Defenses Dominating Patriots vs. Seahawks at Super Bowl LX Halftime

At long last, the time for the talk has ended and Super Bowl LX is underway from Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif. The New England Patriots and the Seattle Seahawks are locked in a defensive slugfest in the final game of the 2025-26 NFL season and playoffs.

Quarterback Drake Maye has completed 6-of-11 for 48 yards while being sacked three times for a total loss of 30 yards. Conversely, Seahawks veteran Sam Darnold has thrown for 88 yards on nine attempts.

A victory this weekend will give the Patriots their seventh NFL title and the most Super Bowl wins in NFL history. The team is currently tied with Pittsburgh with six Super Bowl wins. Of course, Super Bowl history between the Seahawks and Patriots is favorable with the latter. The teams last met on the NFL’s grandest stage in Super Bowl XLIX — a game won 28-24 by the Patriots.

In that vein, here are the highlights from a first half in which the Pats trail 9-0, with New England set to possess the ball first to begin the second half.

First Quarter: Seahawks Strike First

The Seahawks struck first in Super Bowl LX, as quarterback Sam Darnold led his team on an eight-play, 51-yard drive to open the game. The series was highlighted by a pair of Darnold completions to receiver Cooper Kupp (23 yards) and tight and A.J. Barner (15 yards) respectively. Still, the Pats were able to hold Seattle out of the end zone with a key third-down stop inside the 20. Seahawks kicker Jason Myers ensured that his team would not be denied points on their opening drive — delivering a 33-yard field goal to give Seattle a 3-0 lead.

For the Patriots, yardage removed the scare for much of the quarter. New England’s first two offensive plays saw Maye under pressure, due largely in part to the Seahawks blitzes on 3rd-and-long situations. Seattle’s aggression on New England’s first two drives resulted in two sacks of Maye for 20 yards.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots cornerback Christian Gonzalez (0) breaks up a pass intended for Seattle Seahawks wide receiver Rashid Shaheed (22) in the first half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Second Quarter: Seattle Extends Lead

Seattle once again lit the Levi’s Stadium scoreboard on their first drive of the second quarter. After an impressive pass-breakup by Christian Gonzalez on a 1st-and-10 deep attempt by Darnold to find receiver Rashid Shaheed, the Seahawks wisely went to running back Kenneth Walker III to advance the ball. Seattle’s top back unleashed runs for 20 yards and 29 yards, respectively. Myers once again connected on a field goal — this time for 39 yards and a 6-0 lead.

The Seahawks put the exclamation point on the quarter with yet another Myers field goal. Darnold led his team 34 yards on nine plays, culminating in a 41-yard field goal to put the ‘Hawks on top 9-0. The drive was actually highlighted by the Patriots, with Gonzalez once again denying Seattle’s star receiver Jaxon Smith-Njigba a potential touchdown by breaking up a 23-yard pass on 3rd-and-three.

Jared Wilson Makes History

As first reported by Patriots On SI, the Guardian Cap NXT, a soft-shell cover that retrofits all football helmets to help mitigate the damage from head injuries, is making its Super Bowl debut while being worn by Wilson. As he took the field at Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, Calif, the Patriots offensive lineman became the first player in NFL history to compete in the NFL’s championship game while wearing the protective equipment.

After sustaining an injury in Week 12 of the 2025 regular season, Wilson returned to play wearing a Guardian Cap for the remainder of the season, including the Patriots’ postseason run.

Injury Watch: Jahlani Tavai

During the first quarter, Patriots linebackerJahlani Tavai was questionable to return with a shoulder injury. Tavai made a tackle on Seahawks running back Kenneth Walker III and went immediately to the sidelines, favoring his shoulder. He returned to the game on the ensuing drive.

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