Seattle didn’t just win Super Bowl LX; they imposed their will. The 29-13 thumping of the New England Patriots earned Seattle their second championship. It was a victory that fit the bill of a grind-it-out, mistake-plagued contest Seattle likes best. The Seahawks sacked Drake Maye six times, forcing turnovers that ensured any chance of a Patriots comeback ended long before Uchenna Nwosu’s touchdown sealed the outcome.
This is important because, as mentioned, the pre-game prediction at Virginia Times, “Why One Mistake Could Decide Super Bowl LX,” wasn’t built on highlights. It’s built on the idea that a championship is often won or lost on yards given up and protection schemes and that you simply cannot afford one mistake. Virginia Times predicted Seattle as the more likely victor in a close contest.
And what we saw was a contest that checked each of these boxes.
First, the idea that Seattle’s defensive floor travels wasn’t far off. Mike Macdonald’s defense didn’t need to be flashy. It needed to force New England into a long, methodical drive and perfect execution, and still, the Patriots couldn’t capitalize. Pressure came early and often, and the margin for error for Drake Maye disappeared. Seattle’s rush and mistakes defined the night.
Second, the idea that Seattle’s run game provided a reset button wasn’t far off either. Kenneth Walker III carried the load, keeping Seattle ahead of the chains. According to Reuters, Walker III rushed for 135 yards, earning himself the Super Bowl MVP. Seattle’s offense didn’t have to be pretty; it just had to be steady.
Here’s where the forecast hit and where it didn’t.
The fact that Seattle won Super Bowl LX is not surprising, but it’s also not surprising that they dominated. The 29-13 win over the New England Patriots was their second championship, and it was also the kind of game that Seattle likes: a grinder that punishes teams with mistakes. According to Reuters, the Seahawks sacked quarterback Drake Maye six times, and turnovers ended any chance of a Patriots comeback, with Uchenna Nwosu’s late score putting it away. That’s relevant because, before the game, there was this pregame prediction from Virginia Times: “Why one mistake could decide Super Bowl LX.” Well, it was based on facts, but it was also based on facts that did not play out. Let’s see what did and did not work from that pregame prediction.
Speaking of which, the concept of ‘defensive floor travels’ was very true, as Mike Macdonald’s unit did not have to do it with flash and dash to win and ensure New England went on a series of long, perfect drives, which they simply were not capable of doing. As Reuters put it, “Rush and associated mistakes were what defined the evening in Seattle.”
Second, the reset button for a run game was all too real for the Seahawks. Kenneth Walker III was handling the workload, keeping Seattle ahead of the chains, and coming away with 135 rushing yards to claim the Super Bowl MVP honor, according to Reuters. It was not necessarily necessary for the Seahawks to shine on offense; they just had to thrive.
Where the prediction missed the mark and why.
The forecast predicted a one-score finish (27-23). However, the margin increased due to the fact that the blunders by New England not only stopped them from scoring but also converted them into scoring opportunities for Seattle. Additionally, the late defensive TD and favorable short fields prepared the ground for Seattle’s victory. Another twist came from the way Seattle recorded 29 points without depending on touchdowns, as Reuters reported: “Jason Myers connected on five field goals for Seattle, a Super Bowl record.”
The bottom line here is that, aside from nailing the approach of discipline, pressure, and using Hidden Yards, the prediction underestimated Seattle’s ability to pounce, given the chance, against New England.
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