Seahawks defense humbles MVP runner-up Drake Maye in 29-13 win

By Cayden Dejesus and Max Lamy '26

Eleven years after a heartbreaking goal-line loss in Super Bowl XLIX, the Seattle Seahawks finally got their revenge. Behind a dominant defensive performance, Seattle stifled the New England Patriots 29-13 on Sunday at Levi’s Stadium to claim the franchise’s second title.

According to ESPN, the Seahawks had a 67% chance of winning. The game ended as expected when New England’s second-year quarterback, Drake Maye, threw a pick-six in the late fourth quarter.

While the Patriots' defense was excellent, the offense struggled for nearly the entire game. Maye appeared hamstrung by nerves, and the New England offensive line was unprepared for Seattle's corner blitzes and defensive front.

When asked if he thought coaches Mike Vrabel and Josh McDaniels did a good job preparing Maye for the game, analyst Michael Miller offered a critical view.

“Oh, yeah, I mean, he was very nervous," Miller said. "The thing is, I was kind of surprised because Vrabel has been there before certainly. So you would’ve thought that Vrabel would’ve said, ‘When I was in the Super Bowl, here’s what we do.’ It just shows that Drake’s a young kid. He’s 23, so he’ll get better. I think Vrabel and McDaniels did a good job during the season, but they didn’t do a great job on the game.”

Despite the loss, Miller said he has not lost faith in the young quarterback after this playoff run.

“No, I don’t think so. He was just young and inexperienced," Miller said. "He’ll get better with more experience. He showed that he can certainly throw the deep ball. He just needs some better weapons.”

After a 14-3 regular season and a Super Bowl appearance in Vrabel’s first year, expectations for 2026 are already sky-high. The front office will likely look to build around Maye, potentially targeting a star like wide receiver A.J. Brown of the Philadelphia Eagles.