about which team deserved the Lombardi Trophy.
