Super Bowl 60 Recap: Seahawks Ride Defense, Darnold’s Efficiency, and Myers’ Perfect Leg to a 29–13 Super Bowl Win

Super Bowl 60 between the Seattle Seahawks and New England Patriots turned into a throwback, defense-first championship. For three quarters, neither offense found the end zone. Seattle leaned on Sam Darnold’s mistake-free night, Kenneth Walker III’s workhorse running, and Jason Myers’ perfect kicking to build a lead. In the fourth quarter, two interceptions of Drake Maye and a short-field touchdown surge turned a grind into a 29–13 Seahawks victory.

This wasn’t about gaudy passing totals or explosive plays. It was about patience, field position, and a defense that got stronger as the game went on.

First Half: Seattle Controls the Game with the Kicking Game

Darnold Efficient, Myers Automatic

Seattle set the tone early with a composed opening from Sam Darnold. He finished the game 19 of 38 for 194 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, and critically, he never put the ball in harm’s way. Early on, the Seahawks mixed:

• Kenneth Walker III on the ground (27 carries, 135 yards, long 30)

• Short and intermediate throws to Cooper Kupp (6–61) and AJ Barner (6–61, 1 TD)

• Occasional touches to Rashid Shaheed (2–41) and Jaxon Smith-Njigba (1–16)

Their opening scoring drive (8 plays, 51 yards) stalled in the red zone, but Jason Myers hit the first of his five field goals (5/5, long 41) to make it 3–0.

The pattern was set:

• Seattle moved the ball just enough.

• New England’s defense stiffened in the red zone.

• Myers did the rest.

Two more methodical drives in the second quarter (55 yards, then 34 yards) produced field goals, pushing the lead to 9–0 at halftime. Myers went into the break 3-for-3, while the Seahawks’ offense had outgained the Patriots and dominated the scoring opportunities, even without a touchdown.

Patriots’ Offense Stalls Behind Maye

On the other side, Drake Maye’s final line tells the story: 27 of 43 for 252 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 6 sacks. The yardage looks respectable, but in the first half, Maye spent most drives:

• Under pressure from a relentless Seattle front

• Working behind the chains after negative plays

• Forced into checkdowns and short completions that didn’t move the sticks

New England’s rushing game never provided balance:

• Maye: 5 carries, 37 yards (mostly scrambles)

• Rhamondre Stevenson: 17 carries, 30 yards, long 6

• TreVeyon Henderson: 3 carries, 6 yards

In total: 25 carries for just 73 yards. With no consistent run threat, Seattle’s defense sat on routes and attacked protections.

The Patriots punted repeatedly in the first half, never crossing the goal line and settling for a 9–0 deficit at the break. It felt larger given how hard yards and first downs were to come by.

Third Quarter: Seahawks Extend the Lead, Defense Tightens the Screws

Seattle opened the second half similarly: steady offense, stalled red-zone trips, and more from Myers.

Another Long Drive, Another Field Goal

Midway through the third quarter, the Seahawks mounted a 10-play, 69-yard drive that showcased exactly who they were in this game:

• Walker grinding out tough yards between the tackles.

• Darnold picking his spots, particularly to Kupp and Barner.

• No self-inflicted wounds: no turnovers, no drive-killing penalties.

Again, they bogged down near the end zone—but Myers was money. His fourth field goal extended the lead to 12–0.

Patriots’ Offense Still Searching

New England’s response? More three-and-outs and short possessions:

• Stevenson and Henderson were swallowed up by Byron Murphy II, Jarran Reed, DeMarcus Lawrence, Boye Mafe, Leonard Williams, and company.

• Maye couldn’t find explosives; Seattle’s secondary, led by Devon Witherspoon, Riq Woolen, Julian Love, Coby Bryant, and Nick Emmanwori, tackled well and kept everything in front.

Late in the third, Maye finally made the mistake Seattle had been pressing for: a fumble (1 fumble, 1 lost). That turnover flipped the field and set up the decisive turn in the fourth quarter.

Score after 3Q: Seahawks 12, Patriots 0

Fourth Quarter: Takeaways, Short Fields, and the Knockout Punch

The fourth quarter was where Seattle’s approach paid off in full.

Short Field, First TD: Barner Breaks Through

Off the late-third-quarter fumble, Seattle started the fourth with a short field:

• 5 plays, 37 yards, 1:46

• Capped by Darnold’s lone touchdown pass—to AJ Barner, who finished with 6 catches for 61 yards and the score.

That TD finally broke the drought and pushed the lead to 19–0. At that point, with how Seattle’s defense was playing, New England’s margin for error dropped to zero.

Patriots Flash Once: Quick 65-Yard Strike

To their credit, the Patriots finally flashed the potential of their passing game:

• A 3-play, 65-yard drive in just 57 seconds

• Maye found one of his top targets—Mack Hollins (4–78), DeMario Douglas (7–81), or Stefon Diggs (5–40)—for the explosive play they’d been missing all night.

Maye’s two touchdowns (spread among his receiving corps that also included Stevenson, Hunter Henry, Henderson, Kayshon Boutte, Austin Hooper, and Kyle Williams) finally got New England on the board, trimming it to 19–7.

For a moment, the game felt alive.

Nwosu and Love Close the Door

The problem: Seattle’s defense answered immediately.

After a short Seattle punt, New England tried to mount a true comeback drive, but:

• A 7-play, 40-yard drive ended with Julian Love’s interception (Love: 1 INT, 35 return yards, 1 TD).

• Seattle turned that pick into points: 6 plays, 30 yards, 3:02, ending in Myers’ fifth field goal to make it 22–7.

On the next Patriots possession, the Seahawks made the defining defensive play:

• Uchenna Nwosu stepped in front of a pass and took it 45 yards to the house for a pick-six (Nwosu: 1 INT, 45 yards, 1 TD).

• That defensive score blew the game open to 29–7.

From there, it was damage control for New England. Maye added a late touchdown drive to bring it to 29–13, but the outcome was settled. A final three-play, -12-yard Patriots drive and punt ended the game.

Final: Seahawks 29, Patriots 13

Individual Standouts

Seattle Seahawks

• QB Sam Darnold:19/38, 194 yards, 1 TD, 0 INT, sacked once. Not spectacular, but exactly what Seattle needed—no turnovers, steady decision-making, and timely throws.

• RB Kenneth Walker III:27 carries, 135 yards, long 30. Workhorse performance that kept Seattle on schedule and let them lean on the run even when the end zone was elusive.

• WR/TE Group:

  • Cooper Kupp: 6 receptions, 61 yards

  • AJ Barner: 6 receptions, 61 yards, 1 TD

  • Rashid Shaheed: 2 receptions, 41 yards; plus 1 kick return for 20 yards and 2 punt returns for 16

  • Smith-Njigba, Walker, Holani chipping in as outlets

• K Jason Myers:5-for-5 on field goals, long 41, 2/2 on PATs, 17 total points. In a game dominated by field goals through three quarters, he was the offensive MVP.

• Defense:

  • Pass rush: 6 sacks on Maye, constant pressure.

  • Takeaways: 1 fumble recovery (Byron Murphy II) and 2 interceptions (Nwosu, Love).

  • Scoring: Nwosu’s pick-six and Love’s long return that set up points turned the game from controlled to decided.

New England Patriots

• QB Drake Maye:27/43, 252 yards, 2 TD, 2 INT, 6 sacks, 1 lost fumble. Flashes of talent, but the turnovers and sacks in the fourth were fatal.

• Receivers:

  • Mack Hollins: 4 receptions, 78 yards

  • DeMario Douglas: 7 receptions, 81 yards

  • Stefon Diggs: 5 receptions, 40 yards

  • Stevenson, Henry, Henderson, Boutte, Hooper, Kyle Williams all contributed underneath, but big plays were rare until it was too late.

• Rushing Attack:25 carries for 73 yards total. Never forced Seattle to respect the run, keeping Maye under constant pressure.

• Defense:Spread production (10+ tackles from Craig Woodson, Marcus Jones, Carlton Davis III, etc.), some TFLs and pressures, but they were on the field too long and got no help from the offense or turnover margin.

Takeaways

• Seattle won the game with discipline and layers:

  • Efficient, turnover-free QB play from Darnold.

  • A true bell-cow night from Walker.

  • A kicker in Myers who turned every scoring chance into points.

  • A defense that shut out New England for three quarters, then finished with game-changing takeaways.

• New England’s problem wasn’t talent, it was situational football:

  • No run game to support Maye.

  • Protection breakdowns leading to 6 sacks.

  • Three critical turnovers (1 fumble, 2 INTs) in a low-possession game.

Super Bowl 60 will be remembered as the night Seattle’s defense and kicking game strangled a high-profile Patriots offense, and Sam Darnold quietly managed one of the most important, efficient games of his career.