Seahawks On the Brink of Making Super Bowl History Against Patriots

Heading to the fourth quarter of Super Bowl LX, the New England Patriots have just 78 total yards and zero points. Almost nothing that offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels and quarterback Drake Maye have tried has worked.

If that trend continues for one more quarter, the Seahawks' defense will be the first unit to ever shut out an opponent in the Super Bowl. And with things trending the way they are, it seems pretty likely at this point.

The Seahawks are leading the Patriots 12-0 with 15 minutes left to play, fresh off a fumble recovery forced by edge rusher Derick Hall -- Seattle's fifth sack of Maye in the game. Maye has completed just 8 of 18 passes for 61 yards.

Feb 8, 2026; Santa Clara, CA, USA; New England Patriots quarterback Drake Maye (10) is hit as he throws by Seattle Seahawks defensive end DeMarcus Lawrence (0) in the second half in Super Bowl LX at Levi's Stadium. | Kirby Lee-Imagn Images

Seattle hasn't done much on offense, either, but they rode Kenneth Walker III's legs and Sam Darnold's elusiveness in the pocket to at least get four field goals. The Seahawks' defense did the rest, completely negating any offensive rhythm for the Patriots.

In many ways, it was expected. The Patriots played arguably the softest schedule in NFL history en route to a Super Bowl berth, and definitively the easiest schedule this year among the entire league (.391 strength of schedule).

The Seahawks were the favorites coming into the game because of their defense, and it panned out exactly that way. It's been a completely dominant performance from the very start, and it might just be enough to fuel Seattle to its second Super Bowl victory.

New England's defense, and cornerback Christian Gonzalez in particular, deserve some credit for stopping the Seahawks' offense. Gonzalez has been involved in almost every potentially big play the Seahawks could have had, totaling three tackles and three pass deflections.

But it hasn't been enough so far. The Patriots have one defensive star trying to carry the load, while the Seahawks are getting game-changing plays from the entire unit. That's been the difference.

The Legion of Boom was impressive, but even they gave up a touchdown in Super Bowl XLVIII during garbage time, winning that game against the Denver Broncos 43-8. The Dark Side can set an even more impressive precedent for Seattle defenses moving forward.

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